Target groups for websites exercise eye-opener for partners

Twelve participants from five partners followed an IRC workshop in Amman, Jordan, from 26 February to 1 March 2007 on strategic issues related to their websites in the IRC portal system. One of the exercises focused on target groups. None of the participants had identified target groups before launching their site. No one had drawn up a matrix to show how the various documents and target groups matched up. This proved an eye-opener.

Portal workshop participants came from Jordan and Palestine partners INWRDAM and EMPOWERS. They were joined by web specialists from SEUF India, NEWAH Nepal and COSI Sri Lanka.

This was one of a series of portal training workshops done by IRC.

Objectives

The major objective was to get into closer contact with current users of websites in the portal who all use the eZ publish Content Management structure for their sites provided by IRC.

More specifically, two IRC web and editorial management specialists were interested to:

• learn how external partners are using the portal;
• explain more about how the portal works and how it can be used best;
• provide direct support to issues participants are dealing with;
• discuss wishes and options for new functionalities in the portal.

Day 1

On the first day good and bad websites were discussed in groups and cards were presented explaining what makes a good website and a bad one. Target groups were identified by the participants for their own websites as well as their specific information needs. Participants were asked to write down activities/information they have to add or update on their website and list constraints on cards they would expect in realizing this. The cards were sorted and two common constraints were selected for the next day.

Day 2

Based on the various lists of expected constraints, two problems were selected: time constraints and validation of information. In a very structured intervision session in which the problem owners explained the problem, groups asked questions for clarification, groups analyzed the problem and the owner listened. Every group member wrote down solutions and presented them to the owner. The problem owner then gave his/her comment on the solutions.

Day 3

All participants had handed in a wish list for their sites. Items mentioned on these wish lists were discussed and dealt with. The concept of user-testing was introduced, to have a typical user (from outside the own organisation) look at a website and learn from the observations.

To end the workshop, the expectations, as listed on the first day, were reviewed: which expectations were met, which required follow-up? Next, participants were asked to give their feedback: what they liked most, what was most useful and what can be improved. Finally they were given postcards which they had to address to themselves mentioning one resolution for work back in the office.

On the last day a field trip was organised to Damya village with explanations of the project and a reception in the community hall (or knowledge station as they called it) with time for questions.