NINDS Audience Report

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Know Your Audience With Data Gathering Justice, E-Government and the Internet Conference By John Sorflaten, PhD, Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) Project Director 26 June, 2000 www.humanfactors.com 800-242-4480

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Viewers want access to solutions right away. http://www.drkoop.com/ Viewers want an ongoing relationship that meets their needs. What Viewers Want

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http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9907/29/internet.health/#r/ Credibility gap awaiting a solution... Credibility Gap

Funding Sites Compete as Well: 

Funding Sites Compete as Well http://www.grantsnet.org/ Build readership by providing 'economy of scale'—search more for the same work. Currency of data earns confidence.

Research Finds a Niche Too: 

Research Finds a Niche Too http://www.aan.com/cme/internetcme/research.htm Getting listed by someone is like gold. Providing a credible specialty guarantees listing by others. You become an 'authority' to search engines.

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http://www.hhmi.org/ Provide News Provide 'news you can use'.

The Mother of All Funding Sites...: 

The Mother of All Funding Sites... http://www.cos.com/ Direct and to-the-point. Why else to come here except to get money or find somebody? (Well, maybe a couple other reasons.) Although a lot of space is devoted to the logo, the other space is used well. Their 'role' statement. What personality do they convey?

They Do Meetings Too...: 

They Do Meetings Too... http://www.cos.com/ The format is automated. The creator filled in some blank fields (and much of THAT could be gathered or filled by a 'meeting search agent'). Links to affiliate site for info 'as needed'. Meeting info is 'free' giveaway to introduce you to the subscription services.

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'Portals' Address All Needs http://www.fastsearch.com/med/main.htm Quantity has its charms—if well organized. Like this. But…is this all there is? Focus has its charms, too. Providing the only place for something guarantees a drawing card. What focus defines NINDS?

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Science Magazines Span Topics http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/ Get known. Get links coming to NINDS.

And Then There’s Neurology Sites: 

And Then There’s Neurology Sites http://www.neuroguide.com/index.html Viewers like up-to-date material. Many already know of this site. Do we need to duplicate it? Maybe not. Viewers are hot on the trail of their topics. Why not give them what they want right on the home page? No shortage of stuff here. But grouping would help.

And Educational Neurology, Too: 

And Educational Neurology, Too List of 277 (or so) educational opportunities. Should NINDS provide its own list, access to other lists, or both? http://www.neuroguide.com/neuroresac_3.html#start

What Is NINDS’ Distinct Role?: 

What Is NINDS’ Distinct Role? For what role do we want NINDS to be known? What benefit do we provide? Does it have focus? Is it unique? Can you tell from this page?

What Role Do We Play? We’re..: 

What Role Do We Play? We’re.. National in scope and leadership, with Institute-level gravity and credibility. We have Neurological focus on Disorders to be healed and Stroke as another important responsibility (That was easy, wasn’t it?)

This Role Is the Benefit We Provide: 

This Role Is the Benefit We Provide Nobody else can fulfill this role We do it best It’s important People need it But…how do we want to behave in this role? What feeling do we want to communicate? What 'personality' do we give the world? How do we get others excited about NINDS?

Personality—Keeping it Simple: 

Personality—Keeping it Simple What car means 'Safety'?

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You Know What it Is!

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What delivery service means 'Overnight'? Own a 'Word' to Create a Focus for Our Audience Personality

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You Know What it Is!

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Personality—Establish an Identity Clear identity requires a 'Focus' Let’s brainstorm words for NINDS 'personality'…. __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________

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Personality—Criteria for Identity Should be exclusive to NINDS (don’t compete) Nice to be the 'first' with this identity Being first conveys being foremost (the leader) Xerox, the first copy machine, became generic If we can’t be the first, create a new category in which to excel and be the first in that Get the focus in front of the public; don’t be shy Now let’s review the brainstorm words

Nothing Else is Quite Like NINDS: 

Nothing Else is Quite Like NINDS We have credentials: National Scientific Prestigious We have quality: Authoritative Timely Focused

Our Audience Wants Help: 

Our Audience Wants Help ~300 Disorders Advice (timely) Education (authoritative and focused) Research (prestigious) Training (national) Contacts (scientific) What motivates people to love our site?

Our Special Personality: 

Our Special Personality NINDS provides…. Latest information (300 disorders and stroke) Important research (authoritative) Relevant education (current, authoritative) Real solutions (current, authoritative) Creative initiatives (current) We provide help that is…. Current and authoritative Or, 'latest and greatest' (in the vernacular) Do these words describe NINDS’ personality?

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http://www.cnn.com/POLL/results/175951.html Does This Help Us Decide? A real opportunity knocking at our door!

Other Possibilities: 

Other Possibilities NINDS provides…. The most authoritative voice The most comprehensive site The most influential body of experts The most current advice and research The most pragmatic source _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

“Personality” Drives the Site’s...: 

'Personality' Drives the Site’s... Logotype design Stuart Friedman: HFI visual information designer NINDS’ logo will communicate personality Priority and emphasis on functions Communicate 'latest and greatest' as NINDS personality (AKA 'most recent and authoritative') Home page is the 'first impression' (but only for some viewers: ~12-16%) Need to convey 'first impression' on all pages Header, footer, universal navigational elements

Supporting This Personality (and Role): 

Supporting This Personality (and Role) Knowledge management system (inputs) Automate staff searches for latest and greatest Provide staff with current knowledge Allow conversion to Web display (semi-automatic) Content Management System (outputs) Database of content Change one place, display many places Multiple formats for NINDS content Print, Web, telephone playback, text only for blind, Fax, WebTV, and other devices in the future

Internet Content Management: 

Internet Content Management Generate authoritative and current updates for research and public health information Keep it simple Keep it fun Help NINDS staff do their normal work better Reduce 'overhead' busy work Enhance collaboration both intra/extra mural Support decentralized responsibility and authority

Knowledge Management: 

Knowledge Management Your morning experience Assume you have five 'agents' searching different topics Search across internal documents, research reports, even e-mail discussion groups or 'bulletin boards'. Identify specific sites to check periodically, as well as 'across the Web'. Search selected newsgroups, listserves, and other sources.

KM: Get (and Give) a Rating: 

KM: Get (and Give) a Rating If you like a source, tell your 'agent' you like it. Pattern matching will refine your search criteria. This can even be 'automatic' as it watches your daily search activity and reading habits!

KM: Automatic Associations: 

KM: Automatic Associations Automatic pattern matching allows serendipitous discovery. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Experiment. Live.

KM: Set up “Agents” for Your Searches: 

KM: Set up 'Agents' for Your Searches You can select types of sources you want to deal with. Plain English is a good start. But if you love Boolean, go for it.

KM: Who Has Similar Interests on a Topic?: 

KM: Who Has Similar Interests on a Topic? You can see a 'global evaluation' of who else has your taste for knowledge (and zest for life). For a specific search agent, you get a Siskel and Eberts rating up to five thumbs up (OK, stars).

KM: Get News Before It’s Released!: 

KM: Get News Before It’s Released! Almost as good as time travel! You get to set up for the news event a week ahead of time. This is exciting stuff! Your friends and family will wonder how you did it!

Then Publish on NINDS Site: 

Then Publish on NINDS Site Update text and bibliography for a disorder Summarize developments for a research topic Decide which news should appear for your area Note legislative/program/research issues (for internal use only?) Add descriptor to periodic e-mail notification for viewers who signed up for a topic Collaborate with colleagues with same interest! Consider impact of new knowledge on your area of responsibility

Minimize Struggle with Input Method: 

Minimize Struggle with Input Method Utilize formats and semi-automated input… Point and click Write summary with original side by side Get tickler e-mails for update reminders Decide frequency of update for your area Don’t need to 'lay out' the page. It’s automatic But, if you’re into it, 'create' a format too! Stage changes for review (if deemed necessary) This is a 'Content Management System' at work

Next Steps for HFI and NINDS: 

Next Steps for HFI and NINDS First, consolidate the experience we want our collective audience to have… What role/benefit do they perceive NINDS to provide? What focus or personality exudes from the NINDS’ site? This drives the prioritization of functions on the home page and the graphical style

Moving Into the Future: 

Moving Into the Future User and Task Analyses Site Structure (HLA) Detailed Design Activities 1-5: Staff and Audience Perspectives on Web Site Activities 6-8: Workflows for Audience and Staff + Usability Testing Activities 9-11: High-Level Architecture (HLA) for Web Site and Content Management (CM) + Usability Testing Activities 12-17: Web Site andamp; Style Guide, CM andamp; Support + Usability Testing

Goals of Activity 6: 

Goals of Activity 6 Web site workflow design and review Establish high-level effective and efficient answers that meet user’s desires for features, functions, and applications. Depict the new site structure with... Scenarios - 'a moment in the life of…' Sequences - steps to accomplish given tasks Workflows - charts to show relationships among tasks Review with walkthroughs and iterate

Goals of Activity 7: 

Goals of Activity 7 Content management workflow design and review Scenarios - 'a moment in the life of…' Sequences - steps to accomplish given tasks Workflows - charts to show relationships among tasks Review with walkthroughs and iterate

Goals of Activity 8: 

Goals of Activity 8 Usability testing of CMS and Web site task analysis outcom Use expert reviews and 'walkthroughs' Test with NINDS major audiences and staff Include subjects with disabilities Evaluate tasks, features, and applications Evaluate scenarios, sequences, and workflows Provide report to NINDS Web site coordinating team For Internet tasks: due 19 August For content management tasks: due 31 August

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Find the crayon... Why Test?

After that...: 

After that... 1. Translate tasks into main navigation scheme and 'home page' Web site - due 30 September Content Management System - due 29 October Test both and iterate before due dates 2. Detailed design of Web prototypes Style guide - due 30 November Content Management - due 17 December 3. Completion of usability test and iterations - Web and Content Management - due 28 Jan, 2000

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