Revised CAP University webpage

[vento]

I really like the newly revised CAP University page. It makes life a whole lot easier for new members (and old members transitioning to the new website). Bravo Zulu to National on this one.

http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/cap_university/

[Eclipse]

Yes.  Awesome.

Dead links.

Incorrect, improperly scaled, jaggy graphics.

Members with outdated or incorrect uniforms.

Is it really that hard to vet these things past an editor?

[BrandonKea]

And some of the information is wrong and contradictary!

By Completing Level II you earn the Leadership ribbon

right next to that....

Become technician rated in a specialty track (earning the leadership ribbon) nearly limitless possibilities and opportunities.

They should send this stuff to CAP Talk members so we can pick it apart before they go public with it.

[Gunner C]

But other than that . . . 

[BrandonKea]

But other than that . . . 

Oh, other than that, it's lovely 

[jimmydeanno]

I sent some suggestions about the CAP-U to HQ a few months ago, suggesting that they do something like this.  It is a vast improvement (organizationally) than it was before.

I noted that for someone joining CAP there was 15 different levels of webpages to navigate through just to find the information on how to complete CPPT.

By them bringing the separate PD levels to upper tiers on the hierarchy it enables our members to more easily find the information they need.

The previous version was a wall of text which had random links throughout the text for what you needed.  Now, you have easily read graphics which present all the requirements without having to scroll anywhere.

Also note that they provided links, etc to the PD courses (SLS, CLC) in the appropriate level that someone "ideally" would complete them - it helps bring the association between the management level and the PD course.  I think it helps.

Besides the nit-picky "oh the graphics are fuzzy" and a few things to be fixes, I think they did a great job so far of revamping an area of our website that people really didn't want to go to or send anyone to.  It makes it easier on our members - which is the point.

Good Job NHQ!

(On another note, be aware that the people who update the website aren't part of a web development team and don't have backgrounds in webdesign, etc.  It's the normal staffers (Curt LaFond, Joe Curry, Bobbie-Jean Tourville, etc)

[BrandonKea]

I sent some suggestions about the CAP-U to HQ a few months ago, suggesting that they do something like this.  It is a vast improvement (organizationally) than it was before.

I noted that for someone joining CAP there was 15 different levels of webpages to navigate through just to find the information on how to complete CPPT.

By them bringing the separate PD levels to upper tiers on the hierarchy it enables our members to more easily find the information they need.

The previous version was a wall of text which had random links throughout the text for what you needed.  Now, you have easily read graphics which present all the requirements without having to scroll anywhere.

Also note that they provided links, etc to the PD courses (SLS, CLC) in the appropriate level that someone "ideally" would complete them - it helps bring the association between the management level and the PD course.  I think it helps.

Besides the nit-picky "oh the graphics are fuzzy" and a few things to be fixes, I think they did a great job so far of revamping an area of our website that people really didn't want to go to or send anyone to.  It makes it easier on our members - which is the point.

Good Job NHQ!

(On another note, be aware that the people who update the website aren't part of a web development team and don't have backgrounds in webdesign, etc.  It's the normal staffers (Curt LaFond, Joe Curry, Bobbie-Jean Tourville, etc)

Well for not having a background in web development, it's not too bad. I'm sure if they request help from some of our volunteers, they would love to help build webpages for NHQ.

[jimmydeanno]

Here's the letter I sent:

Dear XXXX,

---Introductory greetings, etc----

THERE ARE TOO MANY LAYERS AND STEPS:

Earlier today, I had to provide one of our new members with almost an entire page of directions to point them to the Cadet Protection Training.  Using this as my example, to get to this particular page a new member must:

1)   Go to www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com
2)   Click "members"
3)   Click "CAP University"
4)   Click "Professional Development Links"
5)   Click "Level One"
6)   Click the non-obvious link that says "Go to Level One"
7)   Scroll down half the page
   Click the link to Navigate to E-Services
9)   Create an E-Services account
10)   Click the Link for Cadet Protection (this link brings you back to www.gocivilairpatrol.com)
11)   Then follow the instructions on how to complete the course.
(this is assuming that they navigate correctly the first time)

We have a 10-15 step process that a new member has to figure out to even get to the training that we require them to take.  What makes it even worse is that at the local unit level, we can't just tell a new member to go to something like,  "www.gocivilairpatrol.com/levelone" because the link that is created during those steps becomes so cumbersome that giving the steps above is easier than delivering the web address.

Also, just to giver perspective, I'm quite computer savvy and have around 12 years with CAP and it took me nearly 20 minutes to find this page.

THE SECTION LABELS ARE NOT OBVIOUS AS TO WHAT THEY CONTAIN

The list of pages under professional development are non-descript and confusing.  Does a new member go to "Basic Officer Course" for the things they need to complete level one?  How about the AFIADL - CAP Student Page?  What is the difference between CAP E-Learning and Professional Development?  "Links to Professional Development Resources" is where they would go, but it infers that the section contains books and brochures, not the actual program elements and tests they need to take.

This is obviously not a customer oriented process.  Unfortunately, It bogs down our new (and existing) members in bureaucracy to fulfill the most mundane of requirements. 

THE PAGES ARE CONFUSING AND TOO DETAIL ORIENTED

The general rule of thumb for webpages is to avoid having the user scroll as much as possible.  I think this is especially true in this case.  Also, the amount of color used in the text makes none of the colored text special or stand out.  When everything is colored, nothing has priority or seniority.

In addition, there are 8 separate programs/steps in detail on the level one page.  A new member can easily get lost navigating through this labyrinth.  At the same time they reference random manuals and regulations (like 35-3, etc).  Then tell the member if they have questions about how to complete the requirements get local help.  Why can't the page just be clear enough as to how to complete the requirements?  This is a case of "less is more."

PUT UNDER DEVELOPMENT ITEMS IN A SEPARATE SECTION

The cadet programs portion of the website has a section called "proving grounds."  They use that section to put draft items, new ideas and under development items in.  It removes them from the upper tiers of information and removes accidental navigation to them.  Experienced members know that they can go there to see 'what's new.'

Items like the Organization Excellence Specialty Track and Basic Officer Course would be more appropriately placed in a section like this.  The OE track, really, should be located with the other pamphlets and linked to in Level Three, when those who it would apply to would most likely be interested in it.  Since there is a "news" section, something notifying members that it exists wouldn't be out of line either.

ERROR REPORTING

The pages instruct the user to report any issues with the pages to an employee who no longer works for CAP, and hasn't for nearly 2 years, Rob Smith.


I've attached an example of what I think could be a better organization of these pages (using level one as the example).  If you'll notice, the left column has been reorganized.  Under the professional development section, it is easily laid out according to our 5 PD levels.  Ideally, the information contained in those links would pertain to each of the requirements of the section.

It is important to discriminate what is important enough to earn a spot in the left side directory.  By being discriminate, you can better organize and direct people to the appropriate places.  Something like I have attached would enable experienced personnel to instinctively go to each corresponding level for the information they need, i.e. instructor lesson plans for SLS would be in the Level Two page because that is where SLS is required to be completed.

Again, using level one as the example.  You'll notice that all of the level one information is located in one screen.  A user can see, at a glance what the requirements are for completion of the level, without scrolling or having to read paragraphs of random information.  Clicking the individual boxes would take you to the corresponding detailed information, .pdf, guide, etc. 

This format alone would save 6 of the 10 steps to getting to the CPPT page.  It also allows you to add other information as shown that might be useful to members using that page.  When the Basic Officer Course becomes live, it could makes its way to this page.

In many ways the Cadet Program page has already implemented many of these ideas.  They have a section where a new cadet can go (conveniently called, "New Cadet Help.") that contains everything that a new cadet would need to get through their first achievement, laid out in a user friendly arrangement that doesn't require multiple steps to get the information needed.

I think that professional development is an important part of our organization, but is not being presented as professionally as it could be.  We have created an environment that our new members do not want to go to or participate in. 

Our senior members want to be engaged in professional development and feel like it is an important part to our development.  The materials need to be engaging and our webpage needs to be customer centric and make use by the end user as easy as possible.  I think that a good look at how our members use these pages would be helpful in gaining a better perspective on how to organize them.

I hope that this message didn't come across as overly negative, because I truly see the value in the information presented and frequently champion CAPs professional development program – this is truly an attempt to make our customer interaction that much better.

I turly appreciate your time.


XXXX

On the note about volunteers helping to build webpages, I don't know that it would produce any better results.  They're pretty limited by the page update utility thingy (that's a technical term by the way )  My understanding is that most of the "chart style" displays like the big button's, etc are them cheating the system in the first place.

So, unless they're going to just throw away the huge investment they just made to have an easy to update (for them) page...