Testing and Maintaining a Web Site

• Presented by: Angelo Russo• Student number: 10• Acknowledgement: This information is

primarily gathered from:– Web Design, 5th ed.– Jennifer Campbell– CENGAGE Publishing, 2015

Self-Testing the Site

• Self-testing is the first phase of prepublication website testing. It is the time to test the website's structure and page layout, color scheme, and other elements.

Importance of Self-Testing

• Testing helps ensure the website's pages look and function as designed and confirm that all asptects of the design plan have been satisfied.

Test Images & Multimedia

• To verify that the page code does not contain misspellings of the image or multimedia file names and does not link to an invalid folder location or external webpage.

Test Navigation

• Test the navigation and search tools and examine the website's structure to determine whether visitors can find all pages easily.

Test All Links

• Test all internal and external links to make certain they work properly and none are broken and/or do not work. Verify that the link text identifies its target clearly and that the correct page opens when clicked. If relevant, make sure that the new page opens in the same browser window, a new tab, or a new window as specified.

Check All Text

• Make sure all text is in a readable font and appropriate size and color for the page, its surroundings, and its background color.

Check for WAI Compliance

• WAI stands for Web Accessibility Initiative and develops guidelines widely regarded as the international standard for Web accessibility. Be sure to include a text equivalent for all nontext elements to satisfy WAI guidelines for images and multimedia.

Test Site on Different Browsers• Use different major and some minor browsers

such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and Safari. Be sure to test different versions of these browsers as well to ensure compatability, or to be able to properly list incompatible versions to visitors. Test the site on different devices, platforms, and screen sizes. Expect a reasonable range of variances as long as the page appears legible and looks well laid out in each instance.

Target Audience Testing

• Target audience testing is the second test phase that involves recruiting a small group of people to act as testers.

How to Organize a Test Group

• When choosing a test group, include colleagues not involved in the website development, people who represent the target audience, and include other interested parties as well.

Target Audience Testing: Observations

• Observe the testers to determine the following:– Which pages appear to appeal to them?– Which pages appear to disinterest them?– How much time do they spend on various pages?– Which links do they visit or ignore?– How easily do they navigate the website?– Do they at any time demonstrate any confusion or

frustration?

Target Audience Testing: Questions to Ask

• The test audience survey should include questions such as the following:– Did the website's content satisfy your needs, wants,

and expectations for content at the website?– Was the website's content interesting and valuable?– Was it easy or difficult to navigate the website?– What improvements, if any, would you suggest for the

website?– Would you return to the website and recommend it

to others?

Website Promotion

• Once the website is published, it needs to be promoted in order to reach the target audience. Ways to promote a website include:– Online through blogs, social media, search tool

advertising, affiliate programs, link exchanges, RSS feeds, and email advertising.

– Traditional promotion techniques such as word of mouth, print materials, and promotional giveaways.

Maintainance of the Site• Web design is a continuing process and that the work of developing, creating,

and maintaining a website is never really finished. Ongoing maintenance, updating and retesting are needed on a regular basis by doing the following:

• Add/promote timely content by changing photographs, add to/substitute text, publicize upcoming events, and offer timely tips or create a frequently updated blog. Use social media, opt-in email, and other methods to promote new content to your audience.

• Check for broken links and add new links. Ensure your website visitors can find content by maintaining a functional navigational system that includes links to the primary pages in your website, and including a search feature.

• Include ways to get user feedback, and then act on that feedback.• Evaluate & implelment new technologies and adapt your content to new

platforms or devices when they can further your website's objectives and increase its accessibility and usability, as well as fit into your website budget and meet your audience's expectations.

Evaluate Website Performance

• Evaluating the performance, or benchmarking, of a personal site or a commercial site will show strengths and weaknesses in the content and pages. To evaluate a website, visitor feedback, web server log analysis of visitors, and web analytics of visitor data can be used to show a site's performance over a period of time.