Post on 22-Apr-2015
description
What Students Want
Institutional Web Management 2001:Organising Chaos
Who Are We?
• MJ Ray• Former Student Union Webmaster
• tsw Founding Editor
• Andrew Savory• Former Student Union Webmaster
• Former University Webmaster
• Luminas
Why We're Here
• Some time in Higher Education• 6 years working on SU sites
• 4 years working on tsw
• 5 years work on HEI sites
• Now semi-detached
WebsitesThatSuck.com
• Are university sites really that bad?• No!
• Yes...
• Well, maybe.
• Lots of useful information• But is it "What Students Want"?
What HE Sites Try to Do
• Marketing (prospectus etc.)• Course information
• Timetables• Reading lists• Results and grades• Enrolments
• Term dates• Event information
What Students Want
• Prospectus• Course information
• Timetables• Reading lists• Results and grades• Enrolments
• Term dates• Event information
Why Aren't They Happy?
• "I just want it to work."• "It's always out of date."• "I still haven't found what I'm looking
for."
Actually: "I want it structured to find what I want without searching through links and pages."
Why Aren't They Happy?
• "It has to look nice for students thinking of coming here."
• "I want links to the Student Union social stuff."
• "I don't trust it."(too much marketing material to draw students
in?)
How to Improve?
• Structure and Organisation• Separate student material
• Types of content• Mostly right, but some missing
• Quality• Timeliness
How to Improve?
• Simplicity and elegance vs. "Wow!"• Accessibility• Work with Student Unions to gain
credibility
Remember the Audience
• Paying customers now?• Legal requirements• Teaching Quality Assessment
Summary...
• Much done right• Still strive to improve• Listen to the audience
• Ask "what students want"!
Top Ten Tips for Tip-top Sites
1) Provide the basics first
2) Update the information
3) Segregate the information
4) Maintain consistency
5) Use Student Unions to complement your content
6) Get institutional buy-in to providing services
7, 8, 9, 10) Ask them what they want!