1. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk Understanding And Exploiting Web 2.0: Benchmarking Web Sites Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath Bath Email B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk UKOLN is supported by: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/stimulate-2006/talk-benchmarking/ Session Aims To discover how your Web site compares with your peers To discover examples of best practices & mistakes to avoid To learn how you can a benchmarking approach Session Aims To discover how your Web site compares with your peers To discover examples of best practices & mistakes to avoid To learn how you can a benchmarking approach This work is licensed under a Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat) Resources bookmarked using 'stimulate-2006-benchmark' tag

2. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 2 What Is Benchmarking? What do you understand by the term ‘benchmarking’? What are the benefits of benchmarking? Benchmarking

3. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 3 Your Expectations Your Interests & expectations Sharing Learning Best practices Quality Testing Checking Constraints Staffing Finances Benchmarking

4. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 4 About Benchmarking Benchmarking is about: Sharing Learning from best practices Learning from mistakes others have made Note that in this benchmarking workshop: We don’t intend to have league tables No prizes for the ‘best’ We should recognise that: Organisations have differing priorities Organisations have different levels of resources Organisations have different starting points Organisations have differing organisational politics Benchmarking

5. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 5 Session Aims This session: Talk and hands-on exercises By the end of the session you should: Be able to benchmark your Web site in relation to other sites in your community Have had hands-on experience in using auditing and evaluating tools Be aware of common problems Be aware of how a quality assurance methodology can help to avoids problems Be in a position to decide whether to adopt this methodology in your organisation, region, sector, … Benchmarking

6. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 6 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! E Now open the exercises handout Benchmarking

7. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 7 Today’s Exercises (2) In the hands-on exercises your evaluated: The size of your organisation’s home page The accessibility of your home page The validation of your home page How popular your Web site is  How many sites link to it  How well-indexed it is How your Web site looks with different browsers Etc. D Benchmarking

8. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 8 The Size of Your Home Page You can find out the size of your home page using various tools: NetMechanic Bobby … http://www.netmechanic.com/ Ex. 1.1 Benchmarking

9. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 9 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 … http://watson.addy.com/ Ex. 1

10. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 10 Is it Accessible? The Bobby Web service can check the accessibility of individual Web pages The Bobby Java application can check the accessibility of Web sites (now licensed software) WAVE is a (better?) alternative to Bobby http://bobby.watchfire.com/ Ex. 2 Benchmarking

11. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 11 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/ Ex. 2.6

12. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 12 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/ Ex.3.1 3.2 3.3

13. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 13 What About Other Browsers? Does your home page (and Web site) work in: Netscape very popular in UK HE) IE (the 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/ Ex. 4

14. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 14 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 Any questions? Benchmarking

15. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 15 Approaches To Fixing Errors We've found errors on our Web site. What should we do? Fix the errors straight away Inform the page maintainer Do nothing – too many other more important things to do Do nothing – the Web site has been "published" and I don't rewrite history Do nothing – it's not my problem, it's a problem caused by the HTML authoring tool everyone uses … Quality Assurance

16. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 16 A QA Approach Quality Control: Fixing errors Fire-fighting Quality Assurance (QA): Documented policies Systematic procedures for monitoring compliance Considering workflow processes Fixing processes so errors won't reappear Audit trails Quality Assurance

17. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 17 QA Focus QA Focus: JISC-funded project to support JISC's digital library programme Supports QA development which help ensure deliverables are usable & interoperable QA Focus Deliverables: Surveys Advisory documents Case studies Descriptions of tools Policies Self-assessment toolkit Quality Assurance

18. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 18 Documentation: Advice Advisory briefing documents are being produced These are: Brief, focussed documents Informed by findings of the surveys Advisory briefing documents are being produced These are: Brief, focussed documents Informed by findings of the surveys MG

19. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 19 Documentation: Case Studies Case Studies are being commissioned These are: Written by projects themselves Describe the solution adopted to a particular problem Include details of lessons learnt – not just a press release! Case Studies are being commissioned These are: Written by projects themselves Describe the solution adopted to a particular problem Include details of lessons learnt – not just a press release!

20. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 20 Self Assessment Toolkit Further Deliverables We have developed a self-assessment toolkit The toolkit consists of: Examples of QA procedures Documented examples of use of testing tools Self-assessment questionnaires Advice on standards and best practices Case studies FAQs … MG Quality Assurance

21. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 21 Useful Approach To Tools As an example of approach which provides easier access to testing tools, see the,tools approach deployed on UKOLN Web site. This 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 As an example of approach which provides easier access to testing tools, see the,tools approach deployed on UKOLN Web site. This 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

22. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 22 Policies How do you know what you should do if you don't have documented polices? Policy: Web Standards Standard: XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.0 Architecture: Use of SSIs and text editor Exceptions: Automatically-derived files Checking: Use,validate after update Audit Trail: Use,rvalidate monthly and document findings Policy example You may find it useful to develop similar policies yourself – for example, a policy of the accessibility of your Web site Quality Assurance

23. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 23 Application To Your Sector Issues: Is the QA Focus methodology applicable to your Web site? Are the QA Focus resources of use? What additional areas would you find useful? Quality Assurance

24. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk UKOLN is supported by: UKOLN Hands-On Session For Leicester Spring School in New Media Benchmarking Web Sites: What Next? Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath Bath Email B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk URL http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/

25. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 25 Future Plans How can we progress from the areas we have covered today? Quality Assurance Acceptance Testing Implementing Best Practices Addressing User Issues Benchmarking … What Next?

26. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 26 Quality Assurance Embedding QA in your work: You can develop and implementation quality assurance procedures for your cultural heritage Web sites You can share quality assurance procedures, experiences, etc with your peers … What Next?

27. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 27 Acceptance Procedures The testing tools used could form part of the formal acceptance procedures for Web sites you procure. Requirements Web site must comply with HTML and CSS standards and WAI guidelines. Has It Been Done? Sure, no problem. Sign the paper and give us the money. Here are the results of the automated compliance checking tests. You can run them for yourselves. And here are the results of the user testing for usability and accessibility. The QA Focus Web toolkit can be used for this formal testing. See The QA Focus Web toolkit can be used for this formal testing. See What Next?

28. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 28 Implementing Best Practices Some dangers: Being lead astray by commercial Web development companies – they try and sell you a solution based on their areas of expertise Being led astray by well-meaning (a) kids or (b) senior staff with misunderstand of best practices I have to use my organisation's CMS Some solutions: You need an understanding of best practices QA Focus briefing documents may help … What Next?

29. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 29 Addressing User Issues You should be aware that automated tools will not guarantee that a Web site is: Useable  Accessible 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” See What Next?

30. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 30 Benchmarking We have seen: Use of benchmarking across Web sites Issues: Can we apply the approach for ourselves? Can someone else continue to do this? Can we compare approaches more widely across the museums sector What Next?

31. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 31 Developing An Action Plan Please complete your personal action plan You should list the actions you intend to carry out when you return to work This can include: Your own personal actions Recommendations for your department Recommendations for your organisation What Next?

32. A centre of expertise in digital information managementwww.ukoln.ac.uk 32 Comments and Questions Your comments and questions are welcome