CAREER_COUNSELLING_EN

Identifying target groups. When a web page is addressed to a clearly identified target
group (pupils, parents, teachers, people at risk, etc.), it is easy to compile gender-specific,
age-specific, or adapted contents to the social and economic context. Although most
members in the target group will not encounter difficulties in use, there are disabled
clients or who lack competence, time or equipment. The finer-grained the differences
within the target group (e.g. a site exclusively destined to the physically challenged), the
more difficult the adaptation to their needs.

Online need identification. Adequate structure of the menus, as well as the list of
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) allow finding the desired information or guide users
to the necessary information, whether it is on the respective web site, a link to another
specialized site, or referral to a physical counselling centre.

In order to obtain useful information to subsequently improve the web site, there will be a
search track, with a view to identifying navigation styles.

Designing web sites. From the point of view of the strategy adopted in web designing we
distinguish between resource-based and need-based. A principle of counselling
effectiveness is to offer clients exactly the requested information or services, and in the
optimal quantity. There is thus the issue of not over-burdening with information or under-
informing, and the web site can be a filter for clients in greater need of individual help
towards counsellors for a face-to-face session, and for those capable of self-information
towards the most appropriate online resources.

Differences in principle between need-based strategy and resource-based strategy are
summed up by Sampson (2000) in the following table:

Need-based design Resource-based design

Start from the hypothesis that:

• users do not know their information needs


• clients do not have the necessary abilities
  to identify on their own the relevant
  information in the structure of the site
  
  
  • users already know what they want to
    know or they can tell without any difficulty
    if shown what is available
  
  
  
  

Follows the steps:

• identifying target groups


• identifying target users’ needs


• making a specific design of the contents so
  as to adequately respond to users’ needs


• relating needs to relevant resources and
  services
  
  
  • identifying generic target groups
  
  
  • selecting resources adequate to the target
    group
  
  
  • structuring the site after the simple logic of
    available resources
  
  
  
  

Navigation:

• interactive process requiring several clicks
  to find the appropriate resource
  
  
  • finding the desired information is possible
    through direct access or search facilities,
    indices or frequently asked question lists
    Site structure:
  
  
  
  


• stratified, with multiple search levels and
  complex information
  
  
  • simple, direct access to all available
    resources