Best practice in design on NREN websites A heuristic evaluation made for TERENA TF-PR By Julia Gardner & Gitte Kudsk, UNIC & Presentation for TERENA GA

TERENA GA Best practice – for whom? What the sales department thinks is Best Practice What the customer needs Suggestion from the design department Demand from the economics department Result from the production department

TERENA GA Purpose of the evaluation As a delivery for the TERENA Task Force in Public Relations the purpose of the survey of NREN websites is to find Best Practise on how to set up and maintain an NREN website.

TERENA GA Ways to make an evaluation of a website Qualitative user evaluations Usability test Field study Workshops Quantitative user evaluations Questionnaires Expert evaluation based on a list of established usability principles

TERENA GA A heuristic evaluation A usability inspection where usability specialists examine the user interface and judge whether each element complies with a list of established usability principles (the “heuristics”).

TERENA GA Usability = User friendliness + Usefulness (relevance) Accessibility – Is it possible for people with any kind of disability to use the website Navigation – Is it possible for any user to find the information he is looking for Content – Is it possible for the user to understand and use the information on the website. Is the information on the website relevant for the user.

Results of the evaluation

TERENA GA Results Accessibility Navigation Content

TERENA GA Every frame and page should have an unique title, so that identification and navigation is easier

TERENA GA Every non-text element should have a text equivalent

TERENA GA All information must be available without colour

TERENA GA Results Accesibility Navigation Content

TERENA GA All pages must include a clearly visible link to the homepage Site logos should link to the homepage

TERENA GA Provide access to the main menu from all parts of the site

TERENA GA Use the menu to clearly indicate where a certain page belongs

TERENA GA Give the content a useable date

TERENA GA Write for the net Make sentences short and precise Label sections to allow the user to scan the page easily Write less Start with the conclusion

TERENA GA Do not write text in a different colour unless it is a link

TERENA GA Do not use animation to attract attention

TERENA GA Avoid “pogo sticking” List of services Service 1 Service 2 Service 3 Service 4 Service 1 Xxx xxxx xxxxx Service 4 Xxx xxxx xxxxx

TERENA GA Avoid “pogo sticking” - example

TERENA GA Design should be consistent across the site

TERENA GA Search results should offer sufficient information to allow the user to make an informed choice

TERENA GA Results Accesibility Navigation Content ”Content is king”

TERENA GA Homepage Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your site - 1

TERENA GA Homepage Make it clear to the user what is the purpose of your site - 2

TERENA GA Homepage Offer direct access to topics of special interest

TERENA GA Homepage Inform about problems

TERENA GA Homepage A site map on the homepage is a concise introduction to your site

TERENA GA Homepage Include general contact information on the homepage

TERENA GA Avoid organizing the material on the web according to your own organisation

TERENA GA Use cross-linking

TERENA GA Clickable graphics/organisational charts

TERENA GA News

TERENA GA Finally - Why is usability important? ”The competitors” site is only a click away Involving the user is preparing for the future

TERENA GA Questions ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?