Plan: Transferring student

Testing outcomes

1. Understand what different navigation labels 'say' to new students
2. Understand what information they need and what they need to see first. 
3. Understand the relevance of faculties and schools.

And while we are seeking these outcomes I hope that we can identify the main gaols for our personas.

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.
• Note taking should be unobtrusive. Leave time for discussing and recording findings after the session.

Participants

• Two interviews
• $30 Prezzie card per participant

Equipment and set up

• Victoria laptop with the following:
  • Vic site open in Chrome
  • Vic site open in IE
  • Screen recording software
  • Treejack test in a new window
• Printed copies of ethics form: Participant Information Sheet.
• Printed copy of test script
• Channels cards

 Document

Introduction

The introduction is very important.  

1. Put the student at ease and explain the purpose

Key messages:

• We're interested in learning about your information needs were when you were thinking about tertiary study.
• 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."

Please sign the ethics form

Conversation guide

Interests/scene setting

Talk about them as a person. Some areas to cover:

• Where they are from
• What they were doing before coming to university
• Where they live (halls, flatting, home)
• What they're studying
• Interests
• How they use social media
• Their devices

Coming to university + career planning

Talk generally about how they made the decision to come to university, and Victoria specifically. What were their goals? How did they look for information and what information were they looking for.

Discuss specifically how career planning factored in these decisions.

When did they started thinking about their career? What information did they need? (eg likelihood of employment, earnings)

Enrolment

What were your expectations about uni before you came here - how did you think it would be?

What was the reality? How are you finding it?

Faculty and school

Find out what they know about their Faculty and School now. What to they understand about what each area does? Did they look at any information about these areas when they were checking out Victoria?

What interactions do you have with the faculty? How do you get info from them? Do you use their site?

What interactions do you have with the school? How do you get info from them? Do you use their site?

Channels

How do you get updates? 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. 

Exploring site

Let's have a look at the information that's on the Victoria website now to do with (student interest area). Show us what you might have looked for when you were figuring out whether to come here.

Victoria site is open.

Student will either browse or use the site search (or a mix).

Talk to the student about what they are looking for - get them to talk out loud.

What's important here is what they are interested in - what they need to know (and in which order) rather than how well the current site works for them.

Explore:

• What were their personal priorities? (eg, career info, specific field, degree info)
• What's useful, and what's less useful?
• Did they find out what they were looking for? Was it enough? What's missing?
• What do they need to find or know for the topic they're interested in?
• 
  

Is there anything else you needed to know when thinking about enrolling at a university?

(Student may mention costs, student life, who are the lecturers, faculties and schools)

News and events

What kind of news from Victoria are they interested in?

• How do they find out about this?

What kind of events at Vic are they interested in?

• How do they find out about this?

Have you ever looked on the Vic website to find out about news or events? Where would you look? (eg, Home, F&S).

Close out and create engagement

• • Thank YOU - site will improve as a result of your input.
  • Interested in signing up to have more input in the future? - eg, looking at prototype