dmo websites quality evaluation, part of my 2014-2015 lectures at the university of bergamo

Quality. ISO, Models, Loci

Roberto Peretta

UniBg 44111 2014-2015 .:. IT for Tourism Managers

#05 .:. Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Università degli studi di Bergamo. Area didattica di Lingue e Letterature straniere

Progettazione e gestione dei sistemi turistici / Planning and Management of Tourism Systems

Centro Studi per il Turismo e l’Interpretazione del Territorio (CeSTIT)

IfittItaly

Quality. Iso, Models, LociWhat are we talking about, today?

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1. Standards and ISO – again

2. Quality Evaluation

3. Evaluation Models: Simple vs. Robust

4. Quality as a Standard, and Boolean Fields

5. The 7Loci

“Quality is the totality of

characteristics of an entity that

bear on its ability to satisfy

stated and implied needs”

(ISO 8402)

UniBg 44111 2013-2014 .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. Roberto Peretta .:. November 26, 2014

Quality. Iso, Models, Loci

The academia has contributed to the definition of a tourism website evaluation

model, currently used to assess

whether a tourism website “meets the standard”,

if it should be improved,

which are its weak points,

how these weak points can be overcome,

taking into consideration all the involved actors

(technicians, creatives, content providers, owners, managers, community

managers, tourism operators, users...).

Not by chance, this evaluation model is based on a standard proposed by ISO

(International Organization for Standardization).

3

Quality Evaluation



We can use any of different evaluation models,

especially if we’re in a hurry…

This is a really simple model...

Let’s try now with a slightly more comprehensive one.

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A Simple Evaluation Model



Is this website easy to find out? True/False

Do I like it? True/False

Are pieces of information easy to find? True/False

Is it easy to “navigate”? True/False

Does it offer a newsletter? True/False

Can you send a message to it? True/False

In case, does it answer? True/False

In case, does it answer efficiently? True/False

Can you reserve or buy tourism services? True/False

Is this website privately run? True/False

Is it run by a public office? True/False

Why Boolean fields?

Because you can more easily measure and compare the websites quality.

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A Slightly Stronger Evaluation Model



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The ISO Definition

But…Come on! A solid cornerstone is needed: a standard.

Does a quality standard exist?

Yes, it does. Think for instance of ISO quality certifications:

they certify management systems, about the ability to enhance customer

satisfaction in supplier-customer relationships, and controlling production

processes.

Here’s the ISO definition of quality.

“Quality is

the totality of characteristics

of an entity

that bear on its ability to satisfy

stated and implied needs”.

(ISO 8402)



Let’s go back to our question about websites quality.

While doing so, we are starting to approach a meta-model proposed by the

University of Trento (Mariangela Franch, Luisa Mich), which your lecturer

strongly recommends.

This meta-model is based on the ISO definition of quality,

and the way in which our brain structures concepts.

(During our introduction, we already borrowed from Donald A. Norman a

definition of conceptual models as the underlying belief structures held by people

about how something works.)

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Approaching Our Meta-Model



If we apply the ISO definition

“Quality is the totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to

satisfy stated and implied needs” (ISO 8402),

to our question about websites quality, we find that

the “entity” is the website;

the “stated and implied needs” are the many different requirements demanded

by all the different website stakeholders (technicians, creatives, content

providers, owners, managers, community managers, users...);

what the evaluation should state is whether the characteristics of the website

“satisfy” the above requirements, or they don’t.

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About Website Quality



So the fundamental question is: does a website “satisfy” the relevant

requirements demanded by its stakeholders? Or it does not?

It’s a set of “yes or no” choices – no doubt.

Opinions aren’t relevant, here.

Only “Yes or No” options are.

Judged vs. Measured, True/False, Yes/No Boolean fields.

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Boolean Fields



But which are the requirements?

How to find out the requirements?

Is there any model, any methodology, to do so?

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Requirements and Methodology



The loci, from the classical rhetoric.

QVIS?

QVID?

CVR?

VBI?

QVANDO?

QVOMODO?

QVIBUS AVXILIIS?

11

The Method of Loci



The loci, from the classical rhetoric, vs. the Five Ws, or the basic questions of

English journalism.

QVIS? (Who?)

QVID? (What?)

CVR? (Why?)

VBI? (Where?)

QVANDO? (When?)

QVOMODO? (How?)

QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?)

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The Method of Loci, and English Journalism



The 7loci meta-model (formerly 2QCV3Q), based on the classical rhetoric loci

and the Five Ws of English journalism, here with a naming that may be used for

websites.

QVIS? (Who?) Identity

QVID? (What?) Content

CVR? (Why?) Services

VBI? (Where?) Individuation

QVANDO? (When?) Maintenance

QVOMODO? (How?) Usability

QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?) Feasibility

Let’s go deeper now, and try to apply this meta-model to build a model

to evaluate DMO websites specifically.

13

The Method of Loci, and Website Evaluation


Quality. Iso, Models, LociThe 7Loci in color…

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The loci, and website evaluation

1. Who = Identity

2. What = Content

3. Why = Services

4. Where = Individuation

5. When = Management

6. How = Usability

7. By What Means = Feasibility



The 7loci meta-model (formerly 2QCV3Q) to build an evaluation model

for DMO websites

1. QVIS? (Who?) Identity

Website identity: logo, brand, environment

Brand, logo, layout, image

Different targets?

Destination identity?

Destination storytelling?

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Identity




for DMO websites

2. QVID? (What?) Content

Descriptions?

Pictures?

Multimedia?

Downloads?

Quality evaluation of text content

Does the content meet the managers’ needs?

Does the content meet the users’ needs?

Guides? Audio guides? Apps?

Local tourist services?

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Content




for DMO websites

3. CVR? (Why?) Services

E-commerce

Security, encryption

Privacy

Copyright, Creative Commons

Proprietary vs. linked content

Do the provided services meet the managers’ needs?

Do the provided services meet the users’ needs?

Cartography

Tourism products to purchase: accommodation, tickets, city cards?

Meteo?

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Services




for DMO websites

4. VBI? (Where?) Individuation

Search engines? (positioning: networks among websites)

Communication with users? (e-mail, or personal networks)

Communication among users? (forums, “Web 2.0” – currently, the social

networks, too)

Social networks, web reputation

Communication among tourism operators? (dynamic business networks,

perhaps Intranets, i.e. a Destination Management System)

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Individuation




for DMO websites

5. QVANDO? (When?) Management

Is the website regularly updated?

No need to go deeper about this point...

Events? Fairs? Exhibitions? Concerts? Theater?

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Management




for DMO websites

6. QVOMODO? (How?) Usability

A navigation menu?

Breadcrumbs?

An internal search engine?

A site map?

Languages?

404 – File not found?

download time, hardware & software compliance

Mobility?

Local Wi-Fi coverage?

Local apps?

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Usability




for DMO websites

7. QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?) Feasibility

Resources?

Managers? Responsibilities?

Future developments?

Business models?

Local authorities vs. local operators vs. available resources

We won’t be able to evaluate our chosen websites feasibility…

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Feasibility


dmo websites quality evaluation, part of my 2014-2015 lectures at the university of bergamo

Education

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tourism managers

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tourism operators

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