A FIELD GUIDE TO IR HOMEPAGES

Feature: Organizational Charts
What is it? Graphic for org chart	Offers: Good picture of institutional structure. Helps you find the right person in the org.	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American University of Florida
	Problems:Getting people to sign off on org chart itself. Need to save as GIF. Hard to do with HTML except in tables. If too big, loads slow.
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Feature: List of Current IR Projects
What is it? List of projects undertaken by office	Offers: Gives user a sense of what the office is, priorities, competing expectations	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American Baylor University
	Problems: Hard to keep track of. Can be used the wrong way, i.e. look like you have time to do another project.
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Feature: Feedback/Comments/Evaluation Form
What is it? Offers open-ended, fill-in form to give feedback, provide comments, and evaluate a project.	Offers: Continuous quality improvement	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of California at Irvine Auburn University
	Problems: Need to read, maintain. Must show something is done in response.
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Feature: Humor
What is it? Joke, Cartoon "Factbooks make great Duraflame logs."	Offers: Makes readers not take themselves/IR so seriously. Step back	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American
	Problems: Has to be funny
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Feature: Staff Information/Pictures
What is it? Bio data about IR staff	Offers: Helps staff be seen as real people. Helps identify faces to names.	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American Bates College Florida International University Auburn University Baylor University
	Problems: Requires current photos. Needs updating. May get people calling wrong people to ask for help.
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Feature: Adobe PDF for Graphics
What is it? Share documents in PDF format.	Offers: High quality printing/viewing of complex documents	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American Florida Atlantic University Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of California at Davis University of California at Santa Cruz
	Problems: Requires conversion to PDF, for users to have Adobe plug-in/helper application installed. Sometimes slow to load. Need to include links and documentation for loading software.
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Feature: Search Engines on Homepage
What is it? Allows user to search major engines (Infoseek, Yahoo) without leaving the homepage	Offers: One-stop browsing	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American
	Problems: Must build into HTML code. Can clutter page. URL can change.
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Feature: HTML Tables
What is it? Use table function to display data	Offers: Nice GUI look to data instead of preformatted, SAS output look	Examples: Florida Atlantic University University of California at Davis Bates College Baylor University
	Problems: Need table generator, macros, HTML Wizards. Layout complexities
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Feature: Form for Choosing Reports
What is it? HTML form to choose which report you want.	Offers: Ability to list many reports in a small space.	Examples: Florida Atlantic University University of Missouri
	Problems: Must keep URLs straight in select values of forms.
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Feature: Limit Access by IP Address
What is it? Permits internal access to a report only.	Offers: Restricts outside use/misinterpretation of data. Mini-Intranet approach. Could specify down to individual IP addresses or parts of a domain.	Examples: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
	Problems: Need extra level of security. Need consistency across files. Riles legislators/public who can't get access.
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Feature: Text Only Version of Homepage Available
What is it? Text only version of homepage without tables, graphics. Usually choice at top of page.	Offers: Lowest common denominator approach. Allows much faster access to real info.	Examples: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bates College
	Problems: Need to keep complete, separate and current copy of homepage without graphics, but with other HTML tags. Requires lots more time to maintain.
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Feature: Spreadsheets and DBase Files Available for Downloading
What is it? Files on homepage available for user to download through browser and use	Offers: Ability to manipulate spreadsheet or database data the way you want. Eliminates meeting all needs in one spreadsheet. Better distribution.	Examples: Texas A&M University University of Arizona University of California at San Diego University of California at Santa Cruz
	Problems: Need to keep current. Users may use inappropriately. Requires disk space, documentation. Could get around with helper application for viewer only.
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Feature: Color Graphs
What is it? Show data in multi-color graph format as GIFs	Offers: Better visual presentation of data. B&W tends to be dull on web. People expect color.	Examples: Texas A&M University Western Carolina University California State University - Los Angeles Syracuse University
	Problems: Need to use Paint Shop Pro or other software to capture screens and save as 89a GIF format. Can't be too large or will slow down browser. Don't use graphs just to have them. Usual criticism of graphs. Better to invest if possible in Java graphlets with package like Cold Fusion.
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Feature: Report on Graduation Data
What is it? Graduation/retention reports	Offers: Usual SRTK accountability to public/legislature	Examples: Texas A&M University
	Problems: Hard to compare without specific definitions, versions of reports like NCAA. Usual caveats.
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Feature: Satisfaction Survey
What is it? HTML Form to collect evaluation/comments data. More specific than general comments text form.	Offers: More data.	Examples: Southern Illinois University
	Problems: Definitions, HTML coding, use of scripts for using form data. Need WebForms, Cold Fusion, C or Perl scripts.
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Feature: Table Data Displayed as a GIF
What is it? Instead of PDF, HTML, saves table as a GIF.	Offers: Allows any browser to view document, without need for Adobe. Keeps high quality of printout.	Examples: Willamette University Florida International University Bates College Wake Forest University University of California at San Diego
	Problems: Requires scanning or capturing image and saving as GIF. Can still load slow. Doesn't allow manipulation or other use.
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Feature: HTML Version of Powerpoint Slide Show
What is it? HTML graphics created by converting Powerpoint slides with special HTML Wizard.	Offers: Portability of Powerpoint slides, greater use of graphics. Slide show format for presentation. Doesn't require plug-in or helper application to run.	Examples: Willamette University
	Problems: Can load slow. Requires conversion.
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Feature: Visual Basic Applications/Visual Basic Script
What is it? Uses Visual Basic Applications and Visual Basic Script (still vaporware) for web version of special data warehouse drill-down query tool.	Offers: Exciting tool. Not as developed on the web as for standalone HELP utility within Windows	Examples: Willamette University
	Problems: Still under development. Very promising and Microsoft-supported alternative to Java for client-side applications
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Feature: Standard Survey Response
What is it? Example of Standard Survey Response to answer questions like college guides	Offers: Central reporting of college guide material	Examples: University of California at Irvine Auburn University University of Arkansas at Little Rock
	Problems: May not be enough for guides to do rankings. Larger discussion of reporting on the web, misuse. Need for standard format in layout as well as content.
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Feature: Fake Image Maps
What is it? Use GIF for link. Appears as if it is a more complicated CGI image map. Other alternative is to use client-side maps with Netscape 2.0 and above - see Auburn University	Offers: Nice GUI visual formatting.	Examples: University of California at Irvine Auburn University
	Problems: Have to break image apart or put tightly together in table.
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Feature: Mission Statement
What is it? Includes mission statement on primary homepage.	Offers: Clear statement of what office does.	Examples: James Madison University Florida International University University of South Carolina Bates College Baylor University
	Problems: Language may not be clear to audience. Hard to keep pace with changing mission.
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Feature: Special Page Border and Backgrounds
What is it? Homepage layout includes attractive side border to give it a publications look. Different page backgrounds.	Offers: Professional appearance	Examples: Northern Virginia Community College Baylor University
	Problems: Need to design something useful that doesn't slow down page loading.
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Feature: Counter
What is it? Counts # hits on page	Offers: Evaluate success/use of pages.	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock James Madison University
	Problems: Requires CGI script or other software. Alternative to better web server software reports.
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Feature: Documents Available in RTF file format
What is it? Standard like Adobe PDF for sharing complex tables/graphs	Offers: Different standard across software platforms	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock
	Problems:
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Feature: Word Processing Documents Available for Download
What is it? Make binary, word processing files available for downloading/viewing with helper applications.	Offers: Complex file format for printing/viewing. Uses Word, WordPerfect, other types.	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock Northern Arizona University University of Arizona
	Problems: Viewers need to be installed. File size for downloading. Requires user work.
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Feature: Mailto Used to Send E-Mail to Staff
What is it? Link in homepage to e-mail. Calls up mail package within browser	Offers: Convenient way to send info requests to staff.	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock West Virginia University
	Problems: May not work with some browsers. Requires knowledge of mail function within browser.
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Feature: SAS/SPSX/Focus output as pre-formatted text
What is it? Quick way to dump SAS/SPSX/Focus or other software output into HTML	Offers: Quick and easy. Easily imported or cut and pasted into another document from web page. Can embed HTML tags directly into report format.	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock
	Problems: Not as attractive as HTML tables.
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Feature: Menu Bar with Text and Graphics
What is it? Menu bar with choice of link via text or graphics	Offers: Quick walk around page options	Examples: University of Arkansas at Little Rock Northern Virginia Community College
	Problems: Don't use too much or slows down loading. Can be distracting.
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Feature: CGI Script for Order Form to Get Publications
What is it? CGI script uses data input with forms to order publications.	Offers: Online ordering of publications	Examples: University of California at Davis
	Problems: Programming. Protect CGI bin access. Security. Processing form data.
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Feature: File Size Information
What is it? Homepage lists size of all files for download/viewing	Offers: Info to help users decide whether to view/download based on transfer time	Examples: California State University - Los Angeles
	Problems: Need to keep track. Deters use.
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Feature: Organizational Mapping/Lookup Tables
What is it? Provides mapping for lookup tables by organization, CIP code, college, dept, or degree level	Offers: Awareness of roll-up reporting and levels of aggregation. Educates users about data administration issues.	Examples: University of Arizona
	Problems: Need to maintain current tables. Misunderstandings of data administration tasks.
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Feature: Web Access to Data Warehouse
What is it? WWW homepage with links to query access of data warehouse.	Offers: Internal query report generating capability on all systems for historical and current data.	Examples: University of Arizona
	Problems: Many data administration issues with data warehousing. Need to generate SQL, work with ODBC drivers with HTML forms.
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Feature: Sound Files for Audio
What is it? Binary file to download for audio.	Offers: Audio descriptions of data, information discussion.	Examples: Bates College
	Problems: Need to record digital audio. Requires sound card, browser with helper application/plug-in. Quality issues. Download time with larger file sizes. Need to use Real Audio to satisfy demand.
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Feature: Provides Page of Links to Other IR Sites
What is it? Bookmark/homepage of special links to institution or IR-related sites	Offers: Info for users on how to compare data, gather additional resources	Examples: University of Texas - Pan American Bates College Auburn University
	Problems: Need to maintain. Must be useful and not just duplicate other sites.
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Feature: Electronic Version of In-House Publications
What is it? HTML versions of print publications	Offers: Greater distribution of publications; never out of print. Reduces printing costs	Examples: University of Florida Baylor University
	Problems: Need to convert documents to HTML, maintain. Use of table format problematic without HTML tables.
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Feature: Guest Book
What is it? Form with CGI script or mailto to sign in to homepage	Offers: Chance to track visitors	Examples: Colorado State University Auburn University
	Problems: Requires programming or e-mail use. Need to process data once collected.
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Feature: Definition/Glossary of Terms
What is it? Document defining key terms used on homepage and in available reports/docs.	Offers: Clarity, chance to qualify data to audiences	Examples: Syracuse University
	Problems: Maintenance, agreement internally. Some have political implications (i.e. tenure, research).
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Feature: What's New?
What is it? Special page listing what's new at the site	Offers: Chance for repeat users to quickly find new information	Examples: Syracuse University
	Problems: Have to keep putting up new documents to satisfy interest
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Feature: Javascript for Status Line
What is it? Javascript language in HTML document creates scrolling status bar message	Offers: Special highlights, information to user	Examples: Auburn University
	Problems: Prevents user from seeing URL address of links in status bar. Not all browsers support Javascript.
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Feature: Perl CGI Scripts for Query Access to Data
What is it? Forms to query several datasets	Offers: Dynamic report generation with Perl script. Brings back data in table format.	Examples: Illinois State University
	Problems: Requires CGI bin access, scripting language, data administration.
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Feature: Server Side Image Map
What is it? Click on graphic to go to URL addresses.	Offers: Visual display of menu choices.	Examples: University of California at San Diego
	Problems: Requires configuration file. Graphic can load slow. Must keep up all links. Time consuming to change frequently.
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Feature: Reports of IR/Assessment Surveys
What is it? Release of survey data with text, graphics, and tables.	Offers: Quick method for releasing important survey data that are often overlooked and/or not read.	Examples: Baylor University
	Problems: Need to convert word processing/other documents to HTML. The more complicated, the harder it is. Need to write for HTML.
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Feature: Three-Dimensional Graphic (could be VRML)
What is it? 3-D graphic.	Offers: High tech look	Examples: University of Texas - Arlington
	Problems: Could be VRML, but don't have viewer. May not view well with all resolutions/monitors
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