Information The website of the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) underwent a major renewal for the first time in 13 years. Website is now easier to use and more accessible to the industry's voice, enhancing information dissemination
In the summer of 2021, the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) will undergo a major renewal of its website. 13 years have already passed since its launch in 2008, and the environment surrounding the website has changed dramatically during this time. With the development of digital technology, communication lines have become faster, and websites have shifted from text to photos and videos, making it necessary to improve the viewing and operating environment. Furthermore, the devices used to view websites have become more diverse, and it has become essential to support devices such as smartphones and tablets. The importance of websites as "information dissemination tools" has increased dramatically, as the Internet has become the mainstream source of information collection, replacing media such as newspapers and television. Against this backdrop, the renewal project began in the fall of 2020, based on the recognition that a drastic review is urgently needed.
Here are three key points about this renewal.
1. significant usability improvements
Dedicated entrance and navigation on top page
The website is visited by a wide variety of people. People who want to know about the correct dosage of drugs, junior and senior high school students researching drugs, media people covering the industry, pharmacists and healthcare professionals, patients... the list goes on and on. As an industry organization, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) disseminates a variety of information, but with each renewal, the structure became more complex, making it difficult to find the "gateway to the information you need. Therefore, one of the major issues in this renewal was to improve the usability of the website. We wanted to provide information seekers with the information they need in a way that was easier and faster to understand. As a result, the site will be easier to use, more satisfying for visitors, and easier to deliver the message from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan. We have set such goals.
For the new site, we started by reorganizing the content. We started by decluttering and organizing, for example, not posting information that was too old or putting it in an archive. The process began like a big move. We also rearranged the information on the appropriate pages, where users could easily find it.
On the top page, we placed dedicated entrances for "patients and the general public," "information from the committee," etc., according to the "target demographics. The structure allows visitors to quickly find the information they are looking for. In addition, a navigation system has been placed at the top of the top page to make it easier for visitors to find information according to their "purpose of browsing. The navigation is lined up with "About Pharmaceuticals," "Information from the Committee," "About the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan," "Newsroom," "Pharmaceutical Industry Policy Institute," etc., making it easier to access information from here as well.
In addition, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ) website has nearly 2,000 pages and a vast amount of information, but some users may be looking for specific data or recommendations within this information. One of the features of the renewed site is an enhanced search function.
Revamped top page
The top page is also the "face" of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ). It is important to "visualize" whether new information is constantly being disseminated and what kind of activities are being focused on.
The most prominent top visuals now switch between three to five themes. This makes it easier for visitors to recognize that information is being updated and to visually understand the latest activities of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PMAJ). At the bottom of the site, a switching carousel is placed to facilitate the delivery of the latest news, proposals, educational videos, event reports, and other information, making it easier to visually recognize "seasonal" topics in the industry.
The overall design and color of the site is blue, which conveys sincerity and trust as an industry organization concerned with people's health and lives. In addition, rounded icons and brightly toned images are used to create a sense of familiarity. The website was designed to convey the sense of mission of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association to be close to patients and people in need of medicines and to contribute to their health.
Top page image
(2) Adaptation to the current digital environment - building a sense of trust
It is imperative that a website be easy to use, free of display stress, and safe for everyone. In recent years, many companies have taken steps to improve the "accessibility" of their websites to address these issues. Accessibility is like universal design for the web. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Japan (PAL) needed to make the website more stress-free for the elderly, people with disabilities, and people accessing the site from different devices. For example, the design should have clear contrast for people with color blindness, avoid color-dependent designs, allow text to be enlarged or reduced in size, and have a read-aloud function.
Security measures were also essential. This time, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) was introduced to encrypt data communications between the web browser and the server, preventing information leakage and tampering and making the site safer to use.
3. introduction of CMS to improve operational efficiency and strengthen the ability of the Pharmaceutical Cooperative Association to disseminate information
One of the major changes is the introduction of a Content Management System (CMS). Previously, when updating the website, we had to ask an outside vendor to do it each time. the CMS allows us to edit pages with simple operations, making it possible to update information within the association when necessary. We now have an operational system that allows us to post press releases, recommendations, and other information we want to get out immediately in a timely manner. Going forward, we will continue to promptly deliver the voice of the pharmaceutical industry and further strengthen our ability to disseminate information as an industry association.
PR measures linked to the website are also in view
Although I participated in this major renewal project from the beginning, I feel that the website is truly a "living thing. Even after it is released to the public, it will need to be constantly improved and patiently nurtured. We will use tools to analyze "who visits which pages," "how often the site is viewed," "what kind of content is viewed most frequently," etc., and to plan the content. In the future, we intend to further strengthen our information dissemination capabilities by developing PR activities that effectively deliver the voice of the pharmaceutical industry by utilizing the reborn website. In addition to information dissemination, we also plan to launch a social networking service in 2022 or later to enable interactive communication with visitors to the site. We invite you to visit our website and send us your comments, ideas, and suggestions for improvement.
( Tomoko Arai, Public Relations Department)