IDblog

IDblog is Beth Mazur tilting at power law windmills. A little bit Internet, a little bit technology, a little bit society, and a lot about designing useful information products.

Mazur, Beth. IDblog. Resources>Information Design>Journalism>Blogs

Lies, Damned Lies, and Web Statistics  

Interpreting web statistics has been described as “trying to nail Jell-o to the wall.” Web log files trackfile accesses on the server. They do not track users; they do not track interest levels, they do not track success or failure communicating information. Caches “hide” site accesses from the server log and “hits” provide a poor mea sure of interest in particular content. Some people argue that there is really no meaning to server logs other than a measure of server load. However, even with all their flaws, some find web statistics useful in identifying how best to allocate resources in web site development.

Mazur, Beth. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Web Design>Statistics>Log Analysis

Older, Wiser, and Wired  

A February 2003 Harris Poll indicates that nearly half of those over age fifty in the United States—approximately 36 million adults—are online. While international statistics vary; the implication is clear: Designing usable Web sites that serve the needs and preferences of older adults will be a requirement, not a nicety, for the future.

Mazur, Beth and Amy Lee. Intercom (2003). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Elderly

Revisiting Plain Language    

This essay reviews resources related to the plain language movement and examines criticism of the movement in the context of plain language resources and the information design field.

Mazur, Beth. Technical Communication Online (2000). Articles>Language>Writing