Comments for georgina hibberd http://georginahibberd.com ia, usability, interface and content Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:52:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 Comment on iTunes U launches in Australia by ruben http://georginahibberd.com/2008/06/04/itunes-u-launches-in-australia/#comment-33 ruben Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:32:33 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=24#comment-33 Interesting... "She [UWA's Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning director Denise Chalmers] conceded that plenty of information was already available on the university website but argued that "often on a university website you have to know where to go to find information, and each website is more or less amenable to that"." I think she has put her finger on it, ay? Interesting…

“She [UWA's Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning director Denise Chalmers] conceded that plenty of information was already available on the university website but argued that “often on a university website you have to know where to go to find information, and each website is more or less amenable to that”.”

I think she has put her finger on it, ay?

]]> Comment on The architecture of Council websites: my introduction by Georg http://georginahibberd.com/2008/09/16/the-architecture-of-council-websites-my-introduction/#comment-31 Georg Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:06:37 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-31 Yes, the idea of multiple sites is appealing. It was something we just couldn't avoid in uni sites and I think that info-heavy sites, and those with such a broad audience with such varied needs - like a Council - need to consider it. I know a menu system isn't 'physical' but I want to say 'sometimes a menu system can't physically cope with information of that breadth and depth'. It's just impossible to present it in an easy-to-use manner. And yes, information <i>flow</i> is definitely a problem for organisations like this. It's not like the info isn't there somewhere nor is there a problem with someone looking after the website, it's bringing the two together which is the problem. Ahh, it's been a long day...and my five year old isn't even climbing all over me ;-) Yes, the idea of multiple sites is appealing. It was something we just couldn’t avoid in uni sites and I think that info-heavy sites, and those with such a broad audience with such varied needs - like a Council - need to consider it. I know a menu system isn’t ‘physical’ but I want to say ’sometimes a menu system can’t physically cope with information of that breadth and depth’. It’s just impossible to present it in an easy-to-use manner. And yes, information flow is definitely a problem for organisations like this. It’s not like the info isn’t there somewhere nor is there a problem with someone looking after the website, it’s bringing the two together which is the problem.

Ahh, it’s been a long day…and my five year old isn’t even climbing all over me ;-)

]]> Comment on The architecture of Council websites: my introduction by ruben http://georginahibberd.com/2008/09/16/the-architecture-of-council-websites-my-introduction/#comment-30 ruben Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:27:02 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-30 I agree that, "Getting a top-level schema right" is the killer and I think there is definitely something to the idea of using multiple websites to get the information across. The council almost certainly won't have the staff to manage all that information flow, perhaps the solution would be more community engagement. Council documents could be provided in a fairly rudimentary way with further information assembled by related groups. Maybe I am stating the obvious... having a six year old climbing on me whilst typing seems to suck out any deep thought. I agree that, “Getting a top-level schema right” is the killer and I think there is definitely something to the idea of using multiple websites to get the information across. The council almost certainly won’t have the staff to manage all that information flow, perhaps the solution would be more community engagement. Council documents could be provided in a fairly rudimentary way with further information assembled by related groups. Maybe I am stating the obvious… having a six year old climbing on me whilst typing seems to suck out any deep thought.

]]> Comment on The architecture of Council websites: my introduction by Georg http://georginahibberd.com/2008/09/16/the-architecture-of-council-websites-my-introduction/#comment-26 Georg Wed, 17 Sep 2008 04:20:13 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-26 I was not trying to slag off all Council websites, so I hope that's not how it came across! I have seen good examples of IA on the sites I have looked at, but it's difficult to find one that has really blown me away. (I don't pretend to have looked at all Council sites btw. Unfortunately that kind of research is beyond my capabilities). Some of the good/interesting things I have seen (and this is not exhaustive): <a href="http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/" rel="nofollow">City of Sydney</a> Does the top level categories reasonably well. <a href="http://www.pkc.gov.uk/" rel="nofollow">Perth and Kinross Council</a> Has a nice topic-based approach (left hand menu). <a href="http://www.fixmystreet.com/" rel="nofollow">Fix My Street</a> Some things that are not so good but are quite prevalent: - Second level navigation lists that are way too long - The use of general terms at the top level (eg 'Services') that mean little to the audience - Prioritisation of the Council's view of things, rather than the audience Basically I think there is room for improvement with the structure of Council sites but I would say that for most sites. It is a very difficult thing to get right. The web and the expectations of users change so rapidly that it's almost a moving target. As I said in the post, having an in-house person dedicated to the structure of a site or even interface design is rare in a Council simply because there are not enough resources. People tend to do two or three jobs at the same time. I think it's one of the great things about working in a Council. People are willing to take on something that may not be their speciality because they know that if they don't things aren't going to get done. Everyone learns. So resources are one issue. The other issue, as I said in the post, is the sheer depth and breadth of information that is required on the site. Getting a top-level schema right for such a large amount of information is difficult and I don't pretend to have the answer. It is something though that I want to do more work on. I think more work with audiences is one thing that could be done and I think discussion among people who work on Council sites would not be a bad thing either. Of course, if you know of some great Council sites please feel free to let me know. I am really keen to find more and to discuss this further. Such a discussion can only benefit all those who work on Council sites. I was not trying to slag off all Council websites, so I hope that’s not how it came across! I have seen good examples of IA on the sites I have looked at, but it’s difficult to find one that has really blown me away. (I don’t pretend to have looked at all Council sites btw. Unfortunately that kind of research is beyond my capabilities).

Some of the good/interesting things I have seen (and this is not exhaustive):

City of Sydney
Does the top level categories reasonably well.

Perth and Kinross Council
Has a nice topic-based approach (left hand menu).

Fix My Street

Some things that are not so good but are quite prevalent:

- Second level navigation lists that are way too long
- The use of general terms at the top level (eg ‘Services’) that mean little to the audience
- Prioritisation of the Council’s view of things, rather than the audience

Basically I think there is room for improvement with the structure of Council sites but I would say that for most sites. It is a very difficult thing to get right. The web and the expectations of users change so rapidly that it’s almost a moving target.

As I said in the post, having an in-house person dedicated to the structure of a site or even interface design is rare in a Council simply because there are not enough resources. People tend to do two or three jobs at the same time. I think it’s one of the great things about working in a Council. People are willing to take on something that may not be their speciality because they know that if they don’t things aren’t going to get done. Everyone learns.

So resources are one issue.

The other issue, as I said in the post, is the sheer depth and breadth of information that is required on the site. Getting a top-level schema right for such a large amount of information is difficult and I don’t pretend to have the answer. It is something though that I want to do more work on. I think more work with audiences is one thing that could be done and I think discussion among people who work on Council sites would not be a bad thing either.

Of course, if you know of some great Council sites please feel free to let me know. I am really keen to find more and to discuss this further. Such a discussion can only benefit all those who work on Council sites.

]]> Comment on The architecture of Council websites: my introduction by Media Officer http://georginahibberd.com/2008/09/16/the-architecture-of-council-websites-my-introduction/#comment-25 Media Officer Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:11:59 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=29#comment-25 May I ask what council websites you deem have suitable IA? May I ask what council websites you deem have suitable IA?

]]> Comment on CMS wrangling: navigation paths v site structure by Georg http://georginahibberd.com/2008/04/28/cms-wrangling-navigation-paths-v-site-structure/#comment-24 Georg Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:45:53 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-24 Glad to be of some help Anita. Glad to be of some help Anita.

]]> Comment on CMS wrangling: navigation paths v site structure by anita http://georginahibberd.com/2008/04/28/cms-wrangling-navigation-paths-v-site-structure/#comment-23 anita Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:54:16 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-23 Thanks. That has made some probs I've had with CMS more explicit. I'm often creating hidden structures in one place that get exposed somewhere else. I look forward to reading more... Thanks. That has made some probs I’ve had with CMS more explicit. I’m often creating hidden structures in one place that get exposed somewhere else.

I look forward to reading more…

]]> Comment on Get your ego off your site by Georg http://georginahibberd.com/2008/05/19/get-your-ego-off-your-site/#comment-22 Georg Mon, 26 May 2008 05:57:52 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=21#comment-22 Yes, it's a perennial problem and just one of those things that makes me beat my head against a wall. I am always trying to think of better ways to explain the problem so that people understand why it's not a good idea to arrange your site in this way. Yes, it’s a perennial problem and just one of those things that makes me beat my head against a wall. I am always trying to think of better ways to explain the problem so that people understand why it’s not a good idea to arrange your site in this way.

]]> Comment on Pushing it uphill in the wind: staff blogging by Georg http://georginahibberd.com/2008/05/07/pushing-it-uphill-in-the-wind-staff-blogging/#comment-21 Georg Mon, 26 May 2008 03:50:07 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=17#comment-21 Well, congratulations! That is fabulous. I had noticed that you had recently purchased <a href="http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/labrats/2008/05/all_i_ask_is_a_tall_sheep.html" rel="nofollow">tickets to London</a> so I suspected it had all come through. I hope it is spectacular. Well, congratulations! That is fabulous. I had noticed that you had recently purchased tickets to London so I suspected it had all come through. I hope it is spectacular.

]]> Comment on Pushing it uphill in the wind: staff blogging by Black Knight http://georginahibberd.com/2008/05/07/pushing-it-uphill-in-the-wind-staff-blogging/#comment-20 Black Knight Mon, 26 May 2008 03:46:57 +0000 http://georginahibberd.wordpress.com/?p=17#comment-20 Hey Georg... News. I'm off to London in August. The Dean put up $1000 on condition that my HoD would, too. And he did. DPM weren't interested/"had no remit". I think I sold it by pushing the Web 2.0 aspect to J*s Ch*mbers. The Science Fac seems committed, even if DPM isn't (having said that, N*ck Ev*ns sounded quite apologetic about it). (names mangled to fool the googlemonster.) Hey Georg…

News. I’m off to London in August. The Dean put up $1000 on condition that my HoD would, too. And he did. DPM weren’t interested/”had no remit”.

I think I sold it by pushing the Web 2.0 aspect to J*s Ch*mbers. The Science Fac seems committed, even if DPM isn’t (having said that, N*ck Ev*ns sounded quite apologetic about it).

(names mangled to fool the googlemonster.)

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