Deliverables out of Scope

Mrs. Creed – Client Ryan Rutger – CTE Student LiaisonDr. Karen Patten- Sponsor

Key Stakeholders

The University of South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), had the need to upgrade their current Website. CTE hoped to better understand how faculty and other users use their Website and how CTE can make the Website more efficient. Our Capstone project team’s main focus was to develop specific recommendations for the Website upgrade.

Project Description

To gather analytics from USC CTE website. Project is being done so CTE can better understand how faculty and other users use their Website and how CTE can make the Website more efficient. We would like to setup a Web analytical tool which will mine visitor data. The expected results will be: better Website for users as well as faculty and easier learning strategies within the website.

Project Mission Statement

Project Deliverables

Prototype 1: We simply described what our initial plan was which was to use the analytical tool called PIWIK. But in compliance with USC website technologies we didn’t use PIWIK and instead went with Google Analytics. We then described the pros and cons of using each of these but as stated before USC would only allow us to use Google Analytics which was fine because Google Analytics would still do what we wanted to do.

Prototype 2: After gathering data on two separate occasions we gave our client an initial report on our findings based on what Google Analytics showed us. Seeing the graphs and charts from Google Analytics showed what would be best when improving the CTE website.

Final Visual Report: The client then asked us to give her a visual report and make recommendations for her home page. To do this we printed out her entire homepage and rearranged it according to the most relevant links found from Google Analytics

Project Deliverables

Deliverables Within Scope

As a group we learned that Web Analytics is a great way to study a websites effectiveness to bring in the desired client base. Through Google Analytics we discovered that having a web analytical tool running on your website is something all websites should have if they want to stay ahead and continue to be relevant online.

Lessons Learned

CTE Web Analytics

Aditya Sharma, Alex Young, Bahtel Singleton,

Jie Liu

To do this, we first identified and compared various technology analytic tools, such as Google Analytics or Piwik. We selected Google Analytics because it was compatible with USC’s Website technologies. We then collected data for three weeks and analyzed this incoming traffic using the analytic tools. Based on the data analysis, we made recommendations for the website improvement. The Website will be upgraded over the summer. As a result, the improved CTE Website will improve learning opportunities for users as well as faculty.

Client Needs

Phase One- Client Requirements• 1-26-14 Client questions/research CTE

Organization• 2-5-14 First client meeting • 2-5-14 Come up with web analytic tool• 2-19-14 Get Charter signed by client

Phase Two- Implementation of Web Analytical Tool• 2-21-14 First data gathering session• 3-7-14 Third client meeting to interpret

first data gathering session• 3-7-14 Second data gathering session• 3-26-14 Fourth client meeting to interpret

second data gather session

Phase Three- Make final Visual Report and Turnover Analytical tool to CTE faculty/staff• 4-9-14 Make final visual reports with

suggestions to client• 4-18-14 Transfer control of Analytical

tool to the University /CTE staff

PMBOK Project Schedule

Integrated Information Technology ITEC 564 -

Capstone Projects Spring 2014

Anticipated (Time) Budget• Will be using the open source

commercial tool Google Analytics• At $1 per hour 200 hours = $200.00

Actual Project (Time) Budget• At $1 hour 695 hours = $695.00• Google Analytics ran 24 hours a day for

about a month.

Project Budget

In conclusion the client was very satisfied with the way we handled the project and although she was surprised by what the data showed she was glad to see that her website was not functioning the way she wanted. Hopefully with the data we collected and the recommendation we made over the summer when they upgrade their website it will be more effective for visitors.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Critical Success Factors

Phase One – Client requirements1.What is our budget?2.Gather visitor data from CTE website such as most viewed videos, most links clicked, as well as other quantitative data from the CTE website. 3.Stream line CTE website after analyzing data

Phase Two – Implementation of analytics and modification website1.Apply Google analytics to CTE Website 2.Collect data in specified and in SECURE location3.Interpret data from Google analytical tool on CTE Website 4.Make recommendations for CTE website based upon researched data collected

Phase Three- Quality control 1.Best way to upkeep analytic tools and maintain website2.Make sure appropriate data is flowing 3.Transfer control of analytical tool to the University/ CTE staff

1.Protocol for gathering inappropriate information 2.Protocol for security breach/malfunctioning website

• Implementation of web analytical tool is functioning

• Needed data is being collected for CTE Website • Analyzation of the data yields to more efficient

CTE Website

Major Risks:• CTE website crashes during data

collection• Data goes missing during Analyzation• Analytical tool does not function as

advertised.Assumptions:• Technology may be very hard to

implement can take a few days longer than expected.

• Make sure data gathered meets legal and USC Requirements.

• Analytical tool should not gather too much info: social media files, addresses, phone numbers etc..

Major Risks and Assumptions