Do computer science department websites meet the needs of students?

Prospective and current college students rely on Web sites for information on academic programs. This study surveyed students to determine what information they looked for on departmental Web sites. After assembling a list of desired information, two researchers visited the Web sites of 49 computer departments at universities in North Carolina and searched for the information on each site. The researchers rated the ease of finding information. Both researchers indicated that the majority of sites were attractively designed and easy to use. Comparing the results of the two researchers revealed that the sites were not as easy to navigate as the ratings indicated. In a large number of instances one or the other researcher concluded that information did not exist on a Web site, but the other researcher found it. The researchers are concerned that high school students relying on these sites to select a computer science program may draw false conclusions when selecting a school. Navigation needs to be improved to increase the usability of departmental Web sites.