Research Continued / Audience Explained

What areas of the site are already outdated?


-Flash Animation (George): I think that originally these were used as more of a "Hey look what I can do!" than anything, and now they are just annoying. The fact that it automatically has sound is something that should be rethought as well. Especially since this is geared towards students. What if they were working on the assignment in class? If it is going to be on the homepage, it should be defaulted off, and then if they want to turn it on they can.

-The general idea that the content is non-changing is also an outdated idea. Unless the content is a account of something in a historical point of view, almost all content is dynamic.

-Navigation: We are used to something more streamlined. Each page links you to the same place, and we expect each link to go somewhere different. Also the navigation and general aesthetic of the modules is very outdated. Like I said, we are very accustomed to simple, streamlined navigation with pretty visuals.

-The sound automatically being on is definitely something that was really present in the early 2000s, and now is not only outdated, but almost inconsiderate to do to the users.

-The logo just seems like something of the past. The stroke around it is something that you don't see anymore either.

What aspects are trendy/non-sustainable?
The only thing we have noticed that is trendy might be the background of the site. Added fluff like this will soon be put to the wayside as we get more and more streamlined.

Who is our audience?
Currently, the site is marketed towards teachers to present to their students (Marketing for teachers, Website and content for students). Currently it is used as a freshman studies or in other freshman classes. Often these students are still supported by their parents. Even if they aren't they are living in a dorm (as required by the university), have a meal plan (as required by UT), and walk to class. They have limited expenses. They don't need to worry about money, as they are in their own little freshman bubble. They might have student loans, but those are paying for everything essential (Tuition, Rent, Food) and they don't have to worry about paying them back until after college.

If this was presented to college seniors, or even juniors, they would take it much more seriously, as they see the impending independence. They know they are about to have to pay for everything, maybe pay back college loans, and support themselves.

Regardless of the age of the student, as a generation we are used to short chunks of information and very interactive material. We are used to videos (I have literally never even seen a series of stills as a video until this website). YouTube makes videos accessible to everyone. Anyone can make one. It is no longer an expensive or limited media. We want streamlined and condensed information. Our generation is so used to technology that we want information instantly, we have no patience, and we use google to find any information we may need. We rely more on our parents versus generations of the past. The baby boomer generation tried to give our generation everything that they didn't have, and it has made us more relient on them. Not to mention, the lack of jobs available is causing young adults to return to their parents after they finish college. We have an interesting generation, that will come up with some amazing inventions and innovations, because we were told over and over again as children that we can do whatever we want. Generally, we think big, we expect a lot, and we think more than we act.

In regards to money, what does the audience need and like?
We NEED to be more financially independent and to avoid debt. We need to pay for college. We need to understand money and especially investing. We WANT to be able to live affluently, in order to keep up with the newest technology. We are used to having the newest gadget about every two years. (Yet, we still expect it to be great quality.) We LIKE financial security, and the idea of being rich and buying anything we want.

Reasons the audience comes to the site:
They are assigned. As the site currently stands, the audience won't come back to learn the information, even though they might understand that they need to further grasp it. They don't trust it, and they don't see it as current. They complete the modules because it is required for a grade. They have no other motivation to come to the site or return. The site needs to look trustworthy to the student as well as the professor (or else they won't assign it!).