Websolutions: Oakwood Elementary School Issues of Usability and Sustainability By Sean Fox-Elster Oakwood Elementary School Site Oakwood Elementary School Site

Activities of Site Parents Check on school closings Check on school closings Check lunch menu Check lunch menu Learn about class activities Learn about class activities Fundraisers Fundraisers New subject matter New subject matter Class holiday events Class holiday events Daily schedules Daily schedules Library Library Art Art Music Music Physical education Physical education Lunch LunchTeachers Create newsletter updating parents on class activities Create newsletter updating parents on class activities Update Individual websites for class (if used) Update Individual websites for class (if used) Accessing teacher resources Accessing teacher resources Reviewing and answering Reviewing and answering Webmaster Post weekly newsletters Post weekly newsletters Update activity schedules per semester Update activity schedules per semester Post monthly lunch menu Post monthly lunch menu Update school closing and advisories Update school closing and advisories

Website Issues Usability Issues Slow loading pages Slow loading pages No consistency with information from teachers No consistency with information from teachers Menu page is unreadable Menu page is unreadable Site is boring Site is boring Should we add kids as users? Should we add kids as users? Sustainability Issues No regularly updated teacher sites No regularly updated teacher sites No consistent weekly newsletter postings No consistent weekly newsletter postings Old html format with multiple tables Old html format with multiple tables

Breakdown in Current Scenario: Parent Newsletters We use a newsletter to inform parents of class events Roles Teachers Parents Webmaster Inform parents With a weekly newsletter Copies information Onto website weekly Where do I Find the Information? Parents check Site for updates If no newsletter then Parents have nowhere Else to go If no information Given then section is blank No enforcement For consistency

Transformed Scenario: Parent Newsletter We use a newsletter to inform parents of class activities Teachers Parents Webmaster Produce weekly Newsletter Using On-line template Turn in to webmaster Go to website To view newsletter I can print my Own copy Post newsletter on site with a Common template and post It as a printable page

Research design chart (RDC) Usability and Sustainability How can we update the website to make it more user friendly? Teachers Parents QuestionsData SourcesMethodsWho? Interview And Survey Scenario And Survey Kindergarten Teacher First Grade Teacher Ami Kihn Andrea Gruber Shannon WebmasterInterviewWebmaster When? Week of 11/20 Week of Thanksgiving Week of 11/20 ? Do we want to add kids As a user? If yes, then What’s Needed? Teachers Parents Interview And Survey Interview And Survey Kindergarten Teacher First Grade Teacher Ami Kihn Andrea Gruber Shannon

Research design chart (RDC) Usability and Sustainability Teachers QuestionsData SourcesMethodsWho? Interview And Survey Kindergarten Teacher First Grade Teacher Ami Kihn Andrea Gruber Shannon WebmasterInterviewWebmaster When? What do you Want the site To do for you? Teachers Parents Interview And Survey Interview And Survey Kindergarten Teacher First Grade Teacher Can we Simplify the Input Process for Less web-savvy teachers and Future webmasters?

GANTT chart GANTT chart Nov December Interviewing, Surveying, and User Testing (on-going) Teachers Final Report due Parents Create samples Progress Report due Web prototype Draft final Report due Genre analysis (other elementary schools) Webmaster Preliminary Recommendations Final adjustments

Summary of Project Issues Usability Speed up loading time of pages Teachers Teachers Simplify information input processes Simplify information input processes Parents Parents Look at on-line, updated newsletter Look at on-line, updated newsletter Find information on class activities Find information on class activities Easy access to school closing information Easy access to school closing information Find easy to read lunch menu Find easy to read lunch menu Access for kids? Access for kids?SustainabilityWebmaster CSS style sheet for easy reading and updating Increase upload speed Provide easy way for teachers to update newsletters Simplify process for future webmasters Provide on-line templates for teachers to input information and to create individual class web pages Update design to be more attractive to kids and parents