This was a group project I worked on for my class in Usability. The main goal was to test a current website's navigation and ease-of-use for clients.
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1. Analyze primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences and their importance. 2. Identify information that a chapter web site should contain and avoid. 3. Evaluate aesthetic appeal, and distinguish between the good and the bad of web design. 4. Learn tools of the trade for web site creation. 5. Discover techniques to make a web site more “searchable” online.
Materials Checklist
Participant Handouts 3x5 Index Cards Pens/Pencils Flip Chart Markers PowerPoint Presentation (for full 50‐minute/1‐hour sessions)
Pass out two index cards for each person in the room. Explain that one of the index cards will be used to provide feedback and suggestions for the session; the other index card will be used as a networking tool as an equivalent to a business card.
Introduce yourself (if you have not already done so). Include information about your professional and fraternity experience and your current role as a Volunteer Leader for Delta Sigma Pi (if applicable). 1
Topics Discussed During Session:
• Analyzing the Audience (Handout, pg. 1) • What information should or should not go on a chapter web site? (Handout, pg. 2) • What is “aesthetic appeal?” The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (PowerPoint Presentation;
Handout, pg. 3‐5) • Helpful Hints, Tips, and Tricks to Create a Fast and Effective Web Site (PowerPoint
Presentation; Handout, pg. 6‐7) • How do people know your web site exists? (Handout pg. 8)
5 Minutes Participation Activity
Have the attendees turn to the first page of their participant handout (Analyzing the Audience). Ask the attendees to jot down a couple of quick ideas of who should fall within their audience chart. After 2 minutes, ask for volunteer answers. Make sure that the following are mentioned in each category (and explain why if needed).
Primary/Target:
• Business Students (or other qualifying potentials) at your University • Pledges
Secondary:
• Alumni members (from your chapter or local area) • School officials (may be within primary audience if they need approval to post)
Once the group has come up with at least 2 examples for each column, you should begin explaining why this exercise is important.2
• Understand the language style, format, vocabulary, background, etc. • Ability to change words, format, graphics, and images to appeal to specific audiences
10 Minutes Participation Activity
Have the attendees turn to the second page of their participant handout (What information should or should not go on a chapter web site?). Ask for a volunteer to write on the flip chart using the markers. Once you have a volunteer, ask them to split the page into two columns, the first labeled “Include” and the second “Do NOT Include.” Have the audience give examples, but the key points below should be included.
Include:
• Pictures o Brothers o Events (Community Service, Professional, Fundraising, Social)
• Events Calendar o Community Service, Professional, Fundraising, Social, and other authorized
Fraternity activities (LEAD Schools, Provincial Conferences, Grand Chapter) • History
o Important information such as the founding dates of the Fraternity and Chapter • News
o Academic/Scholastic Achievements o College Achievements o Athletic Accomplishments o Brother of the Week/Month and Collegian of the Year Nominee
• Contact Information o Email Address(es) – Officer Contacts o Chapter/School Address for mail o Central Office Information
• Links – make sure to check often for broken links o Regional or Provincial Web site o National Web site o University/College Web site o Merchandise (chapter or Fraternity) o Alumni Chapter Web site(s) o Community Service Projects (Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House, etc.)
• Pictures o Brothers that appear disoriented (drunk or on drugs) o Events that show alcoholic beverages or illegal substances3
• Events Calendar o Should not have additional information that violates the Risk Management
policy, such as an open invitation to a friend’s party. • History
o Do not include any information that will violate our ritual • News
o Avoid “negative” press o Leave out any personal information that does not directly relate to the
betterment of the Fraternity, Chapter, or members • Contact Information
o Phone Numbers (may be included on a chapter‐distributed document, but not recommended for a web site unless password protected)
• Links o Pornography o Facebook, MySpace, Bebo o Search Engines Google, Yahoo!, Ask
20 Minutes Lecture/Presentation
Have the attendees pay attention to the PowerPoint presentation and follow along in their handouts from pages 3‐7 (1. What is aesthetic appeal? The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; 2. Helpful Hints, Tips, and Tricks to Create a Fast Effective Web Site).
Slide 1: Title Slide
Slide 2: Overview
• Aesthetic Appeal o Definition of aesthetics o Why is it important?
• The Good, The Bad, The Ugly o Examples
• Creating a Fast and Effective Web Site o Helpful Hints (software, web space, etc.) o Tricks of the Trade (easy to use templates) o Tips to Think About
• Definition4: o 1. a: of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful <aesthetic
theories> o 1. b: artistic <a work of aesthetic value> o 1. c: pleasing in appearance : attractive <easy‐to‐use keyboards, clear graphics,
and other ergonomic and aesthetic features – Mark Mehler>
o 2: appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; also : responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the sense
Slide 4: Aesthetic Appeal
• Why is it important?5 o Appears to be more organized o Easier to understand/read o Increases motivation to come back (credibility)
Slide 5: Overview
• Aesthetic Appeal o Definition of aesthetics o Why is it important?
• The Good, The Bad, The Ugly o Examples
• Creating a Fast and Effective Web Site o Helpful Hints (software, web space, etc.) o Tricks of the Trade (easy to use templates) o Tips to Think About
• Aesthetic Appeal o Definition of aesthetics o Why is it important?
• The Good, The Bad, The Ugly o Examples
• Creating a Fast and Effective Web Site o Helpful Hints (software, web space, etc.) o Tricks of the Trade (easy to use templates) o Tips to Think About
Slide 10: Creating a Web Site
• Helpful Hints o Web Space (Domain and Storage)
University Web Management Go Daddy.com Host Monster.com
o Software and Online Applications Dreamweaver Frontpage iWeb (Mac‐specific) Geocities
• Tables are your friends if you do not know more complex web structures! o This may also help if someone takes over who is less familiar with design
structures (HTML, CSS) • Templates are great for getting started!
o Do not rely on them alone! Make it your own! • You can create preset photo albums quickly in Photoshop!
o File > Automate > Web Photo Gallery... • Stay current with web terminology, software, and processes!
Slide 12: Creating a Web Site
• Keep the web site current and up to date • Make it consistent with any policies or bylaws
o May want to have a section available to download most current release • Keep it professional
o Remember, we are a PROFESSIONAL fraternity • Keep it consistent
o Create style guides if necessary to document how things flow (ex: “web site” or “website;” “email” or “e‐mail”)
• Share passwords o Not with everyone, but make sure that more than one person has this
information
Slide 13: Review
• Aesthetic Appeal o Definition of aesthetics o Why is it important?
• The Good, The Bad, The Ugly o Examples
• Creating a Fast and Effective Web Site o Helpful Hints (software, web space, etc.) o Tricks of the Trade (easy to use templates) o Tips to Think About
This is the last slide of the presentation. It is the same as the introduction slide so it will not distract from the following discussion on making your website more viewable online.
Have the attendees turn to the eighth page of their participant handout (How do people know your web site exists?).
It’s all about marketing!!
• National Website (email central office: [email protected]) • Tell your alumni (from your school and nearby chapters) • Have your University link it on their website • For advanced users, add meta tags to your homepage for search engine optimization
Ask for additional ideas and encourage outside the box thinking.
• Posters in the business school for new web site launch during recruitment • Add on all marketing materials (including t‐shirts)
15 Minutes Questions and Answers/Wrap‐Up
Ask everyone if they still have any questions on any of the topics mentioned or in general regarding anything relative to the topic. Welcome additional questions, but try to limit between 5 and 6, unless time permits for more. Remind everyone to turn in the index card with session feedback and suggestions before they leave and encourage them to network around the room with other chapters and alumni members throughout the conference. Also, have your [the instructor] business cards available to hand out for follow‐up.
1 Introduction paragraph taken from Get It Done Right – Facilitators Guide used at the 2008
National Volunteer Leadership Retreat in Chicago, IL. 2 This information is taken from Colorado State’s Online Writing Guide
(http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/processes/audmod/list6.cfm). 3 It is strongly encouraged that all photographs of collegiate members in the Fraternity not
include alcoholic beverages. Alumni members are also encouraged to reduce the risk of posting any photographs where alcoholic beverages are present. This is to reduce the risk of appearing unprofessional.
What is “aesthetic appeal?” The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Definitioni
• 1. a: of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the ____________ <aesthetic theories> • 1. b: ____________ <a work of aesthetic value> • 1. c: ____________________________________: attractive <easy‐to‐use keyboards,
clear graphics, and other ergonomic and aesthetic features – Mark Mehler>
• 2: appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful; also : responsive to or appreciative of what is ________________________________________________
Why is it important?ii
• Determines the audience’s opinion o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
Helpful Hint, Tips, Tricks to Create a Fast and Effective Web Site
Helpful Hints
• Web Space (Domain and Storage/Hosting) o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
• Software
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
o __________________________________________________________________
Tricks of the Trade
• Tables are your friends if you do not know more complex web site structures! • Templates are great for getting started! • You can create preset photo albums quickly in Photoshop!
o File > Automate > Web Photo Gallery... • Stay current with web terminology, software, and processes!
Tips to Think About
• Keep the web site current and up to date • Make it consistent with any policies or bylaws • Keep it professional • Keep it consistent • Share passwords