Underway - we're working on this page right now, in preparation for testing on Friday (16 July) and Monday (19 July)
Testing outcomes
- Understand the information needs of current students - including new undergrad students, students considering postgrad study and current postgrad students.
- Understand their use of different channels, including the Vic website, and their channel preferences.
- Understand the relevance of faculties and schools to current students.
Notes for facilitators
- Is more 'research' than 'testing'.
- Conversational - discussion evolves naturally. Not an interview.
- But make sure key areas are covered.
- Recommend that one person facilitates the discussion and the other makes observations and takes notes.
- Note taking should be unobtrusive. Leave time for discussing and recording findings after the session.
Participants
- Six current students, representing: 2x new students (ideally, just started), 2x students considering PG study, 2x students involved in PG study.
- We prefer earlier appointments to later, with no more than three students on any one day. Sam and Anne to attend all interviews.
- Each session will take a max of 45 minutes.
- Each participant will get a $30 pressie card.
- Sessions will take place in a uni meeting room. (Hunter? or out in the Hub where students are more familiar with the environment?)
- Sam Motion (Unlicensed) to book meetings with as many of these students as necessary to get the required/representative groupings
Friday
Anne and Sam, HU319
| Time | Name | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-9.45am | Schyana | BA majoring in Psychology, minoring in German and Educational Psychology - 3rd year - planning to do postgrad | Confirmed (meeting at SU) |
| 10-10.45am | Sophie | BA majoring in English literature, Education and Psychology - 1st year | Confirmed (meeting at SU) |
| 11-11.45am | Lizzie | BDI majoring in Culture+Context and minoring in Marketing, BA majoring in Philosophy - 2nd year | Awaiting txt response |
Monday
Anne and Sam, HU319
| Time | Name | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-9.45am | Matthew | LLB/BA majoring in Law, Politics, and Industrial Relations, 2nd year | Confirmed (meeting in HU319) |
| 3-3.45pm | Rosario | BBmedSc majoring in Human Genetics, 3rd year - planning to do postgrad | Awaiting email response |
| 4-4.45pm | Carrie | Masters in Psychology, 5th year but 7th at Victoria | Confirmed (meeting at SU) |
Note: while I've booked HU319, I am offering to meet students outside the Student Union building and bring them through just before their appointment so they don't have to worry about finding the room. ^S
Equipment and set up
Victoria laptop with the following:
- Vic site open in Chrome and/or IE
- Printed copies of ethics form: Participant Information Sheet.
Introduction
Put the student at ease and explain the purpose
Key messages:
- We're interested in learning about your information needs, as a Vic Uni student.
- There will be a bit a chatting and we'll also get you to do a few things online.
- We're not testing you or your website skills! Every answer you give us is helpful and RIGHT!
- Your participation is highly valued - you're helping make a difference - thank you.
2. Explain privacy - but in a low-key non-scary way
- The testing is confidential
"You won't be identified in any notes - at the most we'll use your first name."
2. Please sign the ethics form.
Conversation guide
1. Interests, information needs
Talk about them as a person - where they're from, where they live (halls, flatting, home), what their interests are.
Are they into social media - what social media sites do they use - what for?
What sorts of devices do they use?
Leading into:
Them as a Vic student - how long they've been at uni, how they find it, what they're studying, how long they have to go. Thinking about PG?
Leading into:
What information you've needed to find out from Vic (or 'need to find out').
Leading into:
channels (below)
2. Channels
How do you find out information that you need from the university?
What works well for you and what doesn't?
What could make things easier?
After a quick chat, show cards with Victoria's channels (below). Talk about which ones they use, which they like - which they don't like, what information they expect to come through where. Which are most important. Are there channels that aren't being used that they wish were (eg. apps?)
Including: What Vic channels work best for them, do they feel any channels are being overused, do they feel they know where to go for information online.
| TV screens/Posters | Txt | e-newsletter | Apps/smartphone notifications | ||
| Blackboard | Website - main | Website - Faculty | Website - school | MyVictoria | Website - current students area |
3. Current information
Explore the site - get them to look at some of the content they've been talking about.
Where do they go - main site or F&S? Search or browse?
How easily can they find relevant content, once they're within the area?
How useful is the content?
4. Faculty and school
If not covered already: what interactions do they have with the faculty? How do they get info from them? Do they use their site?
What interactions do they have with the school? How do they get info from them? Do they use their site?
If the information needs conversation hasn't been very fruitful, it might be useful to have some questions up our sleeve to help direct both the channels and current information conversations.
Eg:
- How would you expect to find out about an upcoming special lecture or conference at Victoria in the law (eg) field? Would that be of interest to you? Say you'd heard about it from a friend and wanted to find out more - where would you look for it?
- If you were having trouble with an essay/a piece of research, where would you look for advice or to find someone to talk to?
Close out
- Pressie card
- Thank YOU