Survey provides feedback on Web use

Princeton NJ -- A survey about the University's Web site is providing valuable information for those planning its redesign.

A total of 1,968 people responded to the survey, which was available online between last Nov. 12 and Dec. 31.

The survey was conducted by the Office of Communications with the assistance of the Office of Information Technology's Web services group. It is part of a larger effort being coordinated by the Web Strategy Task Force. The task force has been charged with proposing a strategy for improved and expanded University use of the Web as well as policies, guidelines and an appropriate administrative structure for carrying it out.

"Rather than create a structure and design that we assume would serve the University community in the best way, we decided to ask what was important to the site's users," said Evelyn Tu, Web manager in the Office of Communications. "This comprehensive feedback will help us determine how we can help site visitors find the information they seek, how the Web can better serve the University community and how the University can communicate most effectively through the Web with visitors from inside and outside the community."

Respondents included staff members (29.5 percent), undergraduate students (20.8 percent), prospective students (11.5 percent), alumni (10.2 percent), general visitors (6.9 percent), graduate students (6.4 percent) and faculty members (5.7 percent), along with others such as trustees, parents and news media representatives.

Nearly 43 percent have Princeton's home page set as their home page, and 49 percent have another Princeton page set as their home page.

Some 88 percent consider themselves frequent or expert users of the Web. Nearly 63 percent connect to the University Web site through the campus network.

Sixty percent check the University's home page daily. Most faculty, staff, students and general visitors said the chief reason they return to the University Web site is to read news items on the home page. Prospective students and their parents primarily were looking for admission information, while alumni were using Tigernet.

Between 75 and 84 percent of the respondents rated the look and feel of the University's site, the page loading speed and the current content as either good or excellent. Around 60 percent rated the navigation and the site organization as either good or excellent. However, in the write-in sections, numerous respondents asserted a need for a more up-to-date look that better represented the University's best qualities, fresher information and clearer navigation to the most sought-after sections.

About 50 percent said that finding items on the Princeton Web site is comparable to finding information on other sites they frequent. In the written comments collected, the need for a better way to quickly find campus offices and departments was noted.

In terms of rating which services are or could be most valuable to them, some three-quarters of the respondents selected WebMail access, University news and a University-wide events calendar.

For future versions of the University's home page, a high number of respondents requested that it have a fast download time, informative and timely content, logical organization and a useful search engine. Compelling graphics, a site map and printable pages were less important to these users.

Those respondents who currently manage campus Web sites said that services such as content management systems, assistance from Office of Information Technology personnel, integration of the University's existing databases with the Web site and ready-to-use design elements would be most helpful to them.

Communications and OIT staff members are already forging ahead with specific projects related to the Web, such as creating a new section to better deliver University news and developing a campuswide calendaring system.

"By summer, we hope to begin mapping out a direction for the University's main Web site," Tu said.