The document discusses quality evaluation of tourism websites. It begins by introducing ISO standards for quality and different evaluation models, from simple to more robust. It then presents the ISO definition of quality as "the totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs". The document goes on to discuss a meta-model for website evaluation based on the 7 classical loci (who, what, why, where, when, how, by what means) and how this can be applied to build an evaluation model for destination management organization websites specifically.

1. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
IT for Tourism
Managers.
Quality
#10 .:. December 10, 2015
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2. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
What We Are Talking About Today
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1. Standards and ISO – again
2. Quality Evaluation
3. Evaluation Models: Simple vs. Robust
4. Quality as a Standard, and Boolean Fields
5. The 7Loci
“Quality is the totality
of characteristics of an
entity that bear on its
ability to satisfy stated
and implied needs”
(ISO 8402)
#10 .:. December 10, 2015

3. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
Calendar. December 10, 2015
Wednesday, Dec 10
Quality
Is A Way Of Life
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Tuesday, Dec 1st
Digital Devices
Tuesday, Dec 9
Digital Disruptions
#01 .:. November 12, 2015

4. 4
Quality Is A Way Of Life

5. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
The academia has contributed to the definition of a tourism website
evaluation model, currently used to assess
 whether a tourism website “meets the standard”,
 if it should be improved,
 which are its weak points,
 how these weak points can be overcome,
taking into consideration all the involved actors (technicians, creatives, content
providers, owners, managers, community managers, operators, users...).
Not by chance, this evaluation model is based on a standard proposed by ISO
(International Organization for Standardization).
Quality Evaluation
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6. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
We can use any of different evaluation models,
especially if we’re in a hurry…
This is a really simple model…
Let’s try now with a slightly more comprehensive one.
A Simple Evaluation Model
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7. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
A Slightly Stronger Evaluation Model
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Is this website easy to find out? True/False
Do I like it? True/False
Are pieces of information easy to find? True/False
Is it easy to “navigate”? True/False
Does it offer a newsletter? True/False
Can you send a message to it? True/False
In case, does it answer? True/False
In case, does it answer efficiently? True/False
Can you reserve or buy tourism services? True/False
Is this website privately run? True/False
Is it run by a public office? True/False
Why Boolean fields?
Because you can
more easily measure
and compare the
websites quality.

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The ISO Definition
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But…Come on! A solid cornerstone is needed: a standard.
Does a quality standard exist?
Yes, it does. Think for instance of ISO quality certifications: they certify
management systems, about the ability to enhance customer satisfaction in
supplier-customer relationships, and controlling production processes.
Here’s the ISO definition of quality (ISO 8402).
“Quality is
the totality
that bear on its ability
stated and implied needs”.
of characteristics
to satisfy
#10 .:. December 10, 2015
of an entity

9. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
Let’s go back to our question about websites quality.
While doing so, we are starting to approach a meta-model proposed by the
University of Trento (Mariangela Franch, Luisa Mich), which your lecturer
strongly recommends.
This meta-model is based on the ISO definition of quality,
and the way in which our brain structures concepts.
(While talking about design, we already mentioned Donald A. Norman.
Don Norman defines conceptual models as the underlying belief structures
held by people about how something works.)
Approaching Our Meta-Model
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10. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
If we apply the ISO definition
“Quality is the totality of characteristics of an entity that bear on its ability to
satisfy stated and implied needs” (ISO 8402),
to our question about websites quality, we find that
 the “entity” is the website;
 the “stated and implied needs” are the many different requirements
demanded by all the different website stakeholders (technicians, creatives,
content providers, owners, managers, community managers, users...);
 what the evaluation should state is whether the characteristics of the
website “satisfy” the above requirements, or they don’t.
About Website Quality
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11. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
So the fundamental question is: does a website “satisfy” the relevant
requirements demanded by its stakeholders? Or it does not?
It’s a set of “yes or no” choices – no doubt.
Opinions aren’t relevant, here.
Only “Yes or No” options are.
Judged vs. Measured, True/False, Yes/No Boolean fields.
Boolean Fields
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But which are the requirements?
How to find out the requirements?
Is there any model, any methodology, to do so?
Requirements and Methodology
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The loci, from the classical rhetoric.
 QVIS?
 QVID?
 CVR?
 VBI?
 QVANDO?
 QVOMODO?
 QVIBUS AVXILIIS?
The Method of Loci
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The loci, from the classical rhetoric, vs. the Five Ws, or the basic questions of
English journalism.
 QVIS? (Who?)
 QVID? (What?)
 CVR? (Why?)
 VBI? (Where?)
 QVANDO? (When?)
 QVOMODO? (How?)
 QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?)
The Method Of Loci, English Journalism
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15. UniBg .:. IT for Tourism Managers .:. 2015-2016 .:.Roberto Peretta
The 7loci meta-model , based on the classical rhetoric loci and the Five Ws of
English journalism, here with a naming that may be used for websites.
 QVIS? (Who?) Identity
 QVID? (What?) Content
 CVR? (Why?) Services
 VBI? (Where?) Individuation
 QVANDO? (When?) Maintenance
 QVOMODO? (How?) Usability
 QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?) Feasibility
The Method Of Loci, Website Evaluation
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Let’s go deeper now, and
try to apply this meta-
model to build a model
to evaluate DMO websites
specifically.

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The 7Loci in color…
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The loci, and website evaluation
1. Who = Identity
2. What = Content
3. Why = Services
4. Where = Individuation
5. When = Management
6. How = Usability
7. By What Means = Feasibility
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
1. QVIS? (Who?) Identity
 Website identity: logo, brand, environment
 Brand, logo, layout, image
 Different targets?
 Destination identity?
 Destination storytelling?
Identity
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
2. QVID? (What?) Content
 Descriptions? Text content?
 Pictures? Multimedia?
 Downloads?
 Does the content meet the managers’ needs?
 Does the content meet the users’ needs?
 Guides? Audio guides? Apps? Local tourist services?
Content
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
3. CVR? (Why?) Services
 E-commerce. Security, encryption. Privacy
 Copyright, Creative Commons Do the provided services meet the managers’
needs?
 Do the provided services meet the users’ needs?
 Cartography? Meteo?
 Tourism products to purchase: accommodation, tickets, city cards?
Services
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
4. VBI? (Where?) Individuation
 Search engines? (positioning: networks among websites)
 Communication with users? (e-mail, or personal networks)
 Communication among users? (forums, “Web 2.0” – the social networks, too)
 Social networks, web reputation
 Communication among tourism operators? (dynamic business networks,
perhaps Intranets, i.e. a Destination Management System)
Individuation
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
5. QVANDO? (When?) Management
 Is the website regularly updated?
No need to go deeper about this point...
 Events? Fairs? Exhibitions? Concerts? Theater?
Management
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
6. QVOMODO? (How?) Usability
 A navigation menu? Breadcrumbs?
 An internal search engine? A site map?
 Languages?
 404 – File not found?
 download time, hardware & software compliance
 Mobility? Local Wi-Fi coverage? Local apps?
Usability
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The 7loci meta-model to build an evaluation model for DMO websites
7. QVIBUS AVXILIIS? (By what means?) Feasibility
 Resources? Managers? Responsibilities?
 Future developments?
 Business models?
 Local authorities vs. local operators vs. available resources
We won’t be able to evaluate our chosen websites feasibility…
Feasibility
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