The following charts depict the importance of local search engine by the type of transaction on the web site (e.g. company brochure, product information, e-commerce, database based information, audio-video etc.).
Organizations believe the need for a local search engine increases as the complexity of the web site increases. (Based on cluster analysis, a complex site was defined as a site with more than 100 pages, more than 3 types of transactions, more than 1,000 visitors per day and where designers feel challenged in organizing large volumes of data.) About 40% of both organizations and visitors believe that a local search engine is important, while fewer than 30% of the designers (except for social networking designers at 40%) believe that a local search engine is important. This could be because designers think the navigation is clear, and that a search box can conflict with their aesthetic design. Although the need for local search engines and site maps do not statistically correlate to the enjoyment of web site, the fact that the ability to maintain orientation and find information on the web site is critical to enjoyment leads one to believe that these tools eventually drive visitor enjoyment.
Organizations that have a large number of web site visitors also believe that a local search engine is important. This can be expected, since a search engine is most helpful when traditional navigation fails because there are so many pages that users cannot realistically browse their way through a web site.
About 70% of organizations and visitors believe that a personal guide would increase the effectiveness of a web site. Only about 50% of designers believe the same. The disparity in opinion is even sharper when we look at the percentages that “definitely believe” in improvement (30% for organizations and 15% for designers). This could be because designers are more removed from the end users, and overestimate the clarity of their work. Designers also believe visitors are very satisfied with respect to enjoyment more often than do organizations and visitors. Designers of large sites do not believe in personal guides, perhaps due to additional navigational aids like local search engines. There could also be a degree of skepticism about how much a human being could help navigation on a complex web site.
About 30% of the respondents from all three surveys think access to visitors with disabilities is an important aspect of site design. However, most respondents do not think access to low literacy is important. Some of the visitors expressed concern that the contents of a web site run the risk of being “dumbed down” if such aspects are considered during design.
Although over 90% of visitors say that they are able to find the information they are looking for, over 50% report that there is a gap between what they are looking for and what typical web sites provide, and 60% think that a personal guide to help navigate web sites would help. The reported gap is negatively correlated to visitors’ ability to find information, and positively correlated to the need for a local search engine. This indicates that most web sites are unable to provide the breadth of information that visitors seek. In other words, they are able to find information provided on the site, but are not able to gather all of the information they need. A personal navigational aid would help clarify whether or not the information they are looking for is present without having to conduct an extensive search. Organizations that have a large number of site visitors believe that they are less capable of serving the diverse needs of visitors. As the number of pages on the site increases, both organizations and designers believe the information gap increases. Visitors who visit a large number of sites believe that the gap is marginally less compared to those who visit a fewer number of sites. Less frequent visitors to social networking sites more strongly believe in the existence of information gap. This may be because they spend time visiting sites other than social networking sites. Also, designers who spend the bulk of their time on site design are more aware of the information gap.
Visitors who visit social networking sites are more apt to value audio and video content on other web sites than visitors who do not. Multimedia usage and the value of a personal navigational aid are negatively correlated, implying that these visitors are comfortable navigating the Web on their own.
Overall, there are three types of visitors to web sites who have distinct needs: visitors to social networking and multimedia sites, visitors who look for audio/video media, and the remainder of visitors.
Apart from the key elements for effectiveness discussed earlier in this report, visitors believe sites can be more effective by helping them find interesting information even if they are not looking for it. This could be accomplished by creating links to relevant sites that have complementary information.
Content development via consultants or outsourcing did not exhibit any pattern in the data set.
The relationship between in-house versus outsourced content development was explored against the type of web site features and method of information organization, but no statistically significant trends were observed. There was weak evidence that non-profit organizations tend to seek outside help more often than any other organizations. When development is not done in-house, it is most likely because they are complex sites that handle e-commerce, database information, or audio/video content.
Approximately 75% of the developer respondents enjoyed completing the survey. On a relative scale, people who develop sites that handle e-commerce transactions enjoyed the survey, while the others did not. The greater the number of pages designed by a developer, the less he or she liked the survey. Also, respondents who believe that information on design methods would help them with their work also liked completing the survey.
According to a December 2007 Pew Internet report, more people turn to the Internet than any other source of information and support, including experts, family members, government agencies, or libraries. About 63% are able to find information that they want on the Internet. The report also indicates that broadband users have a significantly different approach to the Internet than dial-up users. Broadband users are more intense and engaged in their Internet experiences. They spend more time online, do many more things online, and report notably happier outcomes from their online experiences.
Although no questions were asked regarding connectivity speed, responses from visitors to sites designed predominantly for broadband users (like audio/video sites and social networking sites) indicate that they believe less in the effectiveness of a “personal navigation aid,” and complain less about a perceived “information gap.” Clearly, broadband connection provides superior quantity, quality, and accessibility of information to users. This reinforces the importance of “speed of access” during site design.
