By now, we hope you've had a good chance to browse around the new TrainingZONE site. Designed to highlight those resources most regularly used, the site now also has clearer links between different sections. Many of the changes we've implemented have been in direct response to requests from members, either by contacting us by e-mail or telephone, or from those of you who came along to our user group meeting in June.

Here's a summary of what you told us, and what we've been doing to enhance the site as a result over the last few months:

You told us: Those of you using the site on a regular basis found the site easy to use, but those who don't use it that regularly found it more difficult to navigate. You also told us you'd like to see individual parts of the site highlighted on a rotating basis.

We've responded: We've taken both points on board, with our new, 'dropalong' navigation and site guide, which sits within a more visible 'help' area. Our latest feature area on the home page is regularly rotated to highlight specific areas of the site.

You told us: You would disregard a website if you found it too difficult to load or navigate, and you're not keen on flash pages or off-putting graphics.

We've responded: We've given the site a cleaner look with just one side bar on the screen. We've used standard logos for each area of the site to help identify them separately.

You told us: Specialist zones within TrainingZONE such as E-learningZone were difficult to find, although you liked the way they were structured.

We responded: by giving the Zones their own area within the navigation bar.

You told us: You'd like to see more specialist areas within the site, and an area devoted to answering specific training questions and defining terms.

We responded: by launching the Glossary area and developing two new Zones dedicated to quality, launched last week, and to evalution, due in January next year.

Six months on, we're arranging another session for users to meet up and discuss the site, which we hope will be as successful as the previous session.

User group meeting - December 2001

Location: TrainingZONE offices, 100 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6HZ

Time: 12.00pm - 2.00pm

Date: 7 or 14 December

Members will need to pay their own way to the Bristol offices, but lunch is provided.

If you'd like to attend, please respond to the editor stating which dates you are able to make. We look forward to seeing you!