Questionnaire: (Don't feel like you have to restrict your answers to just these questions, they are just a guide.  I'm interested in anything you have to say about the site.) 

1. At first glance, does the site look like something you would be interested in looking at further? Why/Why not? 
2. What is your impression of the appearance of the site? Colors, style, typestyle? 
3. How did you feel about the site's general organization? Was it easy to follow? 
4. How did you feel about the navigation of the site? Did you know where you were at all times? Did you feel lost? Was it easy to move back and forth between pages? Any suggestions on how to improve the navigation? 
5. Do you think web designers outside of IBM would come to this site and use it? What about average people? What might help that?  Would you come to it again? Why/Why not? 
6. If you wanted to find out more about a specific topic on the site, do you think you could? What might help that? 
7. The designers said they do not honestly expect anyone to go from the beginning of the introduction to the end of maintenance sections. How did you feel about the site’s length? What kind of format changes might make you want to look more at the sight? 
8. General comments: How do you feel about the overall site? What things might they add to help the navigation, organization and general feel of the site? What things might they take away? How did you feel about the site's format, using the folder/notebook metaphor? 
Survey Responses 

1st respondent 
Brandy Rackel,  UT sophomore in the Nursing School, for purposes of this questionnaire she is an average computer user 

1. First glance 
The site looks well organized, but it doesn't appear interesting.  At first glance, it doesn't grab your attention.  An interesting topic still needs to catch your eye. 

2. Appearance 
The text is too small.  It made me not want to continue at all.  There are not enough graphics to hold interest. 

3. Organization 
There were too many links on the screen with the site. I wasn't sure of where they would take me; whether it would still be inside the Web design site, or even inside the IBM site.  The numerous links were also very distracting. 

4. Navigation 
The site had a good flow and it was easy to jump around to different topics.  After using the site for a couple of minutes, I was easily able to determine how to move back and forth within the site, both using the links to the left and the next button. 

5. Content/Staying power 
The content looks like it would be useful in designing a web site, and if that was my purpose I would come again.  As far as average computer users, I don't think many would stay long if they found the site, mainly because of the small type and lack of interest holding graphics.  I wouldn't come to the site again. 

6. Searching the site 
The site is pretty self-explanatory.  Topics could be found easily, but an overall table of contents would be nice. 

7. Length 
I certainly wouldn't go from beginning to end.  If you were designing a web site, though, it would probably be useful. 

8. General comments 
The site opens up too small, and it was difficult to make it bigger on my screen.  I had to change computers just to be able to access the site, and no one is going to do this on the Internet.  You lose a lot of valuable information because you can't see everything at first glance.  Overall, the site is useful and well-organized.  The content is relevant and seems to be comprehensive, but there definitely needs to be something added to catch and hold the attention of the users.  The text is really too small.  Larger type would prevent a lot of headaches. 

2nd respondent 
Elizabeth Souder, Journalism/Plan II senior, online copyeditor/producer with Austin 360 and Hometeam 360 

1. First glance 
I hate frames.  They take a long time to download, and they make it difficult to leave the site.  They don't work will all browsers, and the frames on this site go off the edge of many screens, so it is impossible to even get to any links with the wrong type of screen.  It is best not to use frames and not to specify the width of a site, so that all browsers and screens can layout the information.  That is the point of the Web. 

2. Appearance 
The appearance is nice.  The images download pretty quickly, (but I was on a UT ethernet connection) and the information is easy to read.  The colors look good--very corporate and conservative.  I guess that's what IBM wants, and that's all any user would expect. 

3. Organization 
I like the organization.  It is easy to see what kind of information is in each section and to know where you are at all times.  The problem is that the frames are unyielding.  I think they could present the same kind of organization without frames, with possibly a tool bar at the top and links down the side of each page. 

4. Navigation 
It was difficult to get to this part of the site; it involved too many clicks.  This is obviously an important part of the site, so they need to put it up higher in the hierarchy of the site. 

5. Content/Staying power 
I think the information is good but not for professionals.  At a professional web site, people already know the things this site says to do.  At Austin 360 we have marketers to track use, advertising people to do advertising, and we have thought though the site organization to best help the user.  However, if a layman were to want to create a web site, the information would be quite helpful.  If I were to create a new site from scratch, I might come back to this one and use its suggestions as a checklist, to make sure I had covered all the bases. 

6. Searching the site 
It seems pretty well organized, and I think I could find specific topics. 

7. Length 

8. General comments 
I don't see why anyone from IBM would go to this site at all.  It is obviously for laymen, and it could be quite useful.  Although the information is pretty obvious to anyone who has given web site creation a lot of thought.  However, it could be seen as a kind of textbook, and there isn't much literature out there for people who want to learn from square one.