Assignment (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, the mental models of the target audience of the FACT web site (official Stellenbosch University HIV/Aids web site) were investigated and compared with the structure of the web site (representing the mental model of the expert). The target audience were divided into six groups representing three different race groups (white, coloured and black) and the two sexes (male and female).

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effective application of the requirements of customer interface design is critical for the success of business-to-consumer electronic commerce ventures. The challenging environment experienced by South African-based business-to-consumer electronic commerce compounds the importance of offering Web sites with high usability and a conventional shopping experience. The first main objective of this study is to determine the requirements of customer interface design in business-to-consumer electronic commerce and is achieved through the review of the relevant literature. The second main objective is to measure the application of customer interface design within South African business-to-consumer electronic commerce. A thematic model (or framework) that represents the thirteen main requirements is developed. The model identifies the themes as transmission speed, page layout and structure, navigation, writing style, multimedia, customer support, customisation and personalisation, community, information, perceptions, trust and security, commerce, and the absence of errors. The model is used to subjectively measure the effective application of customer interface design in a test group of fifty South African-based Web sites. The third main objective is to present the results. Requirements that are effectively applied by most of the Web sites include the themes of transmission speed, page layout and structure, writing style, multimedia, trust and security and the absence of errors. The themes of navigation, customisation and personalisation, information, perceptions and commerce are evident, but applied less effectively. Although some sites do provide the theme of customer support, the overall result shows that it is generally not effectively applied. Community is the least effectively applied of all the requirements presented in the thematic model. Possible reasons for the results are offered, but further research is necessary to determine the underlying reasons for lack of the community theme. The relevance and the value of the study lies in the conceptualisation of customer interface design in South African business-to-consumer electronic commerce and the foundation presented for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die effektiewe toepassing van klant-koppelvlak ontwerp vereistes is noodsaaklik om die sukses van besigheid-tot-verbruiker elektroniese handel ondememings te verseker. Die uitdagende omgewing vir besigheid-tot-verbruiker elektroniese handel in Suid-Afrika beklemtoon die belangrikheid van webtuistes om gebruikersvriendelik te wees en 'n konvensionele inkopie-ervaring te bied. Die studieprojek se eerste doelwit is om die vereistes van klant-koppelvlak ontwerp in besigheid-tot-verbruiker elektroniese handel te bepaal. Hierdie doelwit word bereik deur 'n oorsig van die relevante literatuur. Die tweede doelwit is om die toepassing van klant-koppelvlak ontwerp in SuidAfrikaanse besigheid-tot-verbruiker elektroniese handel te meet. 'n Tematiese model, wat dertien hoofvereistes saamvat, is ontwerp om meting te fasiliteer. Die model identifiseer die temas van deursendingspoed, bladuitleg en -struktuur, navigasie, skryfstyl, multimedia, klantediens, aanpassing en verpersoonliking, gemeenskap, informasie, persepsies, vertroue en sekerheid, handel, en foutloosheid. Die model is gebruik om die effektiewe toepassing van klant-koppelvlak ontwerp ten opsigte van vyftig Suid-Afrikaanse webtuistes te meet. Die derde doelwit is om die resultate te analiseer en te interpreteer. Vereistes wat meestal effektief toegepas word, is die temas van deursendingspoed, bladuitleg en - struktuur, skryfstyl, multimedia, vertroue en sekerheid, en foutloosheid. Die temas van navigasie, aanpassing en verpersoonliking, informasie, persepsies en handel is teenwoordig, maar minder effektief toegepas. Alhoewel sommige webtuistes die tema van klantediens bied, dui die verwerkte resultate daarop dat dit in die algemeen nie effektief toegepas word nie. Van al die vereistes, soos in die tematiese model saamgevat, is gemeenskap die swakste toegepas. Moontlike redes vir die resultaat word aangebied, maar verdere navorsing is nodig om die onderliggende redes vas te stel. Die toepaslikheid en waarde van die navorsing is gelee in die konseptualisering van klant-koppelvlak ontwerp in die Suid-Afrikaanse besigheid-tot-verbruiker elektroniese handel, sowel as die grondslag wat dit vir verdere navorsing bied.

published_or_final_version / Computer Science and Information Systems / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis deals with the audit of the board game e-commerce web sites. Nowa-days there is a great number of websites of varying quality, so it is necessary to choose between them. The development of the Internet shifted the emphasis from quantity to quality. With this fact comes the topic of auditing web sites. The first part of the thesis concerns with the theoretical bases of audit of web sites in various sections. The second part includes the representation of the mar-ket of board games and its target group. Based on the first theoretical part the evaluation criteria are created, which are used for the audit of seven selected web sides of board games. This audit is evaluated in the next chapter, which then leads into the conclusion of the work in the form of recommendations for changes in order to increase the competitiveness of each evaluated e-commerce.

With the exponential increase of Internet usage and the embedding of multimedia content on the Web, some of the Internet resources remain inaccessible for people with disabilities. Particularly, people who are deaf or Hard of Hearing (HOH) experience inaccessible Web sites due to a lack of Closed Captioning (CC) for multimedia content on the Web, no sign language equivalents for the content on the Web, and an insufficient evaluation framework for determining if a Web page is accessible to the Hearing Impaired community. Several opportunities for accessing content needed to be rectified in order for the Hearing Impaired community to access the full benefits of the information repository on the Internet. The research contributions of this thesis are to resolve some of the Web accessibility problems being faced by the Hearing Impaired community. These objectives are to create an automated CC for the Web for multimedia content, to embed sign language equivalent for content available on the Web, to create a framework to evaluate Web accessibility for the Hearing Impaired community, and to create a social network for the Deaf community. To demonstrate the feasibility of fulfilling the above listed objectives several prototypes were implemented. These prototypes have been used in real life scenarios in order to have an objective evaluation of the proposed framework. Further, the implemented prototypes have had an impact to both the academic community and to the industry. / by Simone Pasmore. / Signature page unsigned. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:23:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodolfo Reckziegel de Lucena.pdf: 8674613 bytes, checksum: ef866b322781de1a02e635930a263d7e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-10-07 / Folha de S. Paulo / Today, the internet provides vast resources for obtaining information. Newspapers, both online and print, present information to the reader that is deemed most important. Once the online newspaper has been able to capture the attention of the user, it must then be able to keep this reader's attention on what the newspaper feels is the most important information. In order to understand the mechanisms used in electronic journalism and how they are utilized on the electronic page, this work follows the work of Folha Online, the internet branch of Folha de S. Paulo, Brazil's largest circulation newspaper. Based on information gathered in books, newsprinted reports, the internet and especially of interviews with print journalists and web designers who took part in the creation of this service, the story of Folha Online is told through the analysis of its web pages. This work shows each of the forms adapted in the various layouts of Folha Online, comparing them to previous works, demonstrating the changes and discussing the rationale behind the changes with the designers and editors who took part in its creation. It also points out, by following the work that went into the creation of Folha Online, the editorial challenges which newsprint editors face in newsprint journalism in the coming years, from the affirmation of its own identity as a printed product to the question of its economic viability / Nos dias de hoje, a internet oferece ao cibercidadão uma infinidade de fontes para obter informações. Disputando com elas, os jornais continuam, em suas versões impressas e no mundo online, a oferecer um cardápio com o que consideram as mais importantes notícias do dia. Uma vez capturada a atenção do internauta, os jornais online precisam não apenas manter o leitor, mas também orientar sua navegação para que ele efetivamente chegue a ver o que é importante na visão do jornal. Para tentar entender os mecanismos utilizados e como eles se expressam graficamente nas páginas eletrônicas, este trabalho acompanha a trajetória da Folha Online, o braço na internet da Folha de S. Paulo, jornal brasileiro de maior circulação. Baseado em consulta a livros, reportagens publicadas na mídia impressa e na internet e, principalmente, em entrevistas com jornalistas e web designers que participaram da criação do serviço, conta a história da Folha Online por meio da análise da evolução de suas home pages. O trabalho mostra cada uma das formas adotadas nos diversos projetos gráficos da Folha Online, comparando cada um com o anterior, apresentando as mudanças e discutindo as razões dessas mudanças com os próprios designers e editores. Também aponta, a partir do acompanhamento da trajetória da Folha Online, os desafios editoriais que os sites de jornais impressos têm pela frente, desde a afirmação de sua identidade em relação ao produto impresso até a questão de sua viabilidade

This study presents the results of a usability test of reusable learning objects currently in development in the Instructional Services Department of the UNC-Chapel Hill University Library. The learning objects are Web-based learning modules that are part of a new project, Stories of the American South, and they aim to make digital primary source material more accessible by breaking it into manageable units and providing contextual information. Seven undergraduate students viewed three prototypes, each focused on a unique theme related to the history of the American South. The results suggested that the learning objects are generally usable in design and function, and participants’ responses to design and content were positive. Several changes are suggested to optimize the usability of the learning object prototypes, and further usability testing with other audiences is recommended.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems / The government's intention is to extend the provision of government services to citizens beyond the traditional boundaries of time and space. Additionally to the face-to-face provision of government services, this could also be achieved through utilization of the Internet and the evolving information and communication technologies. This concept is what has brought about what is called the electronic government or e-government as some would refer to it. E-government is meant to facilitate service provision to citizens and businesses that the government has a mission to serve - including those handicapped due to physical, social, economic, geographical or cultural factors - independent of time and space. Equity and fairness, which drive governments social inclusion, dictate that disadvantaged groups should not experience inferior access to public services compared to other groups. Therefore, no matter what channel is decided upon by government to use to provide these services, it remains government's responsibility to cater for all its citizens and residents. How e-government is accepted and utilized by South African residents, especially in rural areas, is not adequately and properly understood. This study utilized and applied Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to explore the acceptance and use of e-government in rural South Africa.

This paper serves to outline the advantages of a tertiary institution, in having a Web site as a form of advertising. It draws on theories of consumer behaviour and services marketing in order to establish the basis for Internet advertising, in relationship with literature obtained on Web based marketing. The paper is based on a case study (M L Sultan Technikon) and it poses the question of whether M L Sultan Technikon students are aware of the Web site. It also tries to determine how the students rate the Technikon's Web site. The research is descriptive in nature and self-administered questionnaires were used as the research instrument The findings of the study show that there was a high level of awareness of the Technikon's Web site amongst students but there was low usage of the site. It was found that students preferred using the Central Applications office more to obtain information regarding their application to a particular programme. It was further established that students relied to a large extent on previous students' word-of-mouth on the programmes on offer. The Internet did not appear as a particularly popular medium for gathering information. Here, it was established that students did not have access to computers, thus resulting in poor usage of the Web site. The overall comments and rating of the Technikon Web site was average. It has thus been concluded that the Technikon needs to update the Web site more often in order to keep users from re-visiting the site and to create an overall exciting impression. The Technikon also has to invest in marketing the Web site more so that there is greater reach. It has also been concluded that the advantages of advertising on the Web is beneficial to a company in general. The Technikon needs to use Internet advertising in conjunction with traditional media to appeal to both the traditional and sophisticated student. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

In this thesis we present a qualitative study of Employer Branding through a perspective of gender. We examine the awareness of Employer Branding as a tool to break gender patterns in female and male dominated administrations in three Swedish municipalities. Six recruiters people were interviewed, including three pre-school managers and three managers of technical administrations, to see if there are any differences or similarities between the organizations’ Employer Branding to break gender patterns. In addition to the interviews, the Web pages of these three municipalities were investigated through a contextual perspective. We found that our interviewees do use Employer Branding, but that they were not necessarily aware of its’ meaning. The study does also show that the awareness of gender patterns differentiated between the female and male dominated administrations. Our investigation of the Web pages shows that only one of the municipalities used their Web site in their Employer Branding process.