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Introduction to Benchmarking Web Sites Workshop

This workshop provides an introduction to benchmarking web sites, covering topics such as quality assurance, accessibility and usability. Participants will have hands-on sessions and learn how to evaluate and improve their own web sites.

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Introduction to Benchmarking Web Sites Workshop

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  1. SWMLAC Workshop: Introduction to Benchmarking Web Sites Marieke Guy Interoperability Focus UKOLN is supported by: www.bath.ac.uk

  2. Timetable • 10:35 Presentation: Intro To Benchmarking Web Sites • 10:50 Hands-on session: Benchmarking Web Sites • 12:20 Presentation: QA for Web sites • 12:30 Lunch • 13:15 Hands-on session continued and report Back • 14:00 (Virtual) Presentation: Benchmarking: Strengths And Weaknesses - Brian Kelly • 14:15 Presentation: Accessibility and Usability • 14:30 Hands-on session: Accessibility and Usability • 15:30 Presentation: Where do we go from Here? • 15:40 Conclusions and Workshop ends

  3. A Bit About Me…. • I am part of the Interoperability Focus Team • Work in UKOLN • Based at the University of Bath • Funded by JISC and MLA • HE / FE and cultural heritage sector remit • Previous roles….

  4. A Bit About You... • In small groups address the questions: • Who are you, where do you work and what do you do? • What do you want to get out of this workshop?

  5. Today’s Workshop • Take a look at: • Common problems we have with our sites • Quality assurance methodology • Accessibility and Usability • Have a go at using: • Auditing and evaluating tools that can help • Have a think about how you can: • Benchmark your Web site • Adopt this methodology in your organisation, region, sector, …

  6. Your Expectations Learning Best practices Sharing Your Interests & expectations Quality Finances Testing Staffing Checking Constraints

  7. About Benchmarking • Benchmarking is about: • Sharing • Learning from best practices • Learning from mistakes others have made • Benchmarking is not about: • League tables • Prizes for the ‘best’ Note: Organisations have different priorities, levels of resources, starting points and organisational politics.

  8. What’s the Big Deal? • Why are accessibility, usability, standards etc. important? • The User • Wants to be able to use the resource quickly and effectively • Open access, use of other devices • The Creator • Good practice • Data interchange and interoperability • Management of information • The Funder • Value for money • Longevity of electronic resources (including preservation, sustainability) • The Law • Regulations, guidelines (e-GIF Version 6.1) • Disability Discrimination Act 1995

  9. Your Web site…

  10. Does it Work? • It is useful to check key pages for accessibility, validation and functionality • Web page validators include: • NetMechanic • Dr Watson • DrHTML – single pages only • …

  11. Is it Accessible? • The Bobby Java application can check the accessibility of Web sites (now licensed software) • The WebXACT service can check the quality, accessibility and privacy of individual Web pages (online Bobby) • WAVE and Cynthia Says are alternatives to Bobby http://webxact.watchfire.com/

  12. How Big is it? • You can find out the size of your home page using various tools: • NetMechanic • Bobby • … http://www.netmechanic.com/

  13. Are There Broken Links? • Monitoring the number of broken links on your Web site is very important • Desktop and Web-based tools are available: • Xenu • LinkAlarm • Linkguard • Nodeworks • NetMechanic • SiteValet • … http://www.linkalarm.com/

  14. How Popular Is Your Site? • There are a number of services that will tell you how many pages link to your Web site • LinkPopularity • WebSiteGarage • Netscape’s What’s Related service is used through the Netscape browser • Google info:URL search http://www.linkpopularity.com/

  15. What About Other Browsers? • Does your home page (and Web site) work in: • Netscape very popular in UK HE) • Firefox • IE (most widely used browser) • Significant (all?) versions and platforms of above • Lynx (text browser which may be used by visually impaired) • AnyBrowser • DejaVu http://www.anybrowser.com/

  16. Useful Approach To Tools • ,tools approach • Applies to all resources on Web site • Covers HTML and CSS validation and various other tests • Some recursive apps (,rvalidate) • Easily implemented with single line redirect

  17. Addressing User Issues • You should be aware that automated tools will not guarantee that a Web site is: • Useable, accessible or functional • There will still be a need for user testing • You should consider: • Systematic usability and accessibility testing • Formal procedures – don’t ask your mate; don’t tell them what they should do, … • It need not be expensive “5 people will spot 90% of the problems” • More on this later!

  18. Conclusion • Different tools give different results and results can be limited. The results should be analysed carefully - like statistics • Independent testing services can be beneficial • Comparison is useful • However a league table is not enough, for this type of evaluation. To have a point there should be follow up action

  19. Questions • Any questions?

  20. Today’s Exercises • You will: • Use a set of Web-based tools for evaluating a variety of aspects of your Web site • Work in small groups and share your findings and discuss the implications • This session: • Encourages collaboration and sharing • Is not meant to be competitive! Now open the exercises handout

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