Wikipedia due to get its first substantial website redesign in a decade

According to cnn.com Wikipedia is finally getting a new website layout. This is the first time in 10 years they have changed the layout of their website. Wikipedia is known for its large data-base and articles that contain so much information. The websites main focus wasn’t on the way their website looked like they worried more about, “main purpose is to create, learn, and curate content,” and with that in mind pledges to simplify navigation, aiming “to create a more welcoming experience for all who come to our projects” (Jason Kurtz). The website plans to have its new layout appear in 2021. I think this is a great idea for the website content because 10 years definitely makes it overdue. For as long as I remember Wikipedia’s website always seemed boring looking to me. There wasn’t ever anything that popped out to my attention, I am very excited to see these changes.

Kurtz, Jason. “Wikipedia Due to Get Its First Substantial Website Redesign in a Decade.” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 Sept. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/09/24/tech/wikipedia-redesign-trnd/index.html.

8 thoughts on “Wikipedia due to get its first substantial website redesign in a decade

  1. This is very exciting to see! As others have said, the current Wikipedia layout functions from a UI standpoint, and looks very dated, especially in recent years. I think with the prominence of Wikipedia, being one of the top links for almost any search, it is important to adapt the site to more current standards. While I can often times find a lot of useful information on Wiki pages, I would definitely say it sometimes takes some digging, and I’m sure that’s something the redesign aims to fix. I also hope the redesign comes with some other changes that make the site more usable on a professional, or scholastic basis. With the massive amount of information it has, its sad that its largely unusable in much of the work I may want to reference it for. With that said, a redesign could come with some changes that make it more of a proper source for good information.

  2. I believe that by redesigning their website, Wikipedia could attempt to become a “better source” for students to reference in work. I have always believed that Wikipedia is a good source to use and reference, regardless of the format of the website. In high school, students are told that Wikipedia is not a reliable source over and over again. This seems to be a common theme that is regurgitated throughout high schools in the United States. The list of changes that are going to happen, (shown in a previous comment), show that they are attempting to become and conform to the normal for websites today. I feel like this is an amazing opportunity for Wikipedia to grow on what they have built already.

  3. When I first read this post title, I was definitely a little worried. Wikipedia is a really great resource, and its simplicity and basic text format is unique and for me, easy to read, despite the fact that the design is out dated or “old”. When I heard of the redesign, I thought the website would completely change layout and style, taking a more modern approach that other websites offer. I am glad to see that is not at all the case, and while the new design may take some getting used to, they do not seem to look like significant changes. Below I found a list of all the proposed changes, and they definitely make the site more user friendly to someone who has not used Wikipedia before. I like the fact that the website is not going a route to modernize and significantly change, but keeps doing what they do best. In my eyes it is never a bad idea to make small changes like what is planned to improve the user experience.

    https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements#What_features_will_be_added

  4. I am excited to see this. I never really enjoyed the design of Wikipedia and it was always very annoying for me to try to look up. Hopefully, we see a step in the right direction here and make it more user friendly. Something they can also add would be a reading mode where night time readers can enjoy to comfortably read off of Wikipedia and not have to burn their eyes out from light mode. I would also maybe separate the sections so it can look cleaner and easier on the eye to read.

  5. Wikipedia changing the layout to their website sounds like a wonderful idea! I agree that their website has given a very dull and boring vibe for the past ten years, and I’m honestly shocked that they haven’t done this years ago. I’m excited to see what they have in mind. I just noticed dictionary.com and those chain of website also changed their layout as well. In my opinion, it’s not the best and it almost feels like it went back in time rather than forward. Or, maybe it just doesn’t suit my taste personally. Going back to Wikipedia, I wonder if they’re going to add color to their layout considering it’s almost completely grayscale. Anyways, I hope they make some drastic changes to their website because I think the more they do, the more people will be talking about it and attracted to it.

  6. Wikipedia is a useful tool to find the definition or the history of certain events. I’m very interested in how it will change their website to maximize its user experience. In its original page, it provides a vast Information network within a straightforward design. There are usually two columns on the page: one is for editing tools and functions while the other one is for other definition that people might be interested in the field. Except for these, it usually has many external information links under the page. To the aesthetic perspective, I would hope the new website with a simple and succinct design and arrangement. However, the fascinating thing about Wikipedia is how it provides information coherently by the effective external links in a straightforward way. I’m looking forward to How Wikipedia will combine the user experience and its original design to create a new website.

  7. I believe that this update is one of the best things they could do. As you said, Wikipedia’s layout is very boring which doesn’t attract people. Google is one the most popular search engine, and I am sure that the design and simplicity they introduce to their platform is one of the main reasons why. As time goes by, google can also gather data in order to better adjust their platforms for better user satisfaction. I don’t really understand why Wikipedia took so long with this since they also gather data which must tell them that they need to update these things. Nevertheless, I feel that this new change in WIkipedia will be a great opportunity for the company to grow.

  8. I think Wikipedia getting an updated website is a good idea for them. It has been too long and there are definitely new designs that are better than their current one. Technology is advancing, as it has been for the last ten years, they should update theirs. According to walkersandsdigital.com websites update theirs every three years, so wikipedia is very behind. They don’t need to because every kid in both high school and college will continue to use Wikipedia regardless of how old their website is, but it is time to get something newer.

    https://www.walkersandsdigital.com/why-companies-redesign-websites-every-three-years-on-average-or-do-they

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