PBS/Adaptive Path Best Practices for Station Web Sites

1. PBS/Adaptive PathBest Practices for Station Web Sites Carolyn Gibson Smith, PBS Jeffrey Veen, Adaptive Path Anil Dewan, KCET Christine Orr, KNPB Zulfiqar Khan, WQED PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

2. Best Practices: Why now? • Stations always redesigning at costs ranging from $0 to $1.2 million. • Level of professionalism at new heights, can really learn from each other. • Save time, $$! • Help PBS and NPR refine services for station sites as part of redesigns. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

3. Why Adaptive Path? • Working with NPR since early 2001 • Lead sessions at 2002 Online Summit • Currently consulting on new NPR.org architecture and processes • Working with PBS since May, 2002 PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

4. What Adaptive Path Did • Internal PBS Interactive Interviews • Why are station Web sites so different? • What are the issues they face? • What is PBSi doing now? Soon? Later? • Stakeholder Stations • Small, Medium, and Large Markets • Comparison to NPR research • Heuristic Analysis of the system • Prototype Development and Testing PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

5. Station Analysis: Interface and Design • Is the site’s design simple, attractive, and appropriate to the content provided? • Is navigation to the main sections of the site provided at the top of the page? • Is the site consistent from page to page? • Does the site display a search box on the front page? PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

6. Station Analysis: Site Architecture • Does the front page contain a link to program listings? • Does the front page contain a clear link to membership? • Does the site clearly indicate what benefits are available by becoming a member? • Does the site promote local content clearly, as well as national content? • If there is a "contact" link, does it point to a feedback form? • Does the site’s logo link back to the home page throughout the site? • Is there a link that says "Home" in consistently in the global nav bar? PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

7. Site Features and Usability • Is there a clear privacy policy for information submitted through the site? • Does the front page include meta tags? • Does the front page indicate when the site was last updated? • How many accessibility errors does the front page contain? (via http://bobby.watchfire.com/) • Does the site use pop-up windows without user initiation? • Does the site use animated graphics or looping Flash animations? • Does the site have a “Splash Page” or intro screen? • Is the site’s URL clear and predictable? PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

8. KCET, Los Angeles • Large market station • Currently undergoing redesign, launching February 2003 • 65,000 average page views per month • 150,000 page views per month on PBS.org • Staff of four full-time plus contract help. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

9. WQED, Pittsburgh • Joint licensee in medium market • Includes radio, television, and regional magazine content • Evolving redesign underway • Average 240,000 monthly page views on WQED.org • 17,000 monthly page views on PBS.org • Staff: Director E-Business (half-time on Web) and Full Time Web Coordinator PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

10. KNPB, Reno • Smaller market, television only • Average 10,000 page views monthly • 10,000 monthly page views on PBS.org • Redesign slated for April • One full-time, one half-time Web developers PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

11. System Scorecard • Rated every PBS station Web site against this set of heuristics to analyze performance. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

12. The Best Practices Prototype • We collected the best examples of each necessary site feature, then paired with what we learned about resource constraints and other issues. • Built a series of schematics for review by stations and PBSi. • Developed into a testable HTML prototype exploiting station services and code from SRC. • Tested very well. Clean, consistent interface that clearly exposes architecture and features. • Can serve as an example for station redesigns. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

13. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

14. Community reflected in visual design Television schedule featured on home page Local content and upcoming specials News modules keeps home page fresh PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

15. Search box always available Audience segments called out Community events calendar gives sense of living site PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

16. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

17. Global navigation consistent; shows current location Current daily module used for default view Calendar shows coming two weeks of programming Prime time feature box repurposed Also: Working on multi-channel schedule designs PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

18. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

19. Membership benefits made real with actual members Options to sign up, renew, or give as a gift Support not just limited to financial Clear identification of membership levels PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

20. Benefits reiterated Thank you gifts pictured with popup descriptions Conceptual grouping reflected in visual design Payments can be spread over time Pledge matching Comments PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

21. What we found • Everyone has resource issues, regardless of market size – they all need help • Member station sites vary widely in usability, and it has nothing to do with market size • Some stations are sensitive to local/national boundaries, but users are not. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

22. Users Experience Local/National Seamlessly • Users are confused or uninterested in the difference between national entity and local station. • Localization code works. With integrated cobrands, users can navigate back and forth to national program sites easily, but the believe they have never left station.org. • The practice of having landing pages between local and national sites hindered users from achieving goals. “I got to one through the other, but I don’t remember which I started at. But to be honest, I don’t really remember the difference between them.” “I’m at the Nova part of the web site. We are still on the channel 5 site. If you’ve ever watched PBS, you know Nova is on that channel.” PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

23. Users Value Stations' Local Outreach • Understand stations as “NPR and PBS in my community." • Love the idea that they can engage in station-run activities where they live. • Make local connections very prominent visually, don't relegate them to subpages “The site shows me that they are more committed to things going on in the community and around the region. I like that.” PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

24. Users Want Clean Simple Design – And Lots of Content • Users appreciated simple, uncluttered design, but valued lots of content. • Seems contradictory and a hard balance to strike, but well worth it “I like things to be kept very, very simple. Because there’s so much stuff on the Internet, it’s hard to get through it all.” PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

25. Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Photo • Sometimes photos are more compelling than show logos PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

26. Some Labels Don't Work • Many examples of common terminology confused users • Examples: • Local programs – changed to Highlights & Specials • Community – needs context • Test labels, watch traffic to see if people are going where you expect they might. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

27. Membership as a Well-Oiled Machine • Probably the most important label • Membership vs. join vs. support vs. pledge • Importance of signaling all ways to support • Synching up on-air and online is critical • More on this in January’s Summit by Screen PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

28. Usability Testing Rocks! • Great tool to get outside ‘expert user’ thinking • Great way to educate senior management • You can do it yourself PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

29. Broadening the Research to Radio • PBS member station findings sync with earlier NPR user research • NPR currently focused on improving national site: • Rich search experience • Subject-based channel architecture • Deep archive • Seamless integration with member stations through complete revamp of localization functionality PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

30. NPR Draft Architecture Recommendations PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

31. Next Steps for PBS Stations • Best Practices Extranet site to be added to remotecontrol.pbs.org • Step-by-step implementation guides for process, visual design, architecture, and modules • Easy to use tutorials for PBS.org services • Working prototype with code to steal, plus page schematics • Printable version including case studies, methodology, and usability reports PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

32. Next Steps for PBS stations • Extranet and reports available in the new year • Presentations at major events throughout 2003: • 1st up: NETA, January 8 – 11, 2003 • January Summit By Screen will focus on membership usability • Work jointly with NPR moving forward. PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

33. Next Steps for PBS Stations • Want to hear from stations using Best Practices! • Seeking proposals from stations for funding to redesign • building on Best Practices • coordinating with an outside firm • willing to share your story with the system • proposals to Carolyn Gibson Smith by January 31, 2003 PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “

34. Q&A • Carolyn Gibson Smith, PBS • Jeffrey Veen, Adaptive Path • Anil Dewan, KCET • Christine Orr, KNPB • Zulfiqar Khan, WQED PBS/NPR Summit by Screen“Station Best Practices “