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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservations (MDC) announces it has updated its website to offer a new look and better navigation for site users. According to MDC, the majority of web content will remain where it was while other content has been moved to better fit where visitors expect to find it.
MDC had about 6.8 million visitors to its website last year. Visit MDC’s updated website for a new look and easier navigation at https://mdc.mo.gov/.
“Our new MDC website builds upon our existing site’s organization but offers a new look with more popular content now being easier to find,” said MDC Digital Communications Manager Chris Cloyd. “Based on feedback from website users, the new design uses a cleaner color scheme and white space to better allow users to scan and focus on the content they want more quickly and easily.”
Key improvements users may notice are better search results thanks to a new search engine powering the site, easier to find information on buying permits, and a new section on invasive and nuisance animal and plant species. Popular webpages that have been improved include “Places to Go” to discover nature on MDC areas, the online “Field Guide” to help users identify Missouri plants and animals, and the hunting and fishing “Species A-Z” pages to help identify game species.
“We also added a section on the homepage that highlights online methods and other alternatives to doing business with MDC in person,” said Cloyd. “We know more people are doing more and more online instead of in person, especially after more than a year of COVID-19-related restrictions.”
Cloyd added that new website also provides a better user experience on mobile devices, specifically Android devices. “Some Android users reported having navigation issues on our existing website, so we wanted to ensure the new site works smoothly on all devices,” he explained.
According to Cloyd, the number-one goal of the MDC website is to have as many visitors complete the tasks they came to the site for as quickly and easily as possibly. “With a site as large as ours, it can be hard to achieve, but we regularly review and use public feedback to make improvements to the site.”
He noted that MDC staff use input from the website’s public comment form and regular website survey results to determine changes and priorities when working on the website.
“During the redesign project, we got approximately 150 public volunteers to help us with all aspects of the new site,” Cloyd explained. “They did a series of site-organization exercises, took specific surveys to provide feedback on existing pain points, and also tested the new site for any issues or problems. Of the public testers, an overwhelming majority preferred the look and organization of the new site. They felt it was easier to accomplish what they wanted to.”
