Evaluating the effectiveness of a university web site design based hierarchical information architecture technique

Abstract EN

Purpose – The objective of this study is to explore the effectiveness of hierarchical information architecture technique used for designing hyperlinks of academic university web site to meet informational needs of students.

Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the information architecture of the web site of an academic university: Taibah University was analyzed form students viewpoints.

The web site is available at the URL address: https://www.taibahu.edu.sa/Pages/EN/Sector/Sectors.aspx.

Furthermore, in the present study, the descriptive quantitative approach, which included 213 surveyed students to explore the effectiveness of the university web site based hierarchical information architecture.

Findings – Students feedback was positive and revealed positive attitudes toward the university web site.

Indeed, the item, “Perceived ease of using the web site based hierarchical information architecture techniques" ranks first in the rubric “attitudes of students toward the web site and its adoption‟‟, with an arithmetic mean of 4.561 and a standard deviation of 0.585.

The item, “general satisfaction of students by the web site based hierarchical information architecture techniques" ranks first in the rubric “General criteria of satisfaction‟‟, with an arithmetic mean of 4.580 and a standard deviation of 1.02.

Hierarchical information architecture used in designing web site pages is a greater innovation has a significant impact on students' trust and satisfaction and easiness of retrieving information.

Originality/value –This article examined how college and university web sites meet the informational needs of students to propose a satisfaction model.