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Sigma 3, 1997
This article is based on a talk by Rosaleen Dickson to a work session on statistical output for dissemination to information media. This was held under the auspices of the Conference of European Statisticians of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Statistical Commission of the UN in Ottawa on 12-15 May, 1997.
What makes a good web site? When international statisticians met in Canada recently to discuss dissemination, journalist ROSALEEN DICKSON shot from the hip with advice as both a user and provider of internet pages.
Making your World Wide Web site worthwhile
There are some notions we still see repeated over and over again. The following email came from a marketing company in British Columbia, Canada:
"Never before has the world seen anything like it. Not since the Industrial Revolution has there been so profound a transformation of the very fabric of our society. We're talking, of course, about the Internet - the global network of computers that has revolutionized the way people work, play and do business. Since 1993 - propelled by the phenomenon of the 'World Wide Web - the growth of the Internet has accellerated dramatically, doubling in size approximately every six months."
What baffles me is that well into 1997, several years since the Internet became part of our daily lives, and now as familiar to many as the telephone, we are still bombarded by such alarmist messages about a "profound transformation."
The fact is this transformation took place two or three yeaars ago - and it wasn't all that profound. The Internet is interesting and useful but because some writers love to perpetuate the myth that it has extra powers, some people are still unable or unwilling to use it sensibly in a relaxed, intelligent manner.
In the last few years, entirely new industries have emerged to accommodate the demand for commercial Web sites. Thousands of vendors all over the world now offer services like Internet access and Web page design.
If you want to hire one of these experts, go right ahead, but don't let him take over entirely. Keep control in your own hands. It is your organization you are representing on the Web - it's not supposed to be an advertisement for someone else's expertise.
Now here is some of my "expert" advice - free!
My first advice is that unless you or someone in your organisation feels very much at home in the Internet environment, enjoys being there and has time to make a decent job of it, you shouldn't even think about opening up a commercial Web site. You could build yourself a personal index, or what people call a "home page". That's OK, because it will familiarize you with the environment without making any demands.
But the minute you put a commercial or organisational venture on the net you expose your organisation to threats that could make or break it.
This applies equally to government sponsored Web sites and official purveyors of information, statistical or otherwise. Once you've put your Web site on the Internet and advertised its address, it's disastrous to remove it for "repairs". It is not a good idea to put up one of those cute little "under repair" signs and so let everyone know you're still learning.
The rest of my free advice has no special order. Nothing about setting up a useful Web page has priority over any other factor. Each is essential. If you miss any one, you've missed the whole boat on your Web site project. So, in no special order, here goes:
QUICK LOADING
When I access your uniform resource locator (URL) - the address for your Web site - how long before I know I've reached the right place?
If you have all sorts of pictures, graphics and gimmicks on your main page, the seconds will tick by while these lovely devices are being loaded. I may begin to wonder if perhaps it's out of order or I have the wrong URL.
At worst, I'll abandon my wait and seek another source for the information I need. At best, I'll wait and wait, and finally see your page with all its distractions and probably become so distracted that I lose my train of thought altogether. But if I'm in a hurry, I probably won't wait.
You want people to know they have found you and that you are willing to be helpful. Start with the main page. Make it simple, clear and informative.
In this matter, do as I say, not as I do. I recently acquired a state-or-the-art scanner, became all excited and scanned a lot of book covers to improve one of my web sites, which is all about new Canadian books (http://www.flora.org/books/). The page is really nice - book covers all over it - but it takes forever to load. Nobody is going to wait that long just to see a whole screen full of colourful book covers. I'll change it as soon as I can.
What I need is a simple main page with no delaying graphics - indicating the book covers can be seen if anyone is interested, and with a link to go there.
I'm not suggesting there should be no graphics on the main page of a Web site - just that an overwhelming number of big pictures, moving pictures, moving type or other slow-loading devices is a serious mistake.
As for moving graphics, there are still many users who just can't see all this motion. Lots still view Web sites in text only. So the text should tell the whole story with or without graphics. Waiting and waiting for something they can't even see when finally loaded can really turn the user against your whole organisation.
Just remember, the first impression anyone forms of your Web site includes the time it takes to get there.
Another warning about that first page: blinking type is so easy to set up but terribly distracting - as far as I'm concerned, something for children to play with, and that's about all.
CLEAR AND SIMPLE
Once you've established your simple, quick-loading front page, you should ask a few people to read it and see if they can all understand what it says. Using esoteric or flowery language is stupid; just say why your Web site is there, with clear information about where the various links go.
If you have links to extensions on your Web site, there's no special problem - you have farily good control. But you must keep good track of changes. Changes on one page will usually require adjustments of the hyper-text links on another. Anyone editing or updating information on your Web site should never close down operations until they have checked the links. If I'm looking up information and come to a dead end because a link is no longer effective, I'll give up on the whole site and look elsewhere - or manage without the data.
Links to outside sources are just as important as your internal links. They have to be checked often and changed or omitted as necessary. Links to nowhere are unnecessary frustrations for researchers and time-wasting that is especially annoying to media people with a deadline. Our wonderful Internet phenomenon is so useful that it's a terrible shame to misuse it by leaving deadend links on-line.
SPECIAL SERVICES
If you have decided to add special help to your site, such as download areas for programs to help the reader, be sure they exist. One of the world's major statistics-providers has some links to download areas that are inoperative. I can't even tell them by e-mail because they list no address.
Another essential for a useful Web page is keeping it up-to-date. You need a person with time to do it. Daily checking on the site and fixing little glitches should become routine. Every time I look at my own Web pages I see small ways in which I can make them more understandable. This is especially important for Web sites carrying up-to-the-minute material. The very latest available should be there so people will become accustomed to relying on you.
WHAT IT COSTS
Some material available through your Web page might have a cost attached. Make very clear what is free and what what has a price, right at the top. Don't lead the user from link to link, only to discover the information is not there but can be bought.
One fault on many Web sites, especially government ones, is there is no name attached. Who is the Webmaster? I want to know. If it's a commercial Webmaster, not connected with the organization, I want to know who in the organisation is responsible for the material I see.
To whom will I send e-mail for further information - or even just to congratulate them for their help with my research?
Making this site personal gives it tremendous advange over a nameless site. I also like to know where it is, Vancouver or Amsterdam, Geneva or Hawaii. True, the Internet knows no borders, but it's still interesting and relevant to know the site's "home".
And what about humour? Well, there's a time and a place for it and I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from making their Web pages entertaining. Be funny and amusing, try to lift the spirits of your readers all you want, but don't let it get in the way of the data you are providing.
AND FINALLY
What I'm trying to say is you should balance your need to be a little more than just a compendium of facts with your need to provide these facts quickly to busy people with no time to waste.
I've examined the Web sites of a number of statistical agancies and, as far as I can see, they're hitting the mark nicely most of the time, although sometimes I'd love to make minor changes.
Your job is to make your Web sites represent you as well as possible.
She participates regularly in many aspects of the Internet, "particularly"," she says "concerning older people and their influence on the world as interpreted in cyberspace."
Mrs. Dickson's current preoccupation is simplifying and personalizing the World Wide Web and making it accessible to an ever-growing older population. She teaches computer use to older people at Good Companions, an Ottawa community centre serving thousands of pensioners in the Canadian capital.
At 76, Mrs. Dickson personifies one of the most interesting generation groups on the Internet. She does all her writing on either her Macintosh Performa or Macintosh Powerbook laptop. She also spends many hours a day chatting with friends around the world on-line or exploring Web sites to see what's new.
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