Making YOUR WEBSITEMORE EFFECTIVE

Website Evaluation & Usability

September 17th, 2008

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PART IIEvaluation & Usability

PART IIIwww.agep.us

A Resource for You

Part ISite Content Basics:

a Checklist

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Part ISite Content Basics,

a Checklist

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Keep in mind . . .WEB = PRIMARY TOOL

for researching graduate programs

So . . .the quality of your websitecan make a big difference

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To be a successful tool for students, faculty and staff, your website needs:

• Content that captures interest.

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To be a successful tool for students, faculty and staff, your website needs:

• Content that captures interest.

• Content that answers basic questions.

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To be a successful tool for students, faculty and staff, your website needs:

• Content that captures interest.

• Content that answers basic questions.

• Content that encourages people to contact you, and makes it easy.

So . . . .

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Make a good first impression!

Most websites serve many audiences. There are eight basic things you can do to sharpen the quality and utility of your website for all viewers.

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1. Use the AGEP acronymand logo.

AGEP has gained national recognition. Take advantage of that!

The logo is available at www.agep.us/HRDJAM2008.asp

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http://graduate.indiana.edu/agep/overview.php

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www.wmich.edu/agep

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www.agep.us/programs.asp?sort=alliance

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2. Put the most basic information up front.

Give viewers an orientation at first glance.

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www.umbc.edu/promise/pages/aboutus.html

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www.acsbe.org

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http://graduate.indiana.edu/agep/index.php

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www.gaela.tulane.edu/what_is.htm

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3. Keep your audience in mind.and make it easy for viewers to get the

information they’ll be looking for.

A student’s perspective:

•What is the program about?•What is the research focus?•What faculty could they work with?

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A faculty member’s perspective:

• What recruitment and retention resources are available?

• Are they easy to access?

A staff member’s perspective:

• What resources are available for program management?

• For sharing ideas and successes?

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www.gaela.tulane.edu/how_apply.htm

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www.crossroadsagep.org/page.asp?ContentId=1&location=1

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4. Offer a FAQS page.

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www.umbc.edu/promise/pages/faq.html

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5. Give your program a human face.

Provide links to faculty bios and current student information.

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http://agep.syr.edu/About.htm

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www.stonybrook.edu/agep/Scholars_Graduates/

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AC SBE Alliance

UNC Chapel Hill

www.acsbe.org/ACSBEPhotoGallery.htm

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www.ucop.edu/acadadv/agep/students/index.html

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6. Provide critical contact information

for actual people.

Make it easy for viewers to contact a real, live person and get their questions answered.

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http://rgs.rice.edu/Grad/agep/contact.cfm

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www.acsbe.org

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http://graduate.indiana.edu/agep/contact.php

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http://www.uab.edu/aagep/PrincipalInvestigators.html

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7. Provide up-to-date information.

And links.

AND . . . make sure the links work.

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www.michagep.org/

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www.grad-college.iastate.edu/agep/

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www.agep.us/events.asp?sort=all

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8. And finally . . .

Link to www.agep.us

and www.nsfagep.

org

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PART IIWebsite Evaluation & Usability

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• Why gather web statistics?

• Assess your web presence

• Generate graphics and figures to demonstrate your web presence in reports & evaluations

• Identify areas for website improvementex. Generating more traffic on specific pages

Identifying pages that generate errors

Website Statistics

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• Volume of Traffic• Visits

A visit happens when someone accesses your site in a browser. A Person can register multiple visits by leaving your site and then coming back again at a later time.

• Page viewsA visitor generates one page view each time he/sheaccesses a unique page on your website. One visitor can generate multiple page views in a single visit.

• Page hitsThe number of files sent from the webserver to the user’sbrowser. Each page view can generate multiple hits.

• Bandwidth Usage The amount of data transferred to or from the web server

Website Statistics

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• Other Statistics• IP Addresses of people visiting your site• Page errors• Users’ browsers• Users’ operating systems

…Many others statistics possible, depending uponthe analytics software available to you

Website Statistics

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Sample Summary Report

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Sample Summary Report

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Information on Website Users

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IBP Family of Integrated Sites Nov 2003 - June 2008

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

Visits

Page Views

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• Your University or web hosting company likely offers website tracking software such as:

- Surf Stats- Google Analytics (free)- Urchin (by Google)- Omniture- WebTrends

Web Analytics Software Packages

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Usability Assessment

Goal: To assure easy access of relevant information to your

target audience

• Focus Groups• Interviews• Web, email, or hard copy survey

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Usability Assessment

Preparation:

• Identify your website’s target usergroups Examples:

• Prospective Students• Current Students• Faculty• Administrators• Program Alumni• Funders

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Usability Assessment

Preparation:

Identify core goals of your site

Examples• Draw prospective students to the program• Provide information necessary for applying to the program• Provide central location for program contact information • Connect current students with Alumni• Provide up-to-date events and news associated with the program

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Focus Groups or Individual Interviews

• 3 – 9 participants(generally a group as small as 5 identifies at least 85% of usability problems

• Include representatives from each of your website’s usergroups

• Take excellent notes and consider tape-recording sessions

• Ask targeted questions that relate to your core website goals

• Ask open-ended questions soliciting suggestions for improvement

• Ask what shouldn’t be on the site as well as what should, and what doesn’t work as well as what does

• Keep focus groups/interviews to under an hour

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Web, email, or hard copy survey

• 10 or more participants

• Include representatives from each of your website’s usergroups

• Ask targeted questions that relate to your core website goals

• Ask open-ended questions soliciting suggestions for improvement

• Ask what shouldn’t be on the site as well as what should, and what doesn’t work as well as what does

• Keep surveys short

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If users visit a site and don’t find what they’re looking for,

find it out of date, or experience usability

difficulties, THEY DON’T COME BACK.

THE SITE IS UTILIZED

(27,000 + visits in January 2008)

Presents up-to-date information, targeted to specific audiences, in a

user-friendly interface

THE SITE IS PROMOTED, PROMOTED, PROMOTED

Through persistent distribution of trifolds and flyers, inclusion on all materials, and constant mention in

workshops, presentations and emails

www.ibparticipation.orgwww.agep.uswww.igert.org

www.mainestem.orgwww.msphds.org

DATA MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT*THE SITE IS REGULARLY

IMPROVED*Staff assess audience needs

Data is gathered, organized, backed up and protected, and constantly

updated.

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT*THE SITE IS CONSTANTLY UPDATED*

Databases: programs, Events, Partners, Contacts, Student Profiles, News, Idea Exchange

IBP RECEIVES FEEDBACK

Prospective Students Fill Out Online Form,

Supply Data

Files are accessed and/or downloaded by students, PIs,

etc..

Website Stats, Communication with PIs,

Students, etc.

Iterative Design Process

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PART IIIwww.agep.us

A Resource for You

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www.agep.us

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agep.us: Profiles highlighting AGEP successes

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agep.us: Events related to STEM education

Post Events Online at:www.ibparticipation.org/IBPEventsForm.asp

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agep.us: News related to STEM education

Submit your news items to be posted:www.ibparticipation.org/IBPNewsForm.asp

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agep.us: Partners Directory

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Link to Us!Let us promote your programs, events, news & students

as part of the STEM network!During the 2008 Spring Semester, we had 30,000 visits/month to our family of sites!

Send us your:• Student and Faculty Profiles• Program Success Stories• News• Events• Ideas and Best Practices

Link to Agep.us for:• Events• News• Profiles• Best Practices and Resources

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Let us promote your programs, events, news & students as part of the STEM network!

During the 2008 Spring Semester, we had 30,000 visits/month to our family of sites!

Use our online web forms to send us news & events:

http://www.ibparticipation.org/IBPNewsForm.asp

http://www.ibparticipation.org/IBPEventsForm.asp

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The Institute for Broadening Participation

Contact us with Questions:

P.O. Box 607Damariscotta, ME 04543

1-866-593-9103

contactagep@ibparticipation.org

www.agep.uswww.ibparticipation.org

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