For your current company or one that you've covered in this course, explain in a blog post:
I will use two organization's I've used in the past when answering these questions. Those organizations are Redline Auto Service and ITEC.
How open does the company appear to be to the recommendations of a web analyst?
Both these organizations would be open to the recommendations made by a web analyst. In fact I know ITEC has has had some web analysis conducted by a third party. Redline Auto Service on the other hand hasn't and would likely be more open because of this.
Are they a data-driven organization (from what you can tell)? Why?
I wouldn't consider Redline Auto Service to be very data-driven, though data can always be useful. This company provides auto repair services which isn't too dependent on data. ITEC on the other hand is very data-driven. They need data related to where they should focus efforts, who is interested in their services, and how effective they have been performing. All of this is important information that can be obtained through data.
What are 3 things that you might do to change their company culture to be data-driven (or moreso)?
The first thing in any organization is to show them the important of data. Research should be done to try and find what sort of positive impacts it can make for an organization, preferably a related one. Once this is accomplished then a proper examination should be conducted on the needs of the organization. This should involve several members of the organization and the goal is to develop important metrics for data processing. A third thing I would do is try to make the whole thing exciting and if possible fun. Many people don't find data to be that interesting but they do like results. Taking a sample of data and showing the organizational leaders how it transcribes into something business related may get them more on board to work it into their culture.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Hiring Analysts
Do some searching on LinkedIn or other
resume sites. Select a person who would be a top selection for the job
selected previously. In a blog post, share who you picked and why.
It was a bit difficult answering this question as I was unable to view actual resumes on LinkedIn or other sites. I did however find one which I was able to. On this site I found the following person seeking any career in 'web/internet/digital marketing' (http://www.jobspider.com/job/view-resume-55004.html). I believe this candidate could fulfill the job requirements in my previous blog post.
What skills and experience do they have that fits the job?
They hold a bachelors in marketing as well as an internship in promotional advertising and workshops in things like blogging, social media, web design, AdWords, mobile marketing and more. In addition to this they have knowledge and experience in e-commerce and have even worked as an e-commerce marketing manager for six years.
How would you interview them to see if they'd be a good pick?
Due to the location of this individual I would first contact them to see if they were interested in a phone interview and then either conduct one then or set it up for the near future if they are busy. If they are able to do it immediately then it's perfect time to test the individual's knowledge as they would have not been able to prepare. Assuming the impression was positive then the individual could be flown out for a more official interview.
What particular traits would you look for?
I'd look for knowledge and experience, things I believe every interview looks for. Queering the person to see if they hold firm knowledge on relevant items would be done. For the job I choose it would be questions in relation to web analytical software as well as marketing ideas and strategies. Asking information on previous work and how they think they can improve web content/traffic should also be done.
It was a bit difficult answering this question as I was unable to view actual resumes on LinkedIn or other sites. I did however find one which I was able to. On this site I found the following person seeking any career in 'web/internet/digital marketing' (http://www.jobspider.com/job/view-resume-55004.html). I believe this candidate could fulfill the job requirements in my previous blog post.
What skills and experience do they have that fits the job?
They hold a bachelors in marketing as well as an internship in promotional advertising and workshops in things like blogging, social media, web design, AdWords, mobile marketing and more. In addition to this they have knowledge and experience in e-commerce and have even worked as an e-commerce marketing manager for six years.
How would you interview them to see if they'd be a good pick?
Due to the location of this individual I would first contact them to see if they were interested in a phone interview and then either conduct one then or set it up for the near future if they are busy. If they are able to do it immediately then it's perfect time to test the individual's knowledge as they would have not been able to prepare. Assuming the impression was positive then the individual could be flown out for a more official interview.
What particular traits would you look for?
I'd look for knowledge and experience, things I believe every interview looks for. Queering the person to see if they hold firm knowledge on relevant items would be done. For the job I choose it would be questions in relation to web analytical software as well as marketing ideas and strategies. Asking information on previous work and how they think they can improve web content/traffic should also be done.
Web Analytics Jobs
Do a search online for web analytics
jobs. Do some research on ways that you could increase your skills and
knowledge of web analytics. In a blog post:
The web analytics job posting which I used to answer this question can be found here: https://www1.apply2jobs.com/entertainment/profext/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=455
The job title is 'Marketing Manager, Web Analytics & Reporting' and it's at Entertainment Promotions in Ann Arbor.
Because my degree will be in Information Technology instead of Marketing I would need to somehow gain or show I can satisfy the more marketing related aspects of the job. One way to make up for this can be through certifications. I did a little research and found that Google offers a certification for their analytical software (https://google.starttest.com/). I imagine there are other certifications out there as well. In addition there are marketing certifications that can be obtained.
Besides the educational requirements I think being able to show an effective understanding of web analytics would get you far towards a job. I would consider creating a site or blog and using free web software show that I both understand it and the reason for it. A bonus from this is that it could be used to also show the ability to increase things like site visibility and/or user satisfaction.
A third thing I could do is become more acquainted with the other software the organization is using, and then some. By having a background with as many types available a person becomes more appealing by being able to adapt or offer suggestions that otherwise may have required the organization more resources.
The web analytics job posting which I used to answer this question can be found here: https://www1.apply2jobs.com/entertainment/profext/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=455
The job title is 'Marketing Manager, Web Analytics & Reporting' and it's at Entertainment Promotions in Ann Arbor.
Why did you choose this job?
The main reason I choose this job was because it's in Michigan so I wouldn't have to move far and would remain in a reasonable distance to my family.
What key skills are required?
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Marketing
- 3 to 5 years ecommerce marketing experience
- Proven ability to deliver valuable business insights based on multiple web and consumer data sources. Background with online marketing measurement tools such as preferably CoreMetrics, Omniture, E-Dialog, AdWords, DoubleClick, Google Analytics and business database tools such as Business Objects
- Demonstrated understanding of ecommerce/direct marketing and relationship between website behavior and profitability
- Strong understanding of A/B and multivariate testing.
- Ability to plan, organize, and establish priorities with significant creative, analytical, logical, and strategic thinking skills
- Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills to interact effectively as either a leader or as a member of a team and work collaboratively with other departments.
- Must be creative, adaptive, and achievement-oriented
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and successfully meet deadlines in fast-paced environment
- Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook
What would you do to make yourself more attractive for this job? Share 3 specific activities.
Because my degree will be in Information Technology instead of Marketing I would need to somehow gain or show I can satisfy the more marketing related aspects of the job. One way to make up for this can be through certifications. I did a little research and found that Google offers a certification for their analytical software (https://google.starttest.com/). I imagine there are other certifications out there as well. In addition there are marketing certifications that can be obtained.
Besides the educational requirements I think being able to show an effective understanding of web analytics would get you far towards a job. I would consider creating a site or blog and using free web software show that I both understand it and the reason for it. A bonus from this is that it could be used to also show the ability to increase things like site visibility and/or user satisfaction.
A third thing I could do is become more acquainted with the other software the organization is using, and then some. By having a background with as many types available a person becomes more appealing by being able to adapt or offer suggestions that otherwise may have required the organization more resources.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Measurement Plan for Higher Learning
Choose a college or university and in a
blog post, follow the steps in KDP's reading to setup a measurement
plan. Explain any choices or recommendations you've made.
I'll use Lansing Community College for this blog post simply because using Lawrence Technological University would have been too expected.
Step 1: Identify and Prioritize Your Audiences
The audience for this school would be the students, both new and old, staff, faculty, local communities, other schools, government and more. I would prioritize the students above all else since that is the 'consumer' so to speak. Faculty and staff are also important as they will be the ones educating students and maintaining the overall functioning of the university. Government should also be prioritized high as they are relied upon for grants, loans, and other funding. LCC has education alliances with many other Michigan colleges/universities so it is also important to keep that in mind. A good relationship should be maintained with rest of the audience though the focus should always be directed at and around the students.
Step 2: Define Your Objectives and Get Everyone on the Same Page
LCC's main objective is to prepare students for success in their chosen field. This may mean the proper education and training to fulfill a specific job or offering some students the chance to acquire and transfer credits at a lower price than a larger school. Graduation rate and the rate of employment of further education are possible measures for this.
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark
A benchmark can be created with previous information as well as those from other schools. These will allow the organization to gauge whether it has improved as well as how it measures with other schools. Because the school is smaller it may need to compare its results to specific career fields or just to those of other community colleges.
Step 4: Pick a Measurement Tool and Collect Data
Measurements can be conducted with that is being said about the organization by traditional media or over social media sites. Web analytical tools can be done to this. Graduation rates are easily figured out from existing information within the organization. Surveys can also be used to get the opinions of students, communities, employers, and other audiences.
Step 5: Analyze the Data, Glean Insight, Make Changes, and Measure Again
Once the data is gathered it can be transformed into relevant information. This information can then be used by the college to determine what needs to be altered to better steer the school towards its goal. If something is doing poorly then a deeper examination can uncover what is causing the issue. For example a particular department could be lowering the overall graduation rate so that department should be changed in some way and then measured again to see if the changes created the desired impact.
I'll use Lansing Community College for this blog post simply because using Lawrence Technological University would have been too expected.
Step 1: Identify and Prioritize Your Audiences
The audience for this school would be the students, both new and old, staff, faculty, local communities, other schools, government and more. I would prioritize the students above all else since that is the 'consumer' so to speak. Faculty and staff are also important as they will be the ones educating students and maintaining the overall functioning of the university. Government should also be prioritized high as they are relied upon for grants, loans, and other funding. LCC has education alliances with many other Michigan colleges/universities so it is also important to keep that in mind. A good relationship should be maintained with rest of the audience though the focus should always be directed at and around the students.
Step 2: Define Your Objectives and Get Everyone on the Same Page
LCC's main objective is to prepare students for success in their chosen field. This may mean the proper education and training to fulfill a specific job or offering some students the chance to acquire and transfer credits at a lower price than a larger school. Graduation rate and the rate of employment of further education are possible measures for this.
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark
A benchmark can be created with previous information as well as those from other schools. These will allow the organization to gauge whether it has improved as well as how it measures with other schools. Because the school is smaller it may need to compare its results to specific career fields or just to those of other community colleges.
Step 4: Pick a Measurement Tool and Collect Data
Measurements can be conducted with that is being said about the organization by traditional media or over social media sites. Web analytical tools can be done to this. Graduation rates are easily figured out from existing information within the organization. Surveys can also be used to get the opinions of students, communities, employers, and other audiences.
Step 5: Analyze the Data, Glean Insight, Make Changes, and Measure Again
Once the data is gathered it can be transformed into relevant information. This information can then be used by the college to determine what needs to be altered to better steer the school towards its goal. If something is doing poorly then a deeper examination can uncover what is causing the issue. For example a particular department could be lowering the overall graduation rate so that department should be changed in some way and then measured again to see if the changes created the desired impact.
Distance Learning Case Study Discussion
Based on the case study in the reading, in a blog post, explain how you
would recommend Lawrence Technological University measure the
effectiveness of their online learning programs?
One way that I think a school like LTU can measure the effectiveness of its online learning programs is by measuring the graduation and employment percentage of graduates within a set amount of time. There needs to be some benchmark to compare this to so I would also measure the same things for more traditional schooling options as well as comparing the information to other schools. Surveys can also be used to gauge how the student's educational experience was. I would also like to survey businesses that have hired in graduates from both a long-distance and traditional education and see how their satisfaction with each of the groups are. Internships are a particularly good candidate for measuring the last part about employer satisfaction.
Back up your recommendations.
The reasons I would measure these things is because I believe they give an overall picture of whether or not the program is functioning effectively. Graduation rates are always important to measure and can help expose any flaws in the system. Employment rates are equally, if not more important because it measures whether the education the school is providing is satisfying industry requirements. Surveying employers can also get an idea on this. Student surveys on the other hand are a narrower scope which can again help to find problems to improve upon, or highlight something the school is doing particularly well.
Who are their audiences and what can a good and bad relationship with each do to LTU?
LTU has a large potential audience. Of course there is the students and candidate students which the university relies upon for its existence. However the school must also keep in mind the public, employers and even the government. This is because each will have some sort of requirement or expectation from the school. Employers expect graduates to be properly educated in their respective field and capable of doing a job well done. Though the university is private it still has to adhere to certain regulations to receive public subsides like tax exemption and student loans/grants. A poor relationship with any of these could mean a school loses credibility, funding, students, etc. which could spell disaster.
What types of communications does LTU use? In your personal experience, are the communications effective? Why or why not?
I can't say I know what all the types of communications LTU uses but they seem to have created visibility across at least the state of Michigan. I learned about the school while attending community college and found they had an academic alliance program going with that school. There has been some confusion with some programs however and one school saying one thing and the other something else. This is clear problem in communication that should be rectified. Overall though I'd say the school has pretty effective communication.
One way that I think a school like LTU can measure the effectiveness of its online learning programs is by measuring the graduation and employment percentage of graduates within a set amount of time. There needs to be some benchmark to compare this to so I would also measure the same things for more traditional schooling options as well as comparing the information to other schools. Surveys can also be used to gauge how the student's educational experience was. I would also like to survey businesses that have hired in graduates from both a long-distance and traditional education and see how their satisfaction with each of the groups are. Internships are a particularly good candidate for measuring the last part about employer satisfaction.
Back up your recommendations.
The reasons I would measure these things is because I believe they give an overall picture of whether or not the program is functioning effectively. Graduation rates are always important to measure and can help expose any flaws in the system. Employment rates are equally, if not more important because it measures whether the education the school is providing is satisfying industry requirements. Surveying employers can also get an idea on this. Student surveys on the other hand are a narrower scope which can again help to find problems to improve upon, or highlight something the school is doing particularly well.
Who are their audiences and what can a good and bad relationship with each do to LTU?
LTU has a large potential audience. Of course there is the students and candidate students which the university relies upon for its existence. However the school must also keep in mind the public, employers and even the government. This is because each will have some sort of requirement or expectation from the school. Employers expect graduates to be properly educated in their respective field and capable of doing a job well done. Though the university is private it still has to adhere to certain regulations to receive public subsides like tax exemption and student loans/grants. A poor relationship with any of these could mean a school loses credibility, funding, students, etc. which could spell disaster.
What types of communications does LTU use? In your personal experience, are the communications effective? Why or why not?
I can't say I know what all the types of communications LTU uses but they seem to have created visibility across at least the state of Michigan. I learned about the school while attending community college and found they had an academic alliance program going with that school. There has been some confusion with some programs however and one school saying one thing and the other something else. This is clear problem in communication that should be rectified. Overall though I'd say the school has pretty effective communication.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Content Analysis for Nonprofits
For your chosen non-profit, perform a content analysis. Share your findings.
I will again use ITEC as the nonprofit for this blog post which as I explain in my last blog post is an organization local to the Lansing area that aims to increase STEM skills in children and adults. Due to the size of the organization there isn't a very large amount of coverage online though there are several spots in local news publications and networks. In addition there is some content concerning the organization in social media sites like twitter and facebook.
The majority of the news media content has been focused on explaining the organization itself or the launch of a new project. Generally though these spots have been done in such a way that will generate a positive feeling about the organization upon watching them. I couldn't find any negative content concerning the organization so I assume that the organization carries a positive image. However I also think most people are unaware of the organization's existence which is something that should be worked on improving.
I will again use ITEC as the nonprofit for this blog post which as I explain in my last blog post is an organization local to the Lansing area that aims to increase STEM skills in children and adults. Due to the size of the organization there isn't a very large amount of coverage online though there are several spots in local news publications and networks. In addition there is some content concerning the organization in social media sites like twitter and facebook.
What does the world and media think about the nonprofit?
The majority of the news media content has been focused on explaining the organization itself or the launch of a new project. Generally though these spots have been done in such a way that will generate a positive feeling about the organization upon watching them. I couldn't find any negative content concerning the organization so I assume that the organization carries a positive image. However I also think most people are unaware of the organization's existence which is something that should be worked on improving.
Does this match their own messaging?
Yes. In fact a lot of the news content is just interviews with the organization's CEO in which he explains what ITEC is about and what it hopes to achieve. A few focus on a particular program but still manage to highlight the organizations message while covering that.
What recommendations do you have to improve their communications?
As mentioned before steps need to be taken to increasing the organizations visibility. Getting more involved in the community and sponsoring or running events are good ways to generate more interest. Social media can also be better utilized to generate online traffic and to better communicate with the public. Blogging is one thing I think that can be done to accomplish this. The organization also has a youtube channel which does get some attention but could use more to draw in people and communicate the organization's goal.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Measurement Plan for Nonprofit
Choose a non-profit and follow the steps in
KDP's reading to setup a measurement plan. In a blog post, explain
each step and back up any recommendations you make.
For this assignment I choose to use the nonprofit I currently look for based here in Lansing. That nonprofit is the Information Technology Empowerment Center (ITEC) which drives to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) skills in those of low-income homes or at-risk youth. This somewhat covers the first two steps of a measurement plan but I'll go into more detail.
Step 1: Use your mission to define your objectives.
So as mentioned the objective of the organization is to develop STEM skills in the Lansing area with a focus on low-income or disadvantaged homes or communities. Currently the focus is on building required computer skills in adults and making children excited about science, math and related areas of education. Some objectives to accomplish this mission would be to secure and raise a source of required resources such as funds, staff and volunteers, locations, etc. Increasing the organizations reputation and visibility in a positive way is another objective. Ensuring the organization is on the right path towards its mission is another important objective to measure.
Step 2: Identify and Prioritize Your Audience.
The audience is currently limited mostly to those in the capital area but most focused in the Lansing area. The audience who should be prioritized above all else is those the organization seeks to help. This would be those individuals who need more education or experience in STEM areas. Currently there is programs for adults and children mostly in the fourth to sixth grade. Schools, donors, employees, and volunteers are also stakeholders in the organization.Michigan State University and Lansing Community College are two higher education institutions that support ITEC in some way. The organization also operates in several schools and community centers to offer after school programs so students at those schools or children in the surrounding area are also important individuals of interest.
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark
A benchmark should be created using information from similar organizations as well as information from previous years. This information can be used to compare future results with for many areas. Cost effectiveness, resource procurement, and mission impact are all important things to benchmark and measure.
Step 4: Pick Your Metric
Examples for this organization are:
- Percent satisfaction of target audience.
- Maintaining a certain amount of funding or even increasing it by a certain amount/percentage.
- The amount of publicity or visibility of the organization.
- Positive reputation percentage among the community.
Step 5: Pick A Measurement Tool
Surveys can be used to get an idea on audience satisfaction as well gauge reputation. However web analytical tools can also be used to get some input from social media and news sites as well as measuring any changes in site traffic/activity. Financial tools can be used to measure the funding of the organization.
Step 6: Analyze Results and Make Changes
Perhaps even more important to nonprofits than for-profits is the analyzing of results. An organization needs to be aware of whether or not it is making positive growth and for a nonprofit these results may mean the difference between further funding or the loss of it. If an organization is seen to be under performing to a benchmark or goal then it needs to examine its parts to get back on the right track.
For this assignment I choose to use the nonprofit I currently look for based here in Lansing. That nonprofit is the Information Technology Empowerment Center (ITEC) which drives to develop science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) skills in those of low-income homes or at-risk youth. This somewhat covers the first two steps of a measurement plan but I'll go into more detail.
Step 1: Use your mission to define your objectives.
So as mentioned the objective of the organization is to develop STEM skills in the Lansing area with a focus on low-income or disadvantaged homes or communities. Currently the focus is on building required computer skills in adults and making children excited about science, math and related areas of education. Some objectives to accomplish this mission would be to secure and raise a source of required resources such as funds, staff and volunteers, locations, etc. Increasing the organizations reputation and visibility in a positive way is another objective. Ensuring the organization is on the right path towards its mission is another important objective to measure.
Step 2: Identify and Prioritize Your Audience.
The audience is currently limited mostly to those in the capital area but most focused in the Lansing area. The audience who should be prioritized above all else is those the organization seeks to help. This would be those individuals who need more education or experience in STEM areas. Currently there is programs for adults and children mostly in the fourth to sixth grade. Schools, donors, employees, and volunteers are also stakeholders in the organization.Michigan State University and Lansing Community College are two higher education institutions that support ITEC in some way. The organization also operates in several schools and community centers to offer after school programs so students at those schools or children in the surrounding area are also important individuals of interest.
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark
A benchmark should be created using information from similar organizations as well as information from previous years. This information can be used to compare future results with for many areas. Cost effectiveness, resource procurement, and mission impact are all important things to benchmark and measure.
Step 4: Pick Your Metric
Examples for this organization are:
- Percent satisfaction of target audience.
- Maintaining a certain amount of funding or even increasing it by a certain amount/percentage.
- The amount of publicity or visibility of the organization.
- Positive reputation percentage among the community.
Step 5: Pick A Measurement Tool
Surveys can be used to get an idea on audience satisfaction as well gauge reputation. However web analytical tools can also be used to get some input from social media and news sites as well as measuring any changes in site traffic/activity. Financial tools can be used to measure the funding of the organization.
Step 6: Analyze Results and Make Changes
Perhaps even more important to nonprofits than for-profits is the analyzing of results. An organization needs to be aware of whether or not it is making positive growth and for a nonprofit these results may mean the difference between further funding or the loss of it. If an organization is seen to be under performing to a benchmark or goal then it needs to examine its parts to get back on the right track.
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