Assignment
Go to the IBM Department Website and answer the following questions:
Target Market and Goals/Desired Conversions on the Website
1. Who is the Target Market for this website? (who does IBM want to come to this website?)
2. What is the Desired Goal of this website? (what is it that IBM department wants someone to do once they come to this website?)
Users should be able to answer three questions after viewing the website. Does the IBM website answer these and what is the answer?
1. What does the organization offer?
2. Why should I pick you? (i.e. Why a student should pick IBM to major in? Why should a company partner with us? Or alumni donate to us?)
3. What do you want me to do next? (i.e. Apply? Contact advisor?)
Recommendations for Website
Design for Usability: does (and how does) the website..
1. Follow website conventions?
2. Create effective visual hierarchies?
3. Break pages up into clearly defined areas?
4. Make it obvious what's clickable?
5. Eliminate distractions?
6. Format content to support scanning?
Conversion-Centered Design on the website
1. Attention- What action would you like users to take? What is the Call to Action (CTA)?
2. Context- Does the message/content match user expectations?
3. Clarity- Is it clear what the webpage is about?
4. Congruence- Does everything on page encourage conversion or is there distraction from desired behavior?
5. Credibility- Do users have reason to believe you will deliver on promises?
6. Closing- Use positive messaging close to the CTA click region
7. Continuance- After conversion, does user know action is completed and encouraged to next conversion?
Mobile first: look up the website on your phone
1. Does it look ok? Are items easy to find?
2. Does it appear that they designed for smaller screens first, and then added features and content for larger screens ("Progressive enhancement")
Webpage elements: how does the website utilize the following?
1. Color Scheme- contrasting colors to direct attention
2. Buttons- key buttons for CTA (call-to-action)
3. Images- first indication of website credibility
4. Navigation- minimalist aesthetic vs. ease of search
5. Trust Symbols- guarantees, awards social media etc.
6. Video- less effort than reading; improves credibility
7. Forms- incentives to fill out form; "won't take long"
8. Phone Numbers- primary lead generation is a phone call
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.