As people continue to access more information on the Web, providing effective websites has become increasingly important to the work of Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs). While the needs of individual NPOs differ, working within industry standards certainly helps build a bridge between NPOs and users regardless of familiarity with the organization’s website. NPOs strive to communicate clear and consistent information to the “average user.” However, feedback is critical to improving the way a site functions. In order to assess the functionality of each website, I designed a series of A/B usability tests that ask users to find general information on the local chapter of 3 organizations (Girl Scouts, ACLU, & Youthbuild). I expect this study to reveal “pain-points” that users will typically face when trying to find general information for the first time. I argue that learning more about how users seek information will enable NPO’s to strategically manage and refine their online content.

Julie Riegel
Ignite Talk

Speaker Bio
Julie Riegel is an aspiring User Experience (UX) researcher. Currently, she is the Carolina Academic Library Associate (CALA) at the Sloane Art Library, and a graduate student in the Art History and Library Science MA/MSLS Dual Degree program at UNC Chapel Hill. Her research interests are User Experience (UX), information seeking, and American art.