Postgraduate students

Work in progress

Testing outcomes

1. Understand the information needs of postgraduate students - including those considering postgraduate study and when they arrive/start.new undergrad students, students considering postgrad study and current postgrad students.
2. Understand their use of different channels, including the Vic website, and their channel preferences.
3. Understand the relevance of faculties and schools to current students.
4. Understand the relevance of FGR.
5. Understand the relevance of research centres, institutes and chairs
   
   

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

• At least six current students, with at least two representing each of the different "paths" or types: (check Charlotte's notes).
• Each session will take a max of 45 minutes.
• Each participant will get a $30 pressie card at the start of the session.
• Sessions will take place in a uni meeting room. (Hunter? or out in the Hub where students are more familiar with the environment?)

Day/date

Interviewees and room

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.

Document

Introduction

1. Put the student at ease and explain the purpose

Key messages:

• We're interested in learning about your information needs, as a (potential) PG student at Vic Uni
• 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.
• Give pressie card.

2. Explain privacy - but in a low-key non-scary way

1. 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

Interests, information needs

Talk about them as a person:

• Where are they from?
• Where do they live (halls, flatting, home)?
• What are their interests? 
• Are they into social media - what social media sites do they use - what for? 
• What sorts of 'devices' do they use?
• How long they've been at uni, what they're studying, how long they have to go.

Expectations

What were your expectations about uni when you enrolled - how did you think it would be?

What was the reality? How have you found it?

Enrolment process and acceptance

• How did it go?
• What were the pros and cons? Any pain points? (prompt: 2-3 things)

If older: transferring or related process

Course schedule

What process do you use when you're building your course schedule for the following year?

• How did you do it last time?
• What method/resources did you use?
• How has it worked for you in the past?
  
  

News and events

What kind of news from Victoria are you interested in?

• How do you find out about this?

What kind of events at Vic are you interested in?

• How do you 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).

PG info

When started thinking about it?

What info do/did they need?

Careers - job

Thinking about it? When started thinking about it?

What info do/did they need? (eg, likelihood of employment? Earnings?)

Other information from Vic 

We've talked about a few areas already.

What other information have you needed to find out from Vic (or 'need to find out'), as a student here?

How do you find out that information?

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. 

Faculty and school

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?

Explore site (if time)

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?

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

Extras

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?