Transcript NGO Website - Peace Corps

NGO Websites
Course Instructors:
Eric R. Jacobs, M.B.A.
Sandra M. Jacobs, M.B.A.
US Peace Corps
L’viv Catholic University’s Institute for Non-Profit Management
February 2006 Certificate Program
Agenda
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Why does your NGO need a Website?
Fundamental Website Principles
Development Strategies
Real ‘Live’ Examples
Practical Application Exercise
Why does your NGO need a Website?
• The internet has become the first source of
communication for most organizations
– Domestically
– Internationally
• Websites allow a direct link to your service
recipients, employees and volunteers…even to
those who did not know you otherwise existed!
• Websites are a relatively inexpensive way to
disseminate as much information as you wish
Key Website Principles
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KISS (Keep it Simple, Silly)
Identify your audience
Homepage basics…what to include?
Language options and translation strategies
2 click principle
Font and color strategies
Remember loading time
Photos – to include or not to include?
KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid)
• Don’t create a monster or website for
everyone, focus on your audiences
• Only include information you need to
effectively communicate to your audience
• Build your website in stages. It is better to
have small site than one “under construction”
• The home page should answer who, what,
where, why, when and how
Identify your audience
• Answer the following questions:
– Who needs information about my NGO?
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Potential donors
Members and or staff
Service recipients
Others
– What information will be helpful to them?
– What language(s) do they speak?
– Culture, Time Zone, etceteras?
Homepage basics…what you need?
• Important homepage information or links:
– Mission and vision of your NGO
– Services provided by your NGO & to whom
• Donors
• Service recipients
• Members page
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‘Contact Us’ page
Annual report, if applicable
Current Projects
Success stories and past projects
Fundraising and or donation information
Index page
Language translation strategies
• Consider your language requirements:
– Is Ukrainian or Ukrainian/Russian sufficient to meet
your website and organizational needs?
– If English or other languages are required, who will
translate the website?
• When presenting information for foreign donors
or partners, professionalism is critical!
– Find a native speaker if possible to proofread your
website content before posting online.
• Translations of new material must be timely and
accurate.
Two (2) click principle
• Try to keep your website to 3 layers, so that a
user can navigate anywhere on the website with
only two ‘2’ clicks
• Navigation bar helps to implement this within the
website design, a vertical bar on the left of the
screen is a well accepted norm
• Homepage link should be on every page
• Have a Website index on the homepage and
every page if possible
Font and color strategies
• Try to keep the fonts standard and easy to read
– Information first, style second
• Stay away from cursive, mixed fonts and blinking
texts
• Bolding is acceptable and effective to highlight
headings and titles, but do not “over do it”
• It is acceptable to use your organization’s fonts
when expressing symbols, emblems and titles.
Font and color strategies
• Keep the color schemes simple, easy to read
and pleasant to the eyes.
• Stay away from black, red, purples and yellow
backgrounds.
• Try to use soothing colors; grey, blues, earth
tones and greens.
• It is acceptable to use your organizations colors,
symbols or emblems, but use them sparingly if
they are not a good website colors
Remember loading time
• Your homepage should consider lower
connectivity speed users.
• If a user does not see the homepage, they will
not wait to see the rest of the site
• 5 seconds should be the maximum loading time
for your homepage (1 - 2 seconds is the norm in
America)
• 10 second maximum for other pages on the site
• If you do not expect a lot of users to download
information, do not include it
Photos, to include or not to include?
• Pros
– A picture tells a thousand words
– They grab people attention
– They create familiarity
• Cons
– They slow page download speed
– They can miscommunicate a message
– They can be perceived as unprofessional
Development Strategies
• What if your organization has no knowledge of
websites?
– Incorporate website design and development into a
larger or specific project proposal
– Research Ukrainian and international websites of
organizations similar to yours
• What do you like? What don’t you like? What is missing? What
is annoying?
• Use the answers assist in the development of your site
– Work with a university or institute to find technical
students looking for ‘practical internship’
Development Strategies
• Building an effective website is a project first,
then an ongoing operation. Plan accordingly.
– Create a project to build or overhaul your website
• Determine who builds the site
• Who will host the site
• Develop a budget and stick to it
– Develop an operational strategy to keep you website
updated and maintained
• Will the site be maintained internally or externally?
• Develop a budget and stick to it
• Review the plan every six months
– A neglected website can do more harm than good to
your organization, do not build it and forget it!
Development Strategies
80 / 20 Rule
• The classic definition of the principle states: that
a small number of the causes (20%) are
responsible for most (80%) of the effect.
• With respect to web design, it can be said that
20% of the work will take up 80% of your time.
• Success can be found in identifying that
expensive 20% and taking proactive steps to
mitigate the costs and time.
Good and Bad Websites
• The following slides show three examples of websites
from good to fair to bad.
• A good website is easily understood, with a high
information to data ratio. It can be read over quickly and
effectively and has left side or top navigation.
• A fair website has all the right components, but may have
too large a homepage or too long a loading time or some
missing key elements
• A poor website it confusing, requires a lot of work form the
reader and looks unprofessional, it does not invite
someone back regardless of the information’s value
Example #1 Goodwill Industries
Example #1 Goodwill Industries
Example #2 Youth Can
Example #2 Youth Can
Example #3 Youth Can
Example #3 RAFSG – L,R&V
Example #3 RAFSG – L,R&V
NGO Website Design
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Any Questions?