[Air-l] Re: feedback evaluating websites

[Joyce.Lamerichs at Alg.VLK.WAU.NL]

Dear all,

I received a lot of information, regarding the evaluation of websites.An overview is provided below.I have adapted peoplesÀ replies to provide a condensed overview for the list.

thank you very much for your feedback!

Joyce Lamerichs
Communication and Innovation Studies
Wageningen University


Rice, R.E. & Katz, J.E. (Eds.) (2001). The Internet and HealthCommunication. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Rice, R.E. & Atkin, C. (Eds.) (2001). Public Communication Campaigns, 3rded. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
(chapters with references to prior academic web site evaluations on evaluating health web sites in)

Preece, Rogers and Sharp (2002) "InteractionDesign: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction. John Wiley $ Sons" (www.id-book.com) One third of this book is about evaluation, of which a fair amount deals specifically with the Web (from the field of Human-Computer Interaction)

Krug, Steve.  Don't Make Me Think ISBN 0-7897-2310-7
Flanders, Vincent.  Web Pages That Suck ISBN 0-7821-4020-3

Lisa Nakamura's work on Cybernetic Tourism and David Silver's work on the Blacksburg Community Network (in Kolko, Nakamura and Rodman "Race in Cyberspace").  (analysis of marginalized group representation or non-representation online/ provides a good framework for similar analysis)

Mary E. Virnoche. Science, Technology and Human Values, "The Seamless Web and Communications Equity..." 1998. 23:199-220. It provides a framework for analyzing community network decision making, part of which includes the types of interface design and content developed -- couched in a discussion of designing for democracy.

Two references on useability and access issues. The first is bibliographic. The second more geared to student work. 
http://www.go.vic.gov.au/Research/WebSiteIssues/AccessibilityUsability/useabil.htm 
http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/ncys/ysa/nn/01-march.htm 

 
An analysis of telecenter Web sites that looked for more than usability features - the paper was just for a seminar, but the data analysis section might give you some ideas for your students. It's here: http://php.indiana.edu/~ccourtri/TelecenterHomePages.pdf

Gill, H. S. & Yates Mercer, P. (1998). The dissemination of information by local authorities on the World Wide Web. Journalof Information Science, 24(2), 105-115. See (http://www.brent.gov.uk/) or(http://www.dorset-cc.gov.uk/). (The author may be contacted by electronic mail at paym at soi.city.ac.uk). (Original abstract)

See also : http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfmgb/web.htm>