Most institutions today use Web sites as a communication tool to reach to its audience. A website refers to information about a specific subject matter found on the internet. For the website to be easily accessed and effectively pass the intended information to the audience, the author should ensure efficient web site content and navigation. The objective of this report is to examine the weakness and strength of http://www.state.nj.us/humanserv’ces/ddd/home/index.html (DDD) which is authored by the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities for the purpose of communicating to the public who may be disabled or having a disabled person under their care.
Most website users prefer using a website that makes a good first impression to them. The first impression determines if the user will continue reading through the website or not. According to Hausman & Siekpe (2009), a good website has the following features; it has first-rate content, it takes the shortest time to download, is designed in such a manner that it can be easily read through, and it is should be up to date. For a website to be regarded as effective, its design should attract visitors, keep them engaged on the site, and the information should be useful to the visitors. The visitors should see the relevance of the information immediately they open the page. According to Yen, Hu and Wang (2007), the credibility of a website depends on its navigation and the quality of its information.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The audience of this website is the public which involves people living with a disability or those with disabled people under their care. The main objective of this website is to communicate to the public the age group which covered by the funding from the division of developmental disabilities. It gives information about the services and support offered by the department. The website also gives directives that should be followed to report a suspected abuse of individuals living with a disability. It provides contacts that the audience can use to report abuses. It also gives information on the kind of person to report any abuse as well as the protocols to be followed. The funding services offered by this department are for adults over the age of twenty-one years. But the website gives links for disabled persons under the age of twenty-one to get help. This shows that the website has reliable and captivating information to engage its audience. The message is clear.
This website meets user needs more especially the users that are new to the internet due to the fact that it is easily accessible and it loads within a very short time. Moreover, it provides links to other services and programs offered by the department. If a user wants to get any other information pertaining the department, the links aid in doing so easily. The website also provides the users with an email they can use to be easily updated on latest news, reports, and publication from the division. The website is authored by the Department of Human Services. This department covers giving service to the disabled people implying that the information is from a reliable source. The contacts of the department are also provided on the website. It is easy to access the department in case one wants to get clarification on the subject matter.
The website is easily navigable with the right first impression. Easy navigation means that the audience can easily find a way through the website. The homepage of the website is attractive and appealing to the eye. It is formatted in a way that it can be easily read. One needs just a few clicks to get access to all the information needed on the website. The main points are written in bold colors and the reader can easily read, understand and use it. The website's layout, structure, and appearance are well organized.
All the information on the website is clearly displayed. The website is using a static bar for the title to ensure that there is no information overshadowed. This is an important feature for a good website. The font used on the whole website is clear and the audience can easily read it. The website is published by a credible publisher. Investigations done on the publisher show that the publisher takes responsibility for their publication. This means that the website is credible. However, the date of publication is not current implying that there is a possibility of the information being out of date. Their no dead links on the website and all the links can be easily accessed.
The purpose of the information on the website is well balanced. The author does not use emotional language and is not biased. The main purpose of the information is to communicate important information to the audience and not to advertise anything. There are ads on the website, this means that the audience may be diverted to a different information. The ads are colored and attractive implying that the audience’s attention may be diverted. But, they are located on the side of the website, this could be a strategy used to ensure that the audience is done reading the important information before reaching the ads. The web page does not need a special software for the information to be viewed and the information is accessed at no cost. The overall web design displays the information in an easy to use manner, the information was not reproduced and the publication is protected by copyright laws. The website is credible with accurate and comprehensive information.
References
Hausman, A. V., & Siekpe, J. S. (2009). The effect of web interface features on consumer online purchase intentions. Journal of Business Research , 62 (1), 5-13.
Yen, B., Hu, P. J. H., & Wang, M. (2007). Toward an analytical approach for effective Web site design: A framework for modeling, evaluation and enhancement. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications , 6 (2), 159-170.
