Examining the Usability of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Office of the Registrar Website

Abstract

The rapid evolution of technology has increased the demand for universities to provide easily accessible information to students, alumni, faculty, and staff through various means of communication. One such mean is the university website that serves as the virtual face of the institution as well as an important resource for all users. At the University of Hawaii at Manoa, current and previous students heavily rely on the Office of the Registrar’s website to obtain accessible information regarding important documents such as transcripts, diplomas, graduation requirements, personal information changes, and more. Anecdotal feedback gained from frustrated customers included the lack of information, difficulty navigating the website, outdated aesthetic features, and more. As such, the purpose of this usability study was to analyze the navigational efficiency, organizational content, and user satisfaction for UH Manoa’s Office of the Registrar website. Based on feedback it appeared users favored aesthetically appealing webpages that incorporated eye-catching pictures and graphics, simplified information, menu bars, easily accessible links, and downloadable forms. Changes were made to the original website to address these preferences in order to improve the website as a whole.

Original Module Website for 1st Round: http://justinla.wix.com/records

Adjusted Module URL for 2nd Round: http://justinla.wix.com/registrars-office