The new map feature allows visitors to access a high resolution park map from any page within the park's website.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer's Enterprise Web Management Division (EWMD) has launched a new mapping feature for park websites on NPS.gov.  Each park website now includes a 'View Map' link that provides a high resolution digital version of the same park map used in the official park brochure.  Visitors can zoom in to focus on key landmarks and print a copy for their trip planning purposes.

This new feature was created in response to visitor requests provided to the NPS.gov customer satisfaction survey. 

"NPS.gov users frequently provide feedback regarding changes that could improve their online experience," said new NPS CIO Larry Curran, "and maps are one of the most frequently requested items."

"Our number one goal for NPS.gov is to improve customer satisfaction, and this is one of several improvements planned for the coming year," commented NPS Enterprise Web Manager Carl Chitwood.  "Over the past few years, we have started to surface content that visitors have told us that they want to find, such as directions to the parks, fee and reservation information and hours of operation.  However, we try to build these features into the page template as often as possible so that parks also have room for their own additional priorities."

The maps were created by Harpers Ferry Center’s Design, Cartography and Production Office and are viewed using a Flash interface. 

“This is one of several examples where we can leverage the benefits of a Content Management System,” says Chitwood.  “We build one cost-effective solution one time, and it is then usable by all parks and on all of our many thousands of park web pages.” 

This same concept has also been used to create Flash-based photo galleries and slideshows, events calendars and news release catalogs that can be used by all NPS.gov CMS users and on potentially all CMS-based NPS.gov pages.

Overall, customer satisfaction with NPS.gov has steadily risen as the site's design has become more consistent and focused on visitor needs.  Much work remains to be done, though, and later this month, the EWMD will start work with a design firm to continue the progress with program office, regional and thematic web pages.

The Enterprise Web Management Division is part of OCIO's National Information Services Center.  For more information on this and other EWMD projects scheduled for 2008-09, please visit http://inside.nps.gov/waso/web.

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Contact Information
Name: Tim Cash
Phone Number: 202-354-1452
Email: tim_cash@nps.gov