Product positioning Essay Example for Free

Item situating Essay What do you do? Remember that the inquiry must be replied from the clients perspective and plainly state what the item accomplishes for the client. Clients create sentiments about organizations and items, and the situating of each in the brain of the client consistently happens according to the opposition or the clients different other options (which may incorporate sitting idle). While showcasing correspondences have an impact in building up the ideal position, its important that as a general rule clients make up their brains dependent on a more extensive territory f factors, including bundling, evaluating, item execution, references and media suggestions. Situating essentials: Positioning is the single most prominent effect on a clients purchasing choice. Every client assesses items in the market as indicated by their psychological guide of the market. Situating exists in clients minds, not in situating explanations. Individuals don't effectively or enthusiastically adjust their perspectives on an items situating. Situating must initially exhibit an items pertinence, utilizing legitimate, solid, nd real terms. Making the item simpler to purchase through compelling situating makes the item simpler to sell. Mapping the market Mapping the market includes distinguishing and marking out the most important client fragments. It empowers you to set up and conceivably control how your item is seen as far as advantage and separation. Advantage: The favorable position passed on by the item to the objective client dependent on his convincing motivation to purchase. makes you exceptional in the commercial center, simultaneously bearing significance to the Positioning layout The situating format can assist you with expressing the basic incentive that your item gives to an objective client and the market. It must distinguish the: target client or market convincing motivation to purchase items arrangement inside another or existing class key advantage that straightforwardly addresses the convincing motivation to purchase essential elective source (I. e. , contender) of a similar advantage key distinction or purpose of separation Positioning articulation The situating layout empowers you to make a situating explanation, which xplains what your identity is, the thing that you offer, whom it is for, and why it is significant and convincing. The situating explanation should meet a few key standards: It adequately recognizes the objective client or portion, and makes the circumstance understood and justifiable. It makes your case (and related advantage) compact, solitary and convincing, and bolsters it by valid proof. It makes the separation proclamation brief, solitary, convincing, and acceptable, and it mirrors the objective clients qualities and condition. It finishes the lift assessment (I. . , it very well may be clarified in a couple of words). Utilizing the layout, a situating proclamation can be organized this way: For (target client or market) Who (have a convincing motivation to purchase) Our item is an (items arrangement inside another or existing classification). That gives (key advantage that straightforwardly addresses the convincing motivation to purchase) Unlike (essential elective source (I. e. , contender) of a similar advantage) Our item (key distinction or purpose of separation corresponding to the particular objective client) Positioning and market type In another market, you should characterize the market and your companys place inside it. This includes situating your organization to visionary purchasers as an idea chief inside a developing, exceptionally encouraging business sector class. You should likewise show your items advantage or upper hand against existing items and the norm. In a current market, the situating changes. Here, it must show to solid and far reaching choice for the clients needs. So as to accomplish the ideal situating, your correspondence should unmistakably verbalize your one of a kind purposes of separation.

Case study 'THE CALL CENTRE AT TENGO LTD' Essay

Contextual investigation 'THE CALL Center AT TENGO LTD' - Essay Example To encourage clients, Tengo has client focus that offer different types of assistance to its clients such contact community for save parts, frill and for expanded item guarantees and so forth. The client community likewise offers specialized help administration for their current clients; and point for client grumblings. Tengo client support focus additionally directs field enquiries about Tengo items. Tengo contact community is arranged in green-field site arranged in the edges of huge town in the Midlands. This area likewise has other client support focus that applies significant weight on work advertise. Tengo holds great notoriety for paying apparent money related pay to its workers; in any case, it doesn't have positive comments with respect to its business arrangements terms and conditions. In ongoing past, Tengo on assessment of HR for the most part in client focus presumed that middle is staff heavy conduced justification and rebuilding. Year-end client input has mirrored a de crease in administration quality and HR administrator is worried to investigate the component of individuals and procedure in this lackluster showing. As indicated by Marr and Neely (2004, p.7) these days the clients of call focus are searching for increasingly compelling and effective client support. ... The report will likewise finish up with generally speaking comments on rebuilding at Tengo client community. THE CHANGES AT TENGO CUSTOMER Center In the intermittent HR arranging exercise in head-office, HR director closed client community being congested as for its general development. For the reason, staff justification and rebuilding was directed. The rebuilding move brought about numerous adjustments in the client community; extensively can be characterized under after three heads (Coucke, Pennings, and Sleuwaegen, 2007): Reduction in the quantity of occupations Strict division of limits of employments Cost caused on robotized item emotionally supportive network for client. Intelligent frameworks mechanized frameworks intended to get two advantages of improved nature of administration and decreased preparing and advancement of workers. Under new structure, whole staff of client focus was arranged into levels; Level 1 established passage level positions managing client grievances. Dominant part of counselors were classified under Level 2 across different divisions. Level 3 counsels accounted those workers relegated errand of managing point by point specialized issues CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACT Consequential effect of the HR move understudy came about contrarily. This new structure characterized limits finished the employees’ development over the offices; brought about winding up of learning and advancement openings accessible to workers with pivot across division. Generally speaking, call focus work has low characteristic worth (Sako, 2006). Call focus employments are characterized into two gatherings of ‘quality situated and ‘quantity arranged. As the name infers, previous is described with progressively multifaceted and individualized association of call specialist with client

Depersonalization, Derealization and Panic Disorder

Depersonalization, Derealization and Panic Disorder Panic Disorder Symptoms Print Depersonalization, Derealization, and Panic Disorder By Katharina Star, PhD facebook linkedin Katharina Star, PhD, is an expert on anxiety and panic disorder. Dr. Star is a professional counselor, and she is trained in creative art therapies and mindfulness. Learn about our editorial policy Katharina Star, PhD Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on October 28, 2019 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW on October 28, 2019 Marc Romanelli / Blend Images / Getty Images More in Panic Disorder Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Coping Related Conditions Panic disorder is a psychiatric condition that causes recurring panic attacksâ€"episodes characterized by a cluster of disturbing physical and psychological symptoms. Typical symptoms during a panic attack a person include shortness of breath, shaking, and chest pain that can cause someone to fear theyre having a heart attack. The mental and emotional symptoms that accompany these bodily sensations can be equally frightening. Many people who have panic attacks describe feeling as if theyre going insane, losing control, even dying. Two very specific psychiatric symptoms that often occur during panic attacks are depersonalization and derealization. Although theyre somewhat similar and may occur together, they are separate and distinct symptoms. Heres a look at each. Depersonalization The hallmark of depersonalization is the sensation of being detached from your bodyâ€"as if youre no longer inhabiting your physical self but rather observing it from a distance. You may feel as if you have no control over your actions. This terrifying feeling often is accompanied by thoughts and fears of losing touch with reality or losing control over yourself. Depersonalization can cause frightening physical sensations such as numbness or tingling. It also can be a symptom of another mental illness, such as depression; a result of drug abuse; and a side effect of anti-anxiety medications. Derealization Derealization involves feeling detached from your surroundings. You may feel disconnected from external objects in your immediate environment, including other people. Even your closest family members or friends may seem like strangers. Often people describe derealization as feeling spaced out or foggy. People and objects in the environment may begin to seem unreal, distorted, or cartoon-like. Others report feeling trapped by their environment or viewing their surroundings as surreal and unfamiliar. It could feel as if youre in a strange country or on another planet. What You Can Do Its not totally understood what causes depersonalization or derealization to occur during a panic attack. One theory is that these symptoms, alone or together, may serve as built-in mechanisms for coping with extreme stress and anxiety. During a panic attack, they may allow you to put some distance between yourself and the unpleasant feelings youre having. Theres no treatment for either depersonalization or derealization alone, but its good to note that once a panic attack begins to subside, these symptoms also will fade away and there are things you can learn to do to help speed up this process. Coping With Derealization If youre experiencing derealization try using your senses in any way you can to bring yourself back to reality. Pinch the skin on the back of your hand. Hold something thats cold or really warm (but not hot enough to burn you) and focus on the sensation of temperature. Count or name items in the room. Try to keep your eyes moving so that you dont zone out or start to lose touch again. Coping With Depersonalization If youre experiencing depersonalization, slow your breathing. Often during an anxiety attack, breathing becomes rapid and shallow, and that interferes with blood flow to the brain. Take very long, slow, deep breaths, focusing on sustaining the exhale as well as the inhale. And since depersonalization causes feelings of detachment from others, reach out to a friend or loved one to talk to. Let them know what youre feeling and ask them to keep talking to you: It doesnt matter what you talk about as long as it keeps you grounded in the reality of the moment. Professional Help As symptoms of a panic disorder, depersonalization and derealization may feel very scary and disturbing, but they arent considered either dangerous or life-threatening.  Once the panic disorder is being treated, panic attacks and the symptoms they bring on should no longer arise. A qualified mental health professional who you feel comfortable with (and who accepts your insurance or has fees that are in your budget) can help you deal with panic disorder. Your general practitioner or a local mental health referral service are good places to start to look for a therapist or psychiatrist. Treatment for panic disorder typically involves medications for panic disorder, psychotherapy, or both. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial-and-error to get craft an effective treatment plan for a mental health problem such as panic disorder, so be patient. Simply seeking help will likely have you feeling better.

How to Memorize the Names of the US Presidents

Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero - 1517 Words

Some may wonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines many features that cause the characters to make unwise decisions. Full of great tragedy, the play is about a man named Othello who marries a young woman, Desdemona. However, Iago gets jealous that Desdemona and Othello are married, and the couple†¦show more content†¦A tragedy is a disagreement that ends up being resolved and brings out the sense of pity and fear. This play touches the audience s emotions, making the readers feel a sense of pity, fear, and sadness through out the whole play. The play communicates a sense of pity for Cassio, who is treated so hatefully by Iago, as well as pity for Othello. This generates a feeling of pity and fear in the audience by the way the characters are treated by Iago. Shakespeare uses a great amount of tragedy throughout the play. A tragic story needs â€Å"performers and audiences to put themselves in the places of persons quite unlike themselves† (â€Å"Greek Drama†). In Othello, Aristotle defines many areas throughout the play as a tragedy. He describes many qualities that are displayed throughout the play like disloyalty, uncertainty, and making unwise decisions. In the tragedy, people speak, think, and conduct themselves differently than people today (â€Å"Thinking about Greek Tragedy†). Shakespeare wrote the tragedy in English, but differently than how people speak English today. Now, people do not think, speak, and behave the same as they did when Shakespeare wrote the play. However, Aristotle also recognizes that â€Å"the protagonist, the hero or chief character of a tragedy, is a person ofShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 PagesIn literature tragic heroes can be defined as a character that makes a flawed judgment that inevitably leads to their own demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values areRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1322 Words   |  6 PagesA hero usually a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities (Dictionary.com). In life, heroes will arise whenever they are needed. It may be a tall man that wears a cape and has super powers. As a matter of fact it may be the everyday heroes that are seen giving a homeless man a coffee or helping an old lady cross the street. It may be the heroes that are see in movies and graphic novels, rescuing the princess from her tower or leading their countryRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Shakespeare s Othello1613 Words   |  7 Pagesfocus on a tragic hero who possesses a flaw which ultimately leads to their downfall. In fact, Aristotle prescribes the three most important points to any tragedy to be hamartia, a tragic flaw in the tragic hero’s character that brings about his downfall, catharsis, a purgation of the audience’s emotions and anagnorisis, the character’s revelation of some fact not previously realized. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, Othello is an excellent example of an Aristotelian tragic hero. He was a characterRead MoreEssay on The Tragic Hero in William Shakespeare ´s Othello617 Word s   |  3 PagesTragic heroes tend to have very pre-determined paths; usually making the most virtuous of characters destined to suffer. The hamartia or ‘tragic flaw’ is the typical reason the hero falls. Shakespeare was noted to be one of the best writers of tragedies, one of his most prominent to be Othello. In Othello, we find a number of tragic flaws two including pride and ambition. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, pride and ambition are used to identify the outcomes for the main characters in the playRead MoreOthello As A Tragic Hero872 Words   |  4 PagesVenice, Othello is transformed into a crazy, senseless man. William Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero in almost all of his dramas. A tragic hero can be described as a person of high status who is neither completely good nor completely evil, possesses a tragic flaw, and leaves this flaw to be the reason for his/her downfall. Othello believes he can trust one of his soldiers, Iago, who i s determined to seek revenge on Othello for not promoting him to be a lieutenant. Othellorsquo;s temperRead MoreOthello is Not a Tragic Hero Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesOthello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is â€Å"Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?† Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeedRead MoreTragedy In Shakespeares Othello1519 Words   |  7 Pagesclassic tragedy. This can be observed through action as seen in Shakespeare’s Othello. Shakespeare’s play Othello, most closely resembles the Greek philosopher’s theory of tragedy that achieves Aristotle s four unities (simplify this sentence): Hamartia, Peripetia, Anagnorisis and Catharsism. With Shakespeare adapting Aristotle’s theory of tragedy and its unities, it enables the playwright to present Othello as the tragic hero of the play that drives the narrative rather than Machiavellian Iago. AudiencesRead MoreThe Tragic Flaw Of Shakespeare s Othello1108 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Othello† tragedy, written by Williame Shakespeare, is an excellent example of Renaissance humanism. Tragedy is a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw. Othello was brought down by a fatal fault jealousy in his character. Shakespeare s other great tragedies -- Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear -- deal with issues that affect the well-being of entire nations, whereas Othello is a tragedy withRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare Essay1203 Words   |  5 PagesDramatic play entitled Othello is an unusual story full of jealousy, dark misunderstandings, lies, and regrets. Following Aristotle s definition of a true tragedy, where does the tale of Othello fall? Is Othello too dramatic too be considered a tragedy or does it barely fall along the lines of tragic? Shakespeare s innovation with poetry and dramatic plays have been recognized by critics and playgoers throughout the centuries (Lee,1899). The Bard s play entitled Othello, is among some of the mostRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of William Shakespeare s Othello1523 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s definition fits perfectly with William Shakespeare epic play, Othello. The famous Shakespeare play is about the downfall of a Moorish general who expresses jealousy and murder. Othello was an amazing general for the Venice army, but his downfall cost him everything he loved so dearly. He killed his own wife because he believes Iago’s lies about her cheating on him. His beliefs in Iago cost him everything that is precious to him. Othello can be seen as a great tragedy, and the play filled

Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface Free Essays

string(202) " that the U E process needs test users from the target population to evaluate the degree to which a product meets specific 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface /12 http://ojni\." Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 1/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface by Karen D. We will write a custom essay sample on Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface or any similar topic only for you Order Now King, RDH, MHeD and Dr. Rosalee Seymour, Associate Professor, EdD, RN Abstract This report presents the results of a usability evaluation of the Web design interfac e for an instructional unit prototype on Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers. Usability is defin ed as the measure of a product’s potential to accomplish the goals of its users (Dumas, 1999). The unit and the Web interface were designed to deliver instruction to undergraduate dental hygien e students. The three randomly selected users/subjects for this evaluation were from an undergrad uate class of dental hygiene students. This report describes the usability evaluation planning, im plementation, data analysis methods, and results. The results demonstrate that conducting usabilit y evaluations help to determine the organization and ease of navigation of an interactive, Web-base d, instructional unit. Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface Computers are used to educate, in many instances, with conventional interfaces that i nclude those used to create documents and manipulate data. A Web interface, which was tested in t his case, is very different from a conventional one. The Web is a domain that must be instantly u sable and support many communication modalities. Web designers must focus on the computer user whose goal is to gather information rather than to create documents or manipulate data (Raj ani Rosenberg, 1999). It is critical that the accomplishment of the users’ goals be the primary objective o f a usability evaluation (UE) of Web site interface design. Users will not be able to access correc t pages unless the constructed site reflects their needs and contains a navigation scheme that allow s easy access to the desired information (Nielsen, 2000a). In Web interface designs the properties of color, sound, navigation, and placement must be considered from a different perspective than with c onventional interfaces. Usability evaluation purposes. The faculty of the Department of Dental Hygiene, where this evaluation was conducted developed an oral pathology course for undergraduate student s in dental hygiene and wanted to deliver it via a Web design interface. The instructional unit o n Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers is the prototype for nine instructional units to follow. It was anticipated that conducting a UE, on the prototype instructional unit Web interface, would enable identification of any usability issues or problems relevant to this Web interface before the constru ction of subsequent instructional units. In keeping with Rajani and Rosenberg (1999), the primary purposes of this UE were agr eed upon as: 1) to determine if the Web-based Herpes Simplex and Apthous ulcer prototype is easy t o navigate 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 2/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm and meets the goals of undergraduate dental hygiene students, 2) to use any identifie d problems to revise this unit, 3) to make recommendations on the construction of additional units based on this prototype, 4) to save faculty time, and 5) to insure students’ goals will be met in t he Web interface format. The Literature Usability evaluations include a range of methods for identifying how users actually i nteract with a prototype or completed Web site. Planning of a UE egins with a statement of the ove rall purpose and objectives for the investigation and a clear identification of the problem (Hom, 1999; Instone, 1999). In a typical approach a UE is conducted while users perform tasks and a modera tor watches, listens, and records for later data analyzes and reporting of results (Fichter, 2000) . The next steps are the identification of the subject/users and the design of the study. Graha m (2000) describes many ways to get feedback about the usability of a Web site. Graham (2000) recommends that a moderator observe a user representing the site’s target audi ence as they navigate the site. Graham (2000) cautions moderators against the interruption of the subject/user while conducting any observations. Nielsen (2000a) also recommends that the user/subj ects be representative of the target audience and not colleagues or others who may know too m uch about the site. Nielsen (2000a) recommends that user/subjects perform specific tasks durin g a UE as opposed to asking them to just play on the test site. These test tasks need to be re presentative of the types of tasks that users will actually perform on the Web site within the Web in terface being tested. Nielsen (2000a) suggests that the moderator solicit comments from users as they progr ess through to task completion to help determine their thought process. Hom (2000) refers to thi s encouragement of user comments during the evaluation as the ‘think aloud protocol’. H om (2000) describes this technique as one in which the user verbalizes any thoughts, feelings, and/or opinions while interacting with the test site. The inclusion of the ‘think aloud protocol’ all ows the moderator to qualitatively measure how the user approaches the Web interface and what consideratio ns they keep in mind when using it. For example, a user verbalizing that the sequence of steps, d ictated by a task, is different from what was expected, could demonstrate an interface problem (Ho m, 2000). Hom (2000) recommends using the qualitative ‘think aloud method’ in conjunction with performance measures. The performance measures add to the data collected noting such things as: 1 ) the time it takes for a user to complete a task, 2) the number and type of errors per task, 3) the number of users completing a task successfully, and 4) the satisfaction of the user with the si te (Nielsen, 2000a). After determining the study design and identification of the users, Spool et al. (199 9) in agreement with Nielsen recommend development of specific tasks for users to perform during the UE. In addition to a task list, Hom (1999) advocates during the planning phase of UE that on e specify materials needed and the site evaluation environment. Rubin (1994) agrees that the U E process needs test users from the target population to evaluate the degree to which a product meets specific 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface /12 http://ojni. You read "Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface" in category "Papers" org/602/usability. htm criteria. Rubin (1994) describes six basic elements of a UE: 1) a clear statement of the problem and/or evaluation objectives, 2) a sample of users, which may/may not be randomly cho sen, 3) a setting representative of the actual work environment, 4) observation of users who either use or review a representation of the product, 5 ) a collection of quantitative performance and qualitative preferences measures, and 6) an analysis leading to recommendation for design of the product evaluated. When analyzing data from having conducted a UE, rather than supporting hypotheses one is looking for patterns to identify common problems, in the remarks or observations, between use rs (Dumas, 1999; Hom, 1999). Performance data is statistically analyzed while qualitative data, collected by observing the user’s actions and opinions, is analyzed for trends. The data analysis results should lead to identification of strengths and recommendations for improving the site or pro duct (Nielsen, 2000a; Spool, et al. 1999; Hom, 1999; Dumas, 1999). Usability Evaluation: The Case This UE was conducted because usability problems, within any prototype, are important to discover prior to the costly, time consuming, construction of a web interface for additional i nstructional units. The specific purpose of this UE was to determine if the Web interface presented the H erpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcer prototype interactive educational unit in a way that allowed underg raduate dental hygiene st udents to successfully achieve unit outcomes. Specific objectives for this usability evaluation were to determine: 1) navigational and/or organizational problems with the Web interface, 2) the presence of any confusing term inology in the site, 3) if the site meets the goals of the user, 4) if the users can complete the as signed tasks, and 5) user’s attitudes toward the Web site. Methods A description of the UE environment, user selection criteria and profiles, usability evaluation process, the task list, and evaluation measures for this study follow. Usability evaluation environment. The UE took place in the moderator’s private campus office. This is a quiet, well-lit room with a comfortable temperature, equipped with a Dell computer workstation, which was used for the evaluation. A sign reading â€Å"Usability Evaluation in Session. Please Do Not Disturb† was posted on the closed office door to prevent interruptions and distractio ns. The UEs were conducted on July 2, 2001, at 1:00 p. m. , 2:00 p. m. , and 3:00 p. m. Subject/users interacted with the Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers Web interface one at a time. Each subject /user had 20 minutes to complete the usability evaluation. Subjectuser selection and profile. Three randomly selected undergraduate dental hygi ene students, from a target population of 24 (class of 2002), became subjectusers. All 24 students will be required to take the oral pathology courses including the instructional units reflect ing the results of this UE. Alphabetical order by user’s last name determined the order of subjectuser participation. In order to be selected the subject/users must have met the following criteria: 1) be an undergraduate 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 4/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm ental hygiene student, 2) have successfully completed one academic year of the Denta l Hygiene Program, 3) have previous experience with the Internet, and 4) have previous experien ce with Web browsers The demographic characteristics of the users for this evaluation were that: 1) they all were female, 2) ages 25, 22, and 43, 3) all had successfully completed on e academic year in the Dental Hygiene Program, 4) all had pr evious experience with the Internet, and 5) all had between 1 and 3 years experience with Web browsers. Administration protocol. Prior to the UE a training packet and session of 30 minutes were provided to each subjectuser. The training session included a brief description of the UE proce ss, purpose and objectives, and the UE protocol instructions. Each subject/user was given an opportun ity to review the packet and ask any questions before agreeing, by signing a consent form, to be a voluntary participant. The UE packet included: 1) a user profile questionnaire, 2) a task list , 3) a statement of the purposes of the evaluation, 4) evaluation instructions, and 5) a consent form. Prior to each actual UE every subjectuser was again given a 10-minute review of the UE instructions and opportunity to ask questions. Subjects/users were told it would take one hour to complete the entire UE process; 20 minutes to complete the task list. According to Nielsen (2000a) , a UE time of 30 minutes or less is adequate to conduct a UE. An additional 15 minutes allowed time for the user to verbalize about the Web interface and to complete a follow up questionnaire to de termine their attitude towards the Web interface. The remaining 15 minutes of the hour the moderat or used to review notes of comments and observations and to make corrections so that no misunder standing would occur later in interpreting results. Shneiderman (1998) suggests the moderator rewrite UE notes as soon as possible, reducing moderator errors in note interpretation later. The subjectusers were required to use the’ think aloud method’ (Hom, 2000) to provid e subjective data in conjunction with the collection of various performance measures. The performa nce measures included: 1) the time it took the user to complete the task list; 2) the number of er rors per task, 3) the number of users completing the task list successfully in the allotted time, and 4 ) the attitude of the user toward the Web interface. In addition, the moderator collected qualitative data by observing each user during completion of each task and taking notes regarding their f acial expressions, opinions expressed, and verbalized thoughts while completing UE. The mo derator made notes on the opinions and thoughts of the user following UE. Finally, the subje ctusers completed a questionnaire to describe their attitudes about the Web interface. Implementation Piloting the UE administration protocol. A Department of Dental Hygiene professor, fa miliar with the Internet, Web browsers, and oral pathology pilot tested the UE administration protoco l one week prior to testing subjectusers. The moderator provided the pilot test user with the s ame pre UE instructions and task list that would be given to subject/users. The pilot test resul ted in no problems with the UE administration protocol. The moderator observed the pilot test subject/us er and collected the same quantitative and qualitative data that was to be collected from th e research 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 5/12 http://ojni. rg/602/usability. htm subjectusers. The results of the pilot test showed that the UE protocol could be use d with subject/users without revision. Pre-training for UE. At 12:30 p. m. July 2, 2001, the subjectusers arrived for the pr e UE training session. The moderator distributed the UE packet and described the purpose and proce dures of the UE. The users were given an opportunity to review the UE packet and to ask questions . Each of the three subjectusers signed consent forms before leaving the pre UE training. Administration of UE. Each of the three subject/users arrived at the moderator’s offi ce for the UE. The moderator reviewed the evaluation instructions and gave time for any additional q uestions to be answered. The following sequence of events occurred for the three users, each: a) beg an the UE , 2) completed the task list, 3) responded to questions about the evaluation experience, 4 ) added thoughts or opinions regarding interaction with the Web interface, and 5) left the mo derator’s office in 45 minutes each. The administrator used the remaining 15 minutes of each of the t hree hours to rewrite portions of notes taken during observation in preparation for the UE report o f results. Task list and description. The tasks were identified using the purposes and objective s of the UE. The task list includes 10 primary tasks for subjectusers to perform in navigation of the Website interface for the Oral Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers prototype. The task list beginning wi th accessing the Website via the interface and progressing through the instructional unit follows. Because many of the 10 primary tasks were repeated the actual count of performing tasks is 31. Task 1 – with the browser open go to www. etsu. edu/cpah/dental/dcte760. This task was chosen to determine if users, indicating they had between 1 and 3 years experience with a Web b rowser, would have a problem accessing a Web site when given only a Web address without a dir ect link. Task 2 – read the instructions on the first page of the Web site and click on the lin k that it directs you to go to first. This task was to determine the clarity of the Web interface in p roviding instructions for beginning the instructional unit. Task 3 – click on Assignment 1 Task 4 – access the discussion forum and enter your name and email address. This task helped determine the Web interface design, by allowing for observing if users had difficulty locating the discussion forum area and/or entering information into it. Task 5 – When done in discussion forum, return to Assignment 1. This task will ident ify if users have difficulty returning to the designated page using the Web interface. Task 6 – Click on Assignment 2 Task 7 – Read the content on Apthous Ulcers. This task requires users to read content on a Web page on the site. Task 8 – Click on the images on this page to enlarge them. This task determines the e ase of click navigation to enlarge thumbnail images. 3/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 6/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm Task 9 – Return to Assignment 2. This task determined if users could navigate the We b interface via a link taking them back to a designated page in the Web site. Task 10 – Answer the study questions in Assignment 2. The stu dy questions direct the user through a series of multiple-choice items in a linear fashion. Correct responses allow the u ser to continue to the next question while incorrect responses require the user to go back to the questi on and make another attempt to answer. Users cannot go to the next question until the previous q uestion is answered correctly. This task requires navigating through a series of questions with the potential for going back and forth if an answer is wrong. This task determined if users could succe ssfully navigate the Web interface to the study questions Task 11 – When the study questions are all answered, return to Assignment 2. This tas k again measures their ability to use the Web interface to return to a designated page in the Web site. Task 12 – Click Assignment 3. Task 13 – Read the entire case 2 Herpes Simplex. Again, users are required to read c ontent on the Web site but they must use the Web interface design to do it successfully. Task 14 – When you have finished reading Case 2, return to Assignment 3. This task de termined if users could navigate the Web interface to a case study contained within the instructi onal unit and return to a designated page in the Web site. Task 15 – Click on Assignment 4. Task 16 – Go to Case 1. Task 17 – Fill in the diagnosis form. This task required students to locate a case, fill in case study information obtained from previous exercises. This task measures the Web interface’s ease of navigation using forms to complete information. Task 18 – Submit the Form. This task demonstrates if the Web interface allows for ea sy form submission upon completion. Task 19 – Return to Assignment 4. User must complete a form by diagnosing the case s tudy patient in this assignment. This task determined if users could easily navigate the case stud y, fill in the appropriate form fields, submit the form, and return to the designated page in the We b site. Task 20 – Click on Assignment 5. Task 21 – Go to the reflection form. This task demonstrates if the Web interface all ows users to navigate to the reflection form. Task 22 – Write your reflections on the unit on the form. A form to reflect on the in structional unit is required for assignment 5. This task demonstrates if users will be able, through thi s Web interface, to make text entries in the appropriate form fields in the reflection form. 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 7/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm Task 23 – Submit the form. The task determined if users could navigate the Web inter face to send the completed reflection form electronically. Task 24 – Return to Assignment 5. Determines if users via the Web interface, can eas ily return to a designated page in the Web site. Task 25 – Go to the course evaluation survey. An evaluation form is included in this instructional unit to determine student attitudes and satisfaction levels with the instructional un it. This task measures if the Web interface allows the user to easily locate a survey on the site. Task 26 – Complete the course evaluation survey. This task determined if users using the Web interface, could easily navigate a form to reply to the questions. Task 27 – Submit the survey. This task measures whether the Web interface allows use rs to easily submit form information electronically. Task 28 – Return to Assignment 5. This task measures the Web interface as it allows u ses to return to designated pages in the Web site with ease. Task 29 – Go to the discussion forum. This task determined if the users could open t he forum and is a test of the Web interface design and its ease of promoting discussion. Task 30 – Make a forum entry indicating that you have finished the usability evaluati on. This task measures the Web interface design’s success with entering comments into a discussion forum. Task 31 – Return to Assignment 5. This task measures the Web interface designs succ ess with returning users to designated pages in the Web site. (N=31 navigational tasks) Non-task performance measures. Following Nielsen, (2000a) subjectusers were asked t o use the ‘think aloud method’ in conjunction with performance measures. The quantitative measu res to be evaluated included the: 1) amount of time to complete the task list, 2) number of err ors per task, 3) number of users completing the task list successfully in the allotted time, and 4) at titude of users toward the Web interface. In addition to the quantitative measures, the administrato r collected qualitative data during and after the usability evaluation by each user. This UE was designed to measure the ease of undergraduate dental hygiene student user s navigation through the Oral Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers instructional unit prot otype Web interface. Although all task completion or non completion allowed for tests of the in terface, the following three questions focus more directly on navigation of the prototype Web inte rface: Do all the navigational links in this Web site work correctly? Is the organization of this Web site consistent? Is there any confusing terminology regarding navigation and organization on this Web site? Results The success or failure on each task performed as well as the qualitative data collect ed from the 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 8/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm post-test interview and the post-test questionnaire are reported. Because the tasks in the UE were short, the quantitative data collected was based on the entire task list and not on each task independently. Users had adequate time to complete the enti re task list. There were 31Website interface navigation tasks completed by three subject/users with a total of seven navigation errors. 1. User #1 took 20 minutes to successfully complete the task list with one Web i nterface navigation error. 2. User #2 took 18 minutes to successfully complete the task list with three Web interface navigation errors. 3. User #3 took 19 minutes to successfully complete the task list with three Web interface navigation errors Task 1 –Users #1 and #2 completed task #1 easily and were able to successfully open t he designated Web site without Web interface navigation error. User #3 entered the Web site address in the search line of the Web browser, an error message was returned by the browser, and then the user entered the Web site address in the address line of the browser and was able to successfully access the home page of the instructional unit via the Web site interface. In this c ase the navigational error relates to lack of knowledge about where to type in a Web address in a Web browser. Task 2 – Read the instructions on the first page of the Web site and click on the lin k that your are directed to go to first. User #1 asked, â€Å"Do I make the decision myself to go to assi gnment 1 or to the course syllabus? † The administrator did not answer this question as the instruct ions on the Web page indicated the first link. This error, while not significant since both links ta ke the student to the appropriate Web page to begin the instructional unit as well as the usability evaluat ion, could add user frustration to the mix. Users #2 and #3 use the Web site interface on the first page of the Web site to readily access the needed location. Task 3, 4, and 5 – Click on Assignment 1 and enter your name and email address in the discussion forum. When this task is complete, return to Assignment 1. User #1 was unable to re adily use the Web interface to access the discussion forum. This user consistently scrolled to the bottom of any page before making any choices about where to go next. This scrolling is not consider ed an error in the prototype but could indicate that the Web interface design needs revision to stop this behavior. Once the discussion forum was accessed, this user asked, â€Å"Is this where I go to post my name? The administrator did answer in the affirmative and the user continued with the task. Upon completion of the discussion forum entry user #1 could not navigate back to the desig nated page. The administrator finally intervened and instructed the user to use the â€Å"back† button on the browser. The user then looked for the â€Å"back key† on the keyboard. Further instructi on fr om the administrator got the user back on task. When user #2 realized that the task involved a discussion forum, the user indicated n o previous 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 9/12 ttp://ojni. org/602/usability. htm experience with discussion forums of any type. Her response was â€Å"Am I being timed, b ecause here is the first problem? † The administrator reassured the user that there is as much ti me as needed to perform the task. Upon submission of the discussion forum entry, user #2 chose the â€Å" back† button on the browser quickly. User #3 got to the discussion forum easily, but then asked, â€Å"Am I the subject? † The administrator informed the user that the responses in the form fields did not matter and that any i nformation could be entered in any field. Upon submission of the form entries, user #3 used the â€Å"back† button on the browser but indicated that she thought only one click of the â€Å"back† button was sufficient. All users successfully completed the task. The Web interface design was not the culprit in these task struggles. Tasks 6, 7, 8, and 9 – Click on Assignment 2. Read the content on Apthous Ulcers. Cl ick on the images to enlarge the view. Return to Assignment 2. Users #1 and #3 did not click o n the images to view a larger version of the image. Both disregarded this portion of the task com pletely. Perhaps the images were large enough for them. User #2 opened the larger view of the images a nd returned to the designated page in the Web site indicating no problem with the Web interface d esign in the area of enlarging images. All users returned to the designated page in the Web site, but only one user completed the entire task successfully. Tasks 10 and 11 – Answer the study questions in Assignment 2. When the study questio ns are all answered, return to Assignment 2. All users navigated through the study questions ea sily. User #1 expressed embarrassment, because the administrator of the UE is also a faculty member in the Department of Dental Hygiene, and the user did not want the administrator to know if the answers to the study questions were incorrect. The administrator reminded user #1 that the an swers to the questions were not the purpose of this evaluation. The Web site was being evaluated n ot the knowledge of the user. User #1 continued to navigate through the study questions, but indicated distress any time she chose an incorrect response to a study question. It is assumed this frustration related to having to go back and continue to answer until the answer was correct befo re going on. User #2 quickly realized that the links chosen by user #1 were a different color. Sin ce all users participated in the UE on the same computer, the visited hyperlinks were apparent. U ser #2 easily navigated the questions with much less distress about incorrect responses, because sh e realized that her peers had chosen incorrectly as well. User #3 also noticed the visited hyperlinks and navigated the questions without incident. However, user #3 had a problem choosing answers beca use the hyperlink was on only one letter, the user had trouble positioning the mouse pointer exactly over the single letter link. The user clicked several times before realizing that the link ar ea was very small. This indicates an area of the Web interface design that needs improvement. All users successfully completed these tasks. Tasks 12, 13, and 14 – Click on Assignment 3. Read Case 2. When you have finished re turn to Assignment 3. Users #1 and #3 quickly read the case and returned to the designated We b page. User #2 appeared to have accidentally clicked the wrong link and could not locate Cas e 2. The administrator provided instruction because the user seemed frustrated. After the user located the correct page, there was no problem completing the task. Here it is hard to distingui sh if this is a 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 10/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm Web interface design error or not. Tasks 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 – Click on Assignment 4. Fill in the form. Submit the form. Return to Assignment 4. This was the first form in the Web site. User #1 began with â€Å"OK, what is this? † The user had never filled in a form and submitted it through a Web site. Users #2 and #3 both accessed and filled in the required information in the form fields and returned to the designa ted Web page easily. User #1 took more time, but successfully completed the task. Tasks 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24 – Click on Assignment 5. Go to the reflection form. Fill in the form. Submit the form. Return to Assignment 5. This was the second experience with the Web interface using a form. All three users accessed, filled in the form, and submitted the form wi thout a problem. Task 25, 26, 27, and 28 – Go to the course evaluation survey. Complete the course eva luation survey. Submit the survey. Return to Assignment 5. Users #1 and #2 had difficulty loc ating the survey link on the page. Once the survey evaluation link was located, no user had any difficulty completing the task. User #3 completed the task easily, but after submission of the form, the user clicked on the â€Å"back† button to return to the designated Web page in the site. As use r #3 clicked on the â€Å"back† button she said, â€Å"Is it erasing the form information if I am going back wi th the back button? The moderator assured her the action of the â€Å"back† button would not erase fo rm input after submission. Task 29, 30, and 31 – Go to the Discussion Forum. Make a forum entry indicating that you have finished the UE. Return to Assignment 5. By task 31, all users were familiar with th e site and had no trouble navigating the discussion forum and ret urning to the designated page in the W eb site. Upon completion of the task list, each user had the opportunity to comment on the Web site and offer suggestions and opinions. The following were offered: User #1 indicated that she would be more comfortable if the administrator had not bee n watching her progress. She indicated being watched so closely made her very nervous and she th ought the site would have been much easier to navigate on her own. She indicated that she like d the set up of the Web interface and asked if there were going to be other sites like this for her u se in the dental hygiene curriculum. User #2 indicated that she liked the site and thought it was easy to use. User #3 lik ed the site and would like similar sites for other topics in the dental hygiene curriculum. She indi cated that she did not like using the ‘back button’ after all the forms. All three users expressed nervo usness about being watched by the administrator. Discussion A sample of three users completed this UE. Nielsen (2000b) indicates that three to f ive participants in a UE are adequate. Usability problems were identified in some part of nine of the ten primary tasks on the task list. In addition, some of the problems as told by the users, rela ted to: 1) the administrator present during the UE was also a professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene in 3/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 11/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm which the user is a student, 2) the evaluation was conducted during the summer school session, and 3) all users were also students in the administrator’s class. Users reported being mo re nervous about the site content in the presence of this administrator. In future UE studies th e usability administrato r should be a neutral observer The questionnaire completed by the users following the usability evaluation demonstra ted user satisfaction with the site. Shneiderman (1998) suggests users should give their subje ctive impressions of the Web interface. All but one of the responses indicated that the us ers were satisfied with the site’s navigation and organization. The users indicated that the t erminology used in the site was clear, they were able to complete the assigned tasks easily, the site me t their needs, and the users liked the appearance of the site. The only responses not scored as sati sfactory were related to using the â€Å"back button†. Overall, all three users indicated the ease of na vigating the Web site interface was satisfactory. Recommendations It is evident from the results of this UE that Web-based interfaces for instructional delivery should be evaluated for usability problems. Corrections, suggested by the results, to the Oral Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers instructional unit prototype and Web interface should be made and the site re-tested before continuing development of the remaining nine courses in the oral pat hology Web-based instructional unit series. The usability evaluation of the Oral Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers Web-based inst ructional unit prototype resulted in the following recommendations for improvement to the Web site n avigation and organization. . This may be one time when the use of standard link colors should be violated. Students using the same computer to complete an instructional unit would be able to discern the answ ers chosen by the student previously using the computer. Changes in the Web interface design for te sts so that the link color does not change when a user chooses a particul ar response is recommended. 2. When assigning form submissions, provide a link to take the user back to the designated page in the Web site. The users in this UE did not like using the browser’s â€Å"back† button after completing the forms nor following entries to the discussion forum. The Web site interface desig n will be changed so the confirmation pages following discussion forum postings and submission of forms will take the user back to the page accessed immediately prior to the form or discussion f orum. 3. The hyperlinks for the answers to study questions were not large enough. Cli cking on a one letter link made users have a hard time identifying the link. This Web site interfac e design will be corrected so that the entire cell in which the letter choices are located will be the hyperlink. Conclusions The UE conducted on the Oral Herpes Simplex and Apthous Ulcers instructional unit pro totype Web design interface proved to be a successful method for the determination of usability problems in a 13/3/2013 0:50 Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface 12/12 http://ojni. org/602/usability. htm Web-based instructional delivery method. The users identified usability problems with the Web interface as well as with their own skill or lack of skill with using any browser. Re commendations for revision have been identified by the researcher and will be implemented. Authors Note Should anyone wish to examine the Website and review the Herpes Simplex and Apthous U lcer instructional unit prototype it can be accessed at http://www. etsu. edu/cpah/dental/dcte760/. References Dumas, J. , Redish, J. (1999). A Practical Guide to Usability Testing. Portland: In tellect Books. Fichter, D. (2000). Usability Testing Up Front. Online, 24 (1), 79-84. Graham, J. (2000). Usability Testing Basics. INT Media Group. Retrieved June 30, 2 001, from the World Wide Web: http://clickz. com/print. jsp? article=2053. Hom, J. (1999). The Usability Testing Toolbox. Retrieved June 10, 2001, from the Wo rld Wide Web: http://www. best. com/~jthom/usability. Instone, I. (1999). User Test Your Web Site: An Introduction to Usability Testing. Retrieved July 1, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://instone. org/keith/howtotest/introduction. html. Nielsen, J. (2000a). Designing Web Usability. Indianapolis: New Riders Publishing. Nielsen, J. (2000b). Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users. Jakob Nielsen’s Alertb ox. Retrieved June 12, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www. useit. com/alertbox/20000319. html. Rajani, R. , Rosenberg, D. (1999). Usable? Or Not? Factors Affecting the Usability of Web Sites. CMC Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www. december . com /cmc/mag/1999/jan/rakros. html. Rubin, J. (1994). Handbook of Usability Testing. New York: Wiley. Shneiderman, B. (1998). Designing the User Interface. Strategies for Effective Huma n-Computer Interaction. Third Edition. Reading: Addison-Wesley. Spool, J. , Scanlon, T. , Schroeder, W. , Snyder, C. , DeAngelo, T. (1999). Web Site U sability: A Designer’s Guide. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc. 13/3/2013 0:50 How to cite Usability Evaluation of a Web Design Interface, Papers

The Malkuth Grimoire by Alkaloid free essay sample

Alkaloid is a German progressive death metal band that was spanned and formed from the other German prog bands like Obscura and Necrophagist. Otherwise a supergroup. This happens to be their debut album and is shined upon for it being a great first impression, but then again, this comes from musicians that know perfectly well what theyre doing. The Malkuth Grimoire was released this year and has since been heavily regarded by many to be among the best of the year even rivaling the likes of Enslaved, Steven Wilson, and Blind Guardian. Yeah, if the baby can compete with the long-running grandfathers, you know youre a great album. You have to give this an A for effort because of that. While you dont have many long tracks, you are greeted with twists and turns and madness everywhere. There is not one part it seems that sounds anything like the rest. We will write a custom essay sample on The Malkuth Grimoire by Alkaloid or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You get total chaos and oodles if solos galore as well. Now some may say that they are overstaying their welcome, and Id have to agree with them to some extent. I even read one comment that said that they seem to have an identity crisis which does make sense because of the fact that there are people from different bands in Alkaloid here, I dont see that issue all to much. While you may say this sounds like the death metal version of Dream Theater, you can surely find more than chaos and shedding solos like in Dream Theater. The track names are also pretty cool like Funeral For A Lonely Continent and Carbon Phrases just to name a few. This album definitely has alot going for it and despite the 70+ minutes on this album, you will wonder how fast everything went by once you get to the end. You can just almost tell, that this is not something to sleep on or mess with. I give this a 9.5/10. I am the Grim Reaper, signing off.

Smart phone Essays

Smart phone Essays Smart phone Essay Smart phone Essay Today, DNA is a very important part of our lives. DNA technology which means Deoxyribonucleic Acid is the famous technique that using in various medical fields. It gave the history of cells on the chromosomes In our body. Every cell has a unique DNA form. For example, chloroplasts In plant, and mitochondria In plants cells and animals cells. The scientists do a lot of research to development DNA technology In future. DNA helps government to perform many action in solving crime. Also, DNA technology can find medical solution in the future and can solve the ancient history. DNA technology have a lot of effect including historic mysteries, crime, and health. One of the most important effect of DNA technology is that the people can find medical solution in the future. A lot of disease now can be caused by mutant genes such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. DNA technology can explain the history of the families with different disease which can people avoid It in future. Also, the result of one person getting a test can give information about her or his relatives. For example, In Minnesota, a 51 year old Oman named Undead Malibu know that her family has a genetic history of cancer. The cancer halting her family so, her mom and her sister have died of cancer and there Is possibly to pass the genes to Nadia also. E also her mom and her sister have died of cancer. The DNA can show how the chance of getting the genes that could cause the cancer. She has decided not to take do the DNA examination because she was healthy but if she has signs of disease, she will get DNA examination. As a result, She will get checkups regularly to avoid the risk of disease if she know about it by getting the test of DNA. Take it . To sump up, there are millions of people can avoid the disease by do DNA test early, so they can feel more confident about their health in the future. Good start. I know you were running out of time, so It seems Like youll want to elaborate on the conclusion sentence. For grammar, watch out for run-ones and be careful of verb tense and form. Another main effect of DNA technology is people can solve the ancient history . There are many mysteries became clear by DNA technology. Archaeological solve a lot of mysteries that happened in the past and still mysteries for a long time by using DNA technology. They can answer many questions hat was mystify y self before . For example, Dry. Aziza haws want to know about some secrets of the ancient Egyptian kings by studding their mummies such as king TutankamunTutankhamun. s king Tutankhamen he was discovered the cause of death king Tutu. In 2008, Haws take a sample of king Tutus DNA extracted from his bone and he discovering that Tutankhamen had clubbed foot, one toe was missing a bone, and part of his foot were destroyed by necrosis. As a result of king Tutankhamen condition, he had 130 staffs In his tomb to help him to walk. Also he discovered the reason that cause death early when he was only 19 . As a r esult of Since he analyzing kinked Tutus DNA and ten other mummies, Haws know who of early death was that his parents was siblings. In fact, married sibling cause harmful genes passed to the children so they children became vulnerable to a variety of genetic defects. In future, scientists can use DNA technology to find more mysteries that in the ancient history. In fact, married sibling cause harmful genes passed to the children so they became vulnerable too variety of genetic defects. In short, developing of DNA technology helped scientists to solve ancient mystery like hysterics death of king Tutankhamen and his family have solved by DNA technology.. In conclusion, the effects of using Another primary effect of DNA technology is that police need it to solve most of crimes. One important uses of DNA technology is to identify the guilty of the crime. Also, the forensic investigators use DNA technology for many fields. For instance, in 1992, Arizona, there was plant helped investigators to solve murder case. The investigators analyze the seed pods of the Palo Verve tree which they have found in the suspects truck who was missed his pager at the scene of the crime. In addition, hey discovered the tree which at the scene of the crime has signs of hitting by truck. As a result, they analyzed the pods by DNA technology and they matching seed pods in the truck to specific tree and they found the same unique pattern. To sum up, DNA technology has significance to solve most crimes. Forensic believed that DNA can be solve mysterious crimes. In conclusion, the effects of using DNA technology are in historic mystics, health, and crime. The archaeological can solve historic mysteries by using DNA technology, the detectives can solve crime by analyze DNA and know the guilty, and we can take the accessory predicting to protect our health when we know our family genetic history. DNA solve a lot of crime and it will be development by scientists researchers. I see your cause-effect organization here, but the explanation of the example is poor. It Just seems like a random group of facts about King Tutu. We want it to be a chain of events involving DNA technology that leads to solving some part of ancient history. Also, the purpose is not clear here. Youve told us this information, but so what? There is nothing here that motivates me to learn about future possibilities.

Verb Words

Verb Words Verb Words Verb Words By Sharon Im always interested in words that relate to a particular area. A couple of weeks ago, I looked at words for book lovers. Now its time to think of words about words. In this case, Im concentrating on one particular Latin root, verbum, the Latin word for word. That has spawned a number of other words in English, such as: verb (14th century, meaning word) verbal (relating to words, oral, relating to verbs) verbalism (an expression, phrase or word; an emphasis on the importance of words; a cliche) verbalist (someone who deals in words instead of facts, or who is skilled in using words) verbalize (to put into words, or to change a word into a verb) verbatim (word for word) verbiage (excessive and meaningless use of words) verbose (wordy) Here are some quotations from newspapers: by of all purists The New York Times (Youve come a long way, baby): It is complained that the President is too verbose and too vague. But this is to miss entirely the point of popular acceptance. In the Presidents misty language (www.nytimes.com) time, for then we had nothing to lose and a vision to gain. Today it is not quite the same. It is a time of tons of verbiage, activity, and consumption. Which condition is better for the world at large I will not venture to discuss. But (www.theguardian.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?For Sale vs. On SaleAppropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

Are hospital consent forms being completed to government guidlines Essay

Are hospital consent forms being completed to government guidlines - Essay Example One such place where such government guidelines are adopted is in the case of obtaining the consent of a patient. ‘Consent’ is the right given by a patient to the concerned authority in the hospital, permitting them to implement the necessary procedures as defined by that consent. This process is formalized using a consent form, wherein a patient is required to sign a document that details about the procedures that are to be adopted in order to serve the patient. Some common situations wherein a patient is required to fill up a form is in the case of an operation, wherein the consent form details the possible dangers that exist, the procedure proposed to be adopted etc. the operation commences only when the patient has given his consent that the operation procedure be adopted, by signing the consent form. As such, it can be seen that most tasks within a hospital environment revolve around the consent form. Any consent form is governed by a set of government guidelines that specify various aspects of what a for should contain and the manner in which one is supposed to fill them. However, doubts are being raised from various quarters on the manner in which these forms are being filled up. People have been raising numerous questions such as whether these forms are really being filled up in the way they should be, whether hospitals do indeed stick to the specified guidelines, whether the filled consent forms are properly verified, whether the consent has been taken voluntarily or by compulsion etc. therefore, there needs to be a study conducted in this regard that provides answers to all these queries. For the purpose of the proposed research, a number of options were available. However, the most suitable method deemed appropriate in the context of the current dissertation is to use quantitative research methods for the purpose of performing analysis. This is due to the reason that there is a large amount of information as

Inequalities in Chile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inequalities in Chile - Essay Example Their role in ensuring the same may well go beyond into the future with a view to making the economy great as well as rising the living standards of the citizenry. Lately, there have been emerging trends in the world that have necessitated a close scrutiny in order to unravel the reasons behind them and their relationship to growth (OECD, 2009). There exist a number of inequalities that may impact the growth prospects of a country. Therefore, comprehensive assessments should be carried out in order to establish the underlying trends so as to address this phenomenon at the earliest opportunity and unearth possible facts. Chile has always enjoyed stability in democracy as well as the economy across South America. In the whole of Latin America, the people of Chile have benefited from improved standards of living, efficiency and effectiveness of the government that has the lowest levels of corruption and a functioning democracy that serves the interests of all citizens in the region. Nev ertheless, despite having all these developments in democracy with resolute institutions coupled with a continued growth in the economy, there have been reported levels of inequality in the socioeconomic platform that can be traced from the previous leadership that failed to guarantee a fair treatment to everyone in the society (Robinson, 2001). This kind of inequality in the Latin America region emanates from social decadence with roots way back in colonialism time where the monopolistic aspect of the royal families controlled the economy to a great extent. This action left large chunks of wealth to a few individuals who became filthily affluent, something that widened the gap between those at the helm of leadership and those in the ‘working nation’ with this phenomenon staying long enough even after attaining self-government (Barron, 2009). This led to unnecessary pressures in the social setup, thus jeopardizing the stability that ensures victory within a democratic c ountry in the class of Chile. This country also followed the same route that rewards a few people in the economy which saw immense pressures mount in the 1970s due to the idea to redistribute the wealth acquired unfairly to those who never had any or those with meagre traces (Suter, 2010). To address this inequality, several policies were drafted that aimed at charting the best way possible to redistribute the wealth for the benefit of all. This was also to nationalise all other major sectors and tackle the inequality amicably. Notably, there was very little growth at the time of this inequality and there could be no growth since wealth accumulation was directed to one side of the rich and powerful (Anastassiou, 2011). However, the effort to undertake the redistribution was met with friction amongst the affected, thus bruising the economy with the unending chaos experienced that was evident from how the policies were implemented. The dictatorial leadership altered the economic struc ture leading to an eventual coup with the economy status still struggling to regain strength soon after the coup. With the elapse of time, the then general constituted a team of experts to address the problem and undertake an overhaul that saw Chile on its feet again. Their activities’ objectives were concerned with tackling inflation that was biting heavily and other monetary policies that remained strict and tight. Many barriers to trade came to an end with some tariffs facing abolishment to pave the way for more lucrative business deals within and without the country (Boesten, 2010). The economy was given a facelift that made the country start exporting some of its surplus, thus leading to a

Drivers of Customer Loyalty and Firm Profitability Research

Drivers of Customer Loyalty and Firm Profitability Research Financial institutions perform a vital role in facilitating the aggregation and allocation of capital with the help of conveying individual savings in to loans to businesses, government and individuals. The role of banking division in the concentration and distribution of capital in Ghana can not be disputed. The recent credit crunch has left a deep impact over the performance of various banks all over the world. Thus, in order to survive in the long run, the institutions need to adopt competitive strategies. One and the most important of such strategies in the banking sector constitute customer loyalty to business which makes the banking businesses competent. In this paper, we will analyze the determinants of customer loyalty and their impact on the share market and firm profitability with the help of studying the customer relationship management (CRM) and contact management of Barclays Bank in Ghana. In the late seventies and early eighties, the state owned banks in Ghana dominated the formal banking system of the country as they had monopoly with respect to their spread and operations (Hinson and Hammond, 2006). However, the banking environment has now been evolved. According to Hinson and Hammond (2006; p.45), universal banking law has permitted all categories of banking to be performed under a single body for corporate banking which has greatly restructured the scopes of competency in various banking products in Ghana. Thus, the banking sector in Ghana has been brought in to the competitive arena which is based on the customers and products due to the reforms and deregulations. This infers that the management of the banks in Ghana should employ the strategies that provide customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, customer retention and thereby, increase firm profitability and market shares. 1.1 Service Quality Concept The European school of thought, vastly expressed by the work of Gronroos (1984), explains that the customers recognize service quality from two aspects which are: (1) the technical aspect of service and (2) the functional aspect of the service. Technical quality is determined by knowing if the customers expectations from the service are fulfilled or not. The functional quality is recognized through the customers perception about the service production and its delivery. According to Richard and Allaway (1993), both of these distinctions are correct and needed to define customers service quality analysis and loyalty behaviour. However, this concept does not consider the physical environment of the service. Thus, the American school of thought led by the work of Parasuraman et al., (1985, 1988) has been adopted in various studies which states that service quality is basically the difference between perception and expectation of the delivery of service. According to this model, service q uality has five dimensions on which customers judgement about perceived service quality is based. These dimensions are: Reliability: Performance assurance, accuracy and dependability of the service. Responsiveness: Will to help and provide prompt service to the customers. Assurance: Knowledge, courtesy and ability of the employees that ensures trust and confidence. Empathy: Care and special attention given to the customers. Tangibles: Outlook of the personnel, equipments and other physical facilities. These five dimensions will be measured through a scale called SERVQUAL comprising of 22 items. Service quality is operationalized according to the gap between perception and expectation (P-E). Thus, the SERVQUAL determines the gaps in the service delivery of a firm. SERVPERF is another service quality measure that has been developed by Cronin and Taylor (1992) considering that SERVQUAL was inadequate. According to them, performance and not perception minus expectation determines service quality by proving that expectations have almost no impact on the customers evaluation about service quality. Both of the SERVQUAL and SERVPERF conceptualizations have been incorporated in our research model for this study. Although, our research model includes P E, we measure service quality on the basis of perception only since expectation is insignificant (Cronin and Taylor 1992; Brady et al., 2002). However, the basics of Parasuraman et als., (1988) dimensions of service quality have been retaine d in our model. Moreover, the 22 items of these dimensions in our study are slightly modified according to relevancy. 7 point likert scale will be used to measure P. 1.2 Customer Loyalty Concept In our study, we have incorporated both attitudinal and behavioural concepts of customer loyalty. The following cues will be used to measure customer loyalty in the banking sector of Ghana. Word of Mouth: Recommendations made by the customers to their friends and family for using the services of the bank. Repeat Purchase: Repetition or consistency in making purchases by the customers for the banks products and services. Satisfaction: The level of pleasure or happiness of the customers with their banks services and products. 2. SERVICE QUALITY MODEL The Disconfirmation Paradigm (Parasuraman et al., 1985) allows service quality model to measure disparity between consumers perceptions and their expectations for the quality of service. Figure 1 given below represents the service quality model for the banking sector. This model illustrates that there are five gaps in delivering the quality service to the customers. These gaps are described below. Gap 1: This gap can be referred as Understanding as it depicts the difference between expectations of the customer and the management perceptions of the customers expectations. Gap2: This gap can be referred as Service Standards since it depicts the disparity between management perceptions of customer expectations and specifications of service quality. Gap 3: This gap can be referred as Service Performance as it illustrates the disparity between the service quality specifications and the actual service delivered to the customer. Gap 4: This gap can be referred as Communications since it shows the disparity between service delivery and external communication with the customer about the service. Gap 5: This gap can be referred as Service Quality as it depicts the disparity between customer expectation for the quality of the service and the customers perception about the performance of the firm. Gaps 1 till 4 impact the service delivery leading to Gap 5. Thus, these four gaps have a very strong influence over the gap 5. This study will focus on the potential discrepancies found in all the gaps. The managerial implications associated with these gaps must be assessed in order to formulate proper business strategies. These resultant strategies will then be properly implemented for closing the identified gaps found in the banking sector in Ghana and thereby, to improve service quality and profitability of concerned Bank. Word of Mouth Communication Personal Needs Past Experience Expected Service Perceived Service Gap 5 Service Delivery External Communications with Customers Gap 4 Translation of Perceptions in to Service Quality Specifications Management Perceptions of Costumer Expectations Gap 2 Gap 3 Gap 1 3. PROBLEM STATEMENT The gaps 1 to 4 impact the service delivery and are concerned with the management and service providers of the bank. Thus, the question arises, what variables or factors are responsible for creating these gaps or what is the lacking of the management that refrain them from delivering the quality service to the customers? As for Gap 5, the question arises which business strategies should be adopted to reduce the gaps and thereby, improve service quality and performance of the bank. 4. HYPOTHETICAL MODEL This paper is aimed towards finding loyalty drivers according to the viewpoint of the customers of the Ghanaian retail banking. This chapter of the paper will present a hypothetical model that will be used to determine the relationship among loyalty, loyalty drivers, banks profitability and market share. Figure 2 provided below represents the framework of our hypothetical model. The model presented in figure 2 below explains the service quality as perceived by the customer. This model has been premised on seminal model (SERVQUAL), Cronin and Taylor (1992; SERVPERF), Parasuraman et al., (1988) and Brady and Cronin (2001). The quality of service conceptualized by 2 pathways that are: (1) P-E representing the gap in between perception, P and expectation, E and (2) P that represents only perception as the conceptualization of expectation (E) is not important (Cronin and Taylor, 1992). Thus, perception is what is actually measured. Hence, the questionnaire in the survey will consist of a single set to elicit answers concerning customers perception (Brady and Cronin, 2001) instead of two sets of questionnaires for measuring perception and expectation distinctively and for determining the difference between the two as was done by Parasuraman et al., (1988). The framework provided in this paper demonstrates the fact that fake loyalty may be found abundantly and inco mplete satisfaction will result in customer switching. The model below illustrates a gap which represents the disparity between the customers perception and expectation. Since the expectation of a customer does not influence the actual service delivered to him/her by the bank, thus, it holds an insignificant value. This infers that the actual service delivered will depend on the perceived service quality which in turn is also influenced by various service quality dimensions namely: tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Moreover, it is known that these dimensions influence both the customers service quality perceptions and the management designed service quality. Thus, the hypotheses and the hypothetical model are the same for all the gaps mentioned above. This research paper will investigate the disparity between the perceived service quality and the actual quality of service delivered to the customer by measuring the above mentioned service quality dimensions. Service quality dimensions Competitive Price Expectations (Expected Service) Perception  (Perceived Service Quality) Satisfaction Loyalty Actual service Experienced Tangible Reliability Responsiv-eness Assurance Empathy Banks Profitability Bank (image reputation) Market share Dissatisfied customers Switching customers 5. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES 5.1 Purpose of the Research The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze the hypothetical model and the related hypotheses. The analysis of the hypothetical model will lead to the formulation of appropriate business strategies that will overcome the potential disparity between perceived service quality and the actual quality of service delivered to the customer upon implementation. 5.2 Research Objectives 5.2.1 Primary Objective The objective of this paper is to investigate the drivers of customer loyalty and firm profitability with the help of collecting empirical evidence through interviewing the customers of various banks in Ghana and also, through assessing a case study of Barclays Bank Ghana. Due to the distinct cultural values of the Ghanaian Society, our study will focus on the extant literature. 5.2.2 Secondary Objectives Businesses conventionally implement aggressive marketing strategies in order to draw the attention of the new customers and thus, increase market share at the cost of competitors. According to the latest trends in competition, those businesses benefit the most that focus on retaining their customers while providing them the goods and services (Roberts, 2005). Customer retention with the help of enforcing quality in products, services, prices and accessing facilities of the bank among others play a critical role in customer satisfaction. Studies have shown that satisfied customers always return to their service providers and also, make their recommendations to friends and families which in turn increase both market share and profitability of the firm. In the banking sector of Ghana, it is generally hypothesized that high performance of the bank is associated with high customer retention. Thus, Bankers appraise customer loyalty as the key factor towards maintaining market share and increasing profitability of the bank. Due to the high customer chum, it is important to know that what drives customer loyalty. Ghauri and Grà ¶nhaug (2005; p. 14) state that assumptions and speculations should not be accepted or rejected unless these assumptions are critically studied to give logical and reliable reasoning for their acceptation or rejection. This study seeks to attain this aim that requires investigation of the drivers of customer loyalty serving as the core of design strategies that result in the increase of customer retention and bank performance by taking in to account the case study of Barclays Bank in Ghana. 6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES 6.1 Research questions In order to study the optimization of the enterprise contact management through a CRM enabled contact centre platform by taking in to consideration the case study of Barclays Bank in Ghana, the following question are being posed in this paper. What are the factors driving customer loyalty in Ghanas banking sector, in particular Barclays Bank Ghana? What are the factors that set back customer loyalty and retention in the banking sector in Ghana, particularly Barclays Bank Ghana? Does customer loyalty is achieved through customer satisfaction? Do reluctant customers approach other banks in order to get better and improved customer relations and services? 6.2 Hypotheses Our study will test the following hypotheses in this paper. H1- Service quality influences loyalty and satisfaction of the customer. H2- Tangibility, responsiveness, reliability, assurance and empathy are the five dimensions of service quality that vary to the extent to which they instigate customer loyalty and satisfaction. H3- Customer loyalty and satisfaction depend upon competitive pricing. H4- Perceived reputation and image of the bank stimulate customer loyalty. H5- Banks or enterprises profitability can be increased by customer loyalty and market share. H6- Reluctant customers approach other banks in order to get improved service quality from other banks. 7. BACKGROUND- BANKING IN GHANA Ghana has a well structured financial system that is built around the capital market, the Bank and the non Bank Financial Institutions. Banks are further divided in to the following classes on the basis of a licensed system: Universal Banking under Class I banking license. Universal and off-shore Banking under Class II banking license. Universal, off-shore Banking and ARB (Association of Rural and Community Banks) APEX Banking under the general banking license. (Bank of Ghana, Annual report, 2007). At present, the minimum amount of GHC 60 million is required to be possessed by the banks that are operating in Ghana as their stated capital (Bank of Ghana, Annual report, 2007). Ghana has 26 major banks operating under the Universal banking license and 126 rural and community banks that have been licensed for ARB Apex banking system. And also, 41 non Banking Financial Institutions which comprise of Discount Houses, Finance Companies, Mortgage Finance Companies, Savings Companies, Loans Companies and Leasing Companies. All of these NBFIs are supervised by the Bank of Ghana that is the central bank of Ghana. The activity based division of Commercial, Merchant and Development banking operating previously in Ghana have been replaced by this categorization. This was done in the wake of the initiative for the financial reforms that enabled universal banking in Ghana and thus, dissolved the operating limits hypothesized on the initial activity of incorporation. The goal was to transform t he conventional way of banking operation in order to welcome competitive trading in to the banking sector. Dr. Acquah, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana stated in his speech at the Fifth Banking Award Ceremony that universal banking was introduced in order to promote new banks, liberalize the options for the banking services, extend the branch network and increase competition for deposit at the level of retail (Acquah, 2009). Since the banks constitute 70 per cent of the financial sector, thus, they are the most common source for contributing to the economy (Bawumia, 2008). The head offices of all the banks in Ghana are situated in the national capital of the country while their several branches are located in major cities and town of Ghana that are owned by the government, Ghanaians, foreigners or the combination. Currently all the banks in Ghana possess Universal Banking License. Only 12 banks in Ghana are owned by its citizens. The table below shows the banks operating in Ghana with their branch networks, area of activity and proprietorship. Name of Bank Number of Branches Ownership Current Banking Licence Barclays Bank of Ghana Ltd 120 Non- Ghanaian Universal Merchant Bank (Ghana) Ltd 16 Ghanaian Universal Ecobank Ghana Limited 32 Non- Ghanaian Universal Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd 143 Ghanaian Universal National Investment Bank Ltd 24 Ghanaian Universal Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Ltd 19 Non- Ghanaian Universal SG-SSB Bank Limited 36 Non- Ghanaian Universal The Trust Bank Limited 17 Ghanaian Universal Agricultural Development Bank Ltd 50 Ghanaian Universal Amalgamated Bank Limited 10 Non- Ghanaian Universal Prudential Bank Limited 10 Ghanaian Universal Fidelity Bank Limited 6 Ghanaian Universal Zenith Bank Limited 9 Non- Ghanaian Universal Stanbic Bank (Ghana) Limited 10 Non- Ghanaian Universal Unibank Ghana Limited 11 Ghanaian Universal Intercontinental Bank Limited 12 Non- Ghanaian Universal HFC Bank Ghana Limited 11 Ghanaian Universal First Atlantic Merchant Bank Ltd 4 Ghanaian Universal International Commercial Bank Ltd 12 Ghanaian Universal Guaranty Trust Bank Limited 5 Non- Ghanaian Universal CAL Bank Limited 10 Ghanaian Universal United Bank for Africa (Gh) Ltd 16 Non- Ghanaian Universal Bank of Baroda Ghana Ltd 1 Non- Ghanaian Universal BSIC 1 Non- Ghanaian Universal BPI Bank Limited 9 Non- Ghanaian Universal Table 1: Banks in Ghana (Source: Price Waterhouse Banking Industry Survey, 2008). 7.1 The era of post Banking Reform in Ghana Developments in the era of post Banking Reforms in Ghana can be concisely expressed as the transformation of the distressed and dysfunctional banking system with illiquidity and insolvency, credit rationing and interest rate controls in to a market based regime along with improving the bank supervision in order to ascertain that efficiency and profitability is increased (Acquah, 2006). The Economic Recovery Programmed (ERP) introduced the Financial Sector Adjustment Program, generally referred as FINSAP so that the banking sector can play a vital role in promoting the economic development. This program was executed in two in two phases. In the first phase, FINSAP 1, provisions were made for liberalizing the banking industry and restructuring the distressed banks in Ghana (Brownbridge et al., 1998). The restructuring part was very crucial since these banks were either extremely important for the economy or deeply associated with other economic activities such that their demolition may result in disastrous ramifications. The second phase, FINSAP 2 brought new dimensions in the financial industry reform program through privatizing state owned banks, technological advancements, human capital development and careful supervision and regulation by the central bank of Ghana. In addition to this, the second phase of FINSAP characterized cautious banking through revising the Banking Law of 1970 and through introducing the Banking Laws of 1989 and 2004 which enforced the requirement of minimum capital keeping in view the increased number of banks and branches. Due to FINSAP 2, the banking and the financial industry in Ghana experienced strong regulation and supervision along with the advancement in latest payments and settlement system. Above all was the Payment Systems Development Strategy by the central bank of Ghana that focused at the delivery of financial services that enhanced the financial intermediation with the help of the progress of electronic payment products that include ATM (Automated Teller Machine) services, e-money, transfer of funds at the point of sale, SMS (Short Message Service), internet and telephone banking. Recently, e-zwich was brought in to the market in order to build a common platform that assisted in connecting the different banking institutions through a biometric smart card (Acquah, 2009). All the banks responded positively to the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) in delivery of financial services which in turn improved the financial performance. This outlook over shadowed the competition and distinguished market share and profitability among the banks in Ghana. The new foreign and private banks launched latest technologies whereas the government banks have to cope up with the redundant man power and non-performing assets. The new banks encounter the challenges of market share, spread and size from the conventional banks. In order to overcome this challenge, the new banks employed the strategic option of swift implementation of the prescribed new products and the development of financial services administered by the Bank of Ghana so that the un-banked, banked and under banked customer classes of the population could be captured. 7.2 The Case Study of Barclays Bank, Ghana As shown in the table 2 provided above that Barclays Banks holds a leading position in the Ghanaian financial services market place in addition to an aggressive nationwide branch network. Thus, Barclays being the premier banking institution of Ghana is leveraging its distinct characteristics in order to compete effectively in the highly competitive and fast progressing banking and financial services industry of Ghana. In order to further differentiate itself from the rest in the competition, Barclays Bank is headed towards promoting its strategy of holding its market leadership position through developing its customer management functionality with the help of implementing a robust solution for customer relation management (CRM) with strongly emphasizing over its customer service operations. Barclays commenced this initiative for CRM in order to facilitate the customer facing the banks operations with the technology platform enhancing the banks operations and enabling the bank to compete effectively in addition to becoming a truly customer focused organization. Thus, Barclays is looking forward to working with a reputable organization in order to develop and upgrade its existing customer contact centre along with integrating it with CRM Dynamic Solution by Microsoft. Completely equipped, contact centre of Barclays Bank will eventually enable the customers to interact and deal with the bank via multiple channels such as voice, e-mail, fax, IVR, web, etc.) that fulfils various functionalities of sales, marketing and service at the time of their convenience either with a customer representative or through self service. It is highly vital for Barclays to enhance its processes facing customers in order to develop the business relationship in between its customers and employees for attaining its business goals. The implementation of such an advance and complex customer management project is to be based upon detailed and comprehensive planning, apt consulting and allocation of technical resources to ascertain that the desired goals are achieved with in a certain time period, being as cost effective as possible. Electronic services department of Barclays strongly believes that the goals of this initiative required being in line with the overall business strategies of Barclays Bank. It has been observed from similar engagements that spanning numerous industries is not adequate to ensure desired result. Barclays must recognize the important role that it has to play in the initial stages of the project. Complete commitment and dedication from Barclays is required through out the total time frame of the project in order to ascertain and realize the significance of enhancing its customer management functionality which will ultimately result in the growth in revenue and profitability. 7.2.1 Requirements for the Barclays Bank Ghana Barclays Bank Ghana is looking forward to improving its overall customer management operations through commencing a CRM strategy that is most likely to enhance the banks customer focus strategy. The first stage of this CRM initiative will emphasize over improving the customer service function of the bank through making new advancements in its current platform for the centre. This is achieved by employing latest tools that will improve the interaction of the customers with the bank either through the customer service representation or by means of self service. The first stage of CRM initiatives is most likely to improve the sales and marketing processes of the operation of the bank and set the stage for linking these processes with the customer service operations and allowing them to access the tools that will support in improving their performance, enhance their functions and recognize understand the customer as the Banks primary asset. The bank has recognized the following basic functions necessary for improving its existing contact centre platform. Outbound Calls and Multimedia Channels Automatic Distribution of Calls Caller Line Identification Complaint Management Interactive Voice Response Integration of CRM Computer Telephony Integration Call Recording Reports or Dashboard System Backup Barclays Bank has also recognized the following modules of Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform as the desirable milestones for the project. Marketing module Service Module Sales Module Workflow Module Analytical Module 7.2.2 Recommended Solution The recommended solution is divided in to the following three different components. CRM-Workshop for Business Process Mapping Implementation of Microsoft Dynamic CRM Up gradation of the platform of Contact Centre Technology 7.2.3 Business Process Mapping The aim of this exercise is to recognize the current business processes, future business processes and the gap between the two scenarios. It is formulated to overcome barriers between the business values and its technology. The outcome is strict accountability and a higher probability of customer satisfaction through its deployment. The exercise will determine the metric that need to be tracked down, managers and customers that will be held accountable for these measurements of the performance, required new processes, impact of processes and sub processes on data importing, solution configuration and integration with other technologies and systems used at the back end. The results of this exercise are given below: Detailed Process Map that consists of report on current state as validated by the stockholders. Detailed Process Map consisting of report on future state as validated by the stockholders. Gap Analytical Report Business Requirements Report After the above documents have been produced, the business users will eventually examine and validate the provided information. After approval, these documents will be used to support project execution. 7.2.4 Deployment of CRM System The desired outcome of the successful deployment of a CRM system is determined through the end users usage and willingness to use it daily in order to improve their personal productivity. In this regard, the adapted methodology gives a frame work for dealing with customer relationship management as a business strategy and also as a project for developing technical systems. The concept behind this process is that technology alone with out strategy does not produce business results. Thus, a proper strategy for CRM is required to be adopted side by side with the deployment of the technical system. The success of CRM lies in the implementation of the technology with the clear picture of the improvements in measurable business performance. 7.2.5 Strategy The strategic model used by the Barclays Bank Ghana constitutes of four components that must be understood in order to achieve real business advantage from any CRM based project. Figure 2 (Source: e.Services Africa Ltd. 2010). Performance Management The purpose of any CRM project in an organization is to improve or optimize its performance. However, it is complicated to precisely define: the areas and object to be improved, the extent of this improvement and the enhancement of this improvement measure through the CRM system. This objective is fulfilled by embedding key point indicators, business metrics in the form of understandable charts and graphs in to the user interface of the CRM system. This enables the user to use the system as a routine activity. User can easily find the changes made by them to the system in clear metrics on their dashboard. Users and the management must seriously operate the business in accordance to the embedded metrics on the dashboards. Management Commitment Commitment of the management serves as the basis for success of any CRM project. Senior managers must completely comprehend and be involved in adopting CRM as a strategy and they must also, actively take part in the implementation of CRM project. Existing processes need to be changed for improving performance of any business or system, thus, any CRM project could be referred to an effort for changing management and modifying behavior. Managers are supposed to support such changes. Irrespective of the technological functions, the managers must back the process changes along with communicating the fact that new procedures need to be adopted in order to achieve the desired goals of the business.