Some definitions

(draft version as of 17:30 Fri Jan 20, 2006)
(edited 11:06 am Mon Jan 23, 2006 - saj)
(edited again 22:33 Mon Jan 23, 2006 - saj)

(as always... comment, discuss, modify at will... )

We were categorizing the usability.gov guidelines items by the various roles that the users of the style guide would have.

I thought I'd write down ideas for the definition of each of those roles/audience segments, as well as some other definitions.

Web-based product:

• Content and/or services presented through a web-browser interface that represents a individually nameable or identifiable entity
  
• A web-based product could be:
• Web site (e.g., UTA Libraries Online, )
  
• Section of a web site (e.g., Library Course Guides)
  
• Set of web pages (e.g., Focus On Faculty announcements)
  
• Web gallery or exhibition (e.g., Tejano Voices, Cartographic Connections)
  
• Web application (e.g., Library & Instruction Presentations, GIS News)
  

Author:

• Person who creates or edits content of web pages
  
  
• As an author you will:
• write text (paragraphs, bullet points)
• write a page headline
• write section headings as needed
• display information or data in tables as needed
• make links, choosing text to display for those links
• apply styles for formatting from the style sheet provided by the project developer
  

Publisher:

• Person who approves the content written or edited by the Author
• Person who vouches for the accuracy of the content written or edited by the Author
• Person who confirms that the page written or edited by the Author fits within the stated usability and style guidelines for that page
  
  
• As a Publisher you will:
• xx
  

Developer:

• Person who is responsible or who shares responsibility for the conception, planning, construction, and deployment of a web-based product
  
  
• As a Developer, you will:
• As a visual designer:
• xx
• As a programmer:
• xx
• As an information architect:
• xx

Webmaster:

• Person with responsibility for the effectiveness, impact, and message of a web-based product
  
  
• As a Webmaster, you will:
• xx
  

Evaluator of Information Resources:

• Person who evaluates 3rd party web-based products for potential addition to the set of information resources (e.g., databases, ejournals, web sites) offered by the library
  
  
• As an Evaluator of Information Resources, you will:
• xx
  

Scope of Usability Skills/Knowledge:

• An Author commands a specified body of skills/knowledge with regard to web usability.
• A Publisher also commands that body of skills/knowledge, plus those categorized as being for Publishers.
• A Developer is expected to command the body of skills/knowledge with regard to usability of an Author and Publisher, as well as for a Developer.
• A Webmaster is expected to command the full range of usability skills/knowledge.
• An Evaluator of Information Resources is expected to understand fundamentals and principles of usability as well as being able to recognize when usability elements have or have not been employed or followed.
  

Authors, Publishers, Developers, and Webmasters have "active" usability skills/knowledge -- they understand the fundamentals and principles of usability and know how to implement them to create usable web-based products.

Evaluators have "passive" usability skills/knowledge -- they understand the fundamentals and principles of usability but are not expected to know how to implement them or create web-based products.