INTRODUCTION
Introduce self and Ipsos MORI
Independent research organisation
Background and purpose of the interview
Transport Scotland has commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct a review of their website. The review will directly feed into the development of an improved website. The purpose of today’s interview is to explore your perceptions and experiences of using the current website from a professional capacity. We will look at different parts of the website and see how well it meets your needs.
Request permission to tape record
Completely confidential, for research purposes only and can be turned off at anytime. |
Remember to emphasise confidentiality of the research |
WEBSITE USE
- How regularly do you visit the Transport Scotland website?
FOR THOSE WHO SAY REGULARLY:
- In general, why do you visit the website?
- Which areas of the site do you usually visit?
- Are there any specific pages you visit a lot? Why? Do those pages meet your needs? IF NO Why do these pages not meet your needs? What needs to change for them to do so?
FOR THOSE WHO SAY RARELY OR INFREQUENTLY:
- Do you remember why you used the website the last time you visited?
- Do you remember what sections of the website you looked at?
- What were you looking for? Did you find the information?
- Why do you not visit it more often?
- Do you ever look at the Transport Scotland website on a mobile device like a PDA, mobile phone or blackberry? IF YES What are your experiences of doing so? How easy is it to use the website on these devices?
IF NO: Are you likely to want to do so? What are your expectations of using these devices to access websites? Why is this? |
This section aims to find out which section of the website respondents visit and for what purposes. |
PERCEPTIONS OF THE WEBSITE
SHOW WEBSITE. OPEN AT HOMEPAGE, OR ANOTHER PART OF THE WEBSITE WHICH THE RESPONDENT DESCRIBES AS USING FREQUENTLY. LET RESPONDENT FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH WEBSITE IF AN IRREGULAR USER
- Thinking about the Transport Scotland website, what is the general impression you have of it?
Why do you say that?
- What do you particularly like about the website?
Why do you like this?
- What do you particularly dislike about the website? Why do you not like it? How could this be improved?
Design and layout
I’d now like you to focus on the design and layout of the website.
- What do you like or dislike in terms of the design and layout of the website? Why is this? PROBE FOR Use of images; colours; text styles etc.
- How easy or difficult do you find to navigate around the website? IF DIFFICULT Why do you find it difficult? What kinds of problems have you had?
- How would you like to see the navigation improved?
PROBE FULLY particularly for difficulties with finding specific information relating to their needs
Needs and content
SHOW RELEVANT PARTS OF THE WEBSITE TO RESPONDENTS
- Overall, how well would you say the current website serves your needs? Why?
PROBE FULLY
- Does the website provide enough information to meet your professional needs? PROBE What would you like more of?
- What could be improved to better address your needs?
- Is there any information, within the remit of Transport Scotland, which is missing but would be helpful to include on the website?
Probe fully if further information is identified
- How up to date do you think the content is? Is the website updated frequently enough? Why do you say this?
- Have you looked at any of the reports on the website? Do you think they are detailed enough? What more information would you like contained? How easy are the reports to read? Why is this? How would you improve the reports themselves? Why is this?
Compared to its peers
I’d now like to compare the Transport Scotland website with some other websites. Particularly I am interested in the Scottish Government, the Department of Transport and the Highways Agency websites.
- Have you ever visited any of these? What do you like most about these other websites? What do they do particularly well? Why?
SHOW HIGHWAYS AGENCY WEBSITE TO THOSE WHO HAVE USED IT
- In particular, what do you think this website does better than Transport Scotland?
Why do you say that?
PROBE FOR design, content and functionality. |
These are general questions designed to explore top of mind issues respondents may have with the website
Examine ease of use and look of the website; particularly whether it is modern looking.
In this section we are interested in assessing the content of the website against the respondents’ needs
Transport Scotland would like their website to be at least as good as its peers. This section looks at respondent experiences of other related websites. |
IMPROVEMENTS
The next few questions are about improvements that could be made to the Transport Scotland website.
Homepage
- The current homepage is geared towards informing visitors of Transport Scotland as a new agency. Is this appropriate? Why?
- What information do you think should be placed on the homepage? Why is this?
PROBE FULLY
New content in different formats
- One way of developing the website would be to provide information in different formats such as podcasts or videos. How helpful would this be for you?
Would you watch or listen to them them? When, how?
- And what sort of information would it be helpful to have in podcasts and videos? How long / short would you like these to be? Why? Who should present them?
Personalised content
- Another way of improving the website would be to allow users to personalise the homepage based on their preferences. So if you are only interested in rail issues, you could choose to have information on rail more prominently displayed on the homepage, or if you are interested only in one specific project or projects in one area of Scotland you could prioritise these. How useful would you find this functionality? Or do you think this is unnecessary for this website?
ASK IF USEFUL
How would you choose to personalise your homepage? What would you have on it?
Map of projects
- What about a map detailing where all the Transport Scotland projects are taking place? This map could also illustrate the precise location of upcoming projects. Do you think you would refer to this? Why?
General
- On the basis of what we’ve discussed today what are the main improvements, if any, you would like to see on the website?
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This section focuses on potential improvements to the website. |