El Modelo website improvement for

Universal Design
Recommendation Statement for
El Modelo
Presented by Dylan Siracusan

Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................3
Introduction ................................................................................................................4
Methodology & Criteria .............................................................................................4
Possible solutions .......................................................................................................6
Option 1 Hire a designer...........................................................................................6
Option 2 Take design classes ..................................................................................7
Option 3 Create a survey .........................................................................................7
Results ........................................................................................................................7
Conclusion & Recommendation ................................................................................7
Graphics 9
References .................................................................................................................10

Abstract
The purpose of this report is to explore options to improve the accessibility of El Modelos
website and to improve traffic to the website. Improving the website will also improve business
potential to El Modelo. Studies show that a good website improves business to that restaurant
and helps to get the name out easier. My plan of research consists of a five step plan in which I
first explore successful websites to find characteristics present in all or most of them. Next, I will
interview a web designer to determine potential cost of hiring someone to work on the website.
Finally, I compiled my research to refine my solutions. My results were that creating a survey
was the most cost effective solution to improve accessibility. The feedback from actual
customers will help to tailor the website to their wants and needs.

Introduction
Universal design is defined as "The design of products and environments to be usable by
all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design."
(UDI). This includes but is not limited to people with disability, elderly, tall/short people,
pregnant women etc. Universal design ensures that as many people as possible can use the
product or service. As we live in an age of technology, it has become very common to use the
internet to browse for just about anything, including where we would like to eat. I have been
asked to explore ways of making the El Modelo Website more accessible to all. As it stands now,
the website is in a state of inaccessibility. Having an inaccessible website can lead to loss in
business potential as it may scare potential customers away from your products or services due to
the hassle of navigating your website. My goal is to explore options that will improve access to
the website and increase business. Studies show that 81% of customers use their mobile devices
to search for restaurants (GO Digital) this is a very high percentage therefore improving traffic to
El Modelos website will greatly improve chances of business. Going forward, I will be
providing a set by set methodology on my research then, concluding with possible solutions to
the El Modelo website.

Methodology
I have split my research into a five phase plan to determine possible improvements that
can be made to the El Modelo website to make it more accessible.

Step 1. Analysis of the website

The first step of my research was simply going to the website and analyzing it based off certain
criteria. Spritzweb gives an excellent overview of characteristics that are found in many good
websites. These include:
Appearance: The website needs to be visually appealing not only to attract the attention of a
potential customer but also to assist with people who may be visually impaired. Bright colors
next to light text can be difficult to read. Graphics should be used but should not be the main
focus of the site.
Content: This is the substance of the website and should be the main focus once the design is
complete. This is where the site will explain what it is all about and provide the information that
is relevant to what the website is trying to accomplish. In the case of El Modelo this would be for
people to learn about the restaurant, what they offer and to convince them to come down and get
a bite to eat.
Functionality: This is how the components work together. When you click a button labeled
about you expect that to take you somewhere explaining about the website. It is important to
make the website functional so that people will not get frustrated and leave your site without
giving it a chance.
Usability: This is the primary focus of this report and a very important factor to consider. This is
how easily the website can be used by people of different skill levels on computers. Buttons
should be clearly labeled with what they do. Graphics should have easy to read captions
explaining what they do. A computer engineer should have as easy a time navigating the website
as an elderly person what rarely uses computers.

Step 2. Gather information on website design and cost.

I got in touch with a representative from SEO & Website design Albuquerque and was able to get
an interview with Mandy. The main question I will ask is How much does it cost to hire a
designer to create a website? This will provide me with a basis to determine which option will
be the best for El Modelo going forward.

Step 3: Additional information on universal design and accessibility

I found an article from Washington University about principles and guidelines of universal
design. Which provided ample information on what needs to go into the website to make it
accessible. I also found some statistics that explain how an increase in revenue could be made
with having a good website.

Step 4: Compiling data

Once enough information was gathered I began compiling the data into possible solutions that
would improve the overall accessibility and traffic of the El Modelo Website. I focused on
scholarly sources and reputable statistics as these will provide the most reputable and reliable
information going forward.

Step 5. Analyzing options and determining possible solutions

This report focuses on redesigning the website in different ways to allow for more accessibility
and increase revenue as such. The three major options are: Hiring a designer, taking web design
classes or

Results
The quotes presented are based on information provided by SEO & Website design Albuquerque
and website degree center as well as common sense.
Option 1- Hire a designer
Cost - The starting fee is 3000$ and this is for a very basic website that has little features. Mandy
recommended adding a mobile option to the website which would add another 1000$ to the
initial cost. Next, adding pages, graphics and text would increase the price more. In the end, we
came up with about 4500$ for the design and then a yearly 500$ for maintenance and domain
access. This is clearly the easiest option and allows for a professional to rework the website but
also cost significantly more than the other options.
Option 2- Website design classes
Cost- Based on website design classes I looked at, most classes cost about 1000$. Depending on
how many classes would be needed to understand the material. The cost will be about 3000$
based on needing three classes to fully design a website.
This will allow the owner to elect an employee or go himself to website design classes which
will make designing the website easier. This will likely take a lot of time to get a good
understanding of how designing a website works but will likely be the least costly option. In
addition, the creative ideals of the restaurant would be better represented with this option as
someone working for the company would be designing the website.
Option 3- Create a survey

Cost- This option is fairly inexpensive and lets say El Modelo offers 10$ gift cards to everyone
who completes the survey. That would be 2000$ for 200 people which would be a good amount
of feedback that could be used to cater the website to their customers.
El Modelo could create a survey on what customers would like to see out of the website and then
use that feedback to cater to their customers. This option relies heavily on user feedback. One
way they could help get feedback is the people who come in and order could be notified about
the survey and possibly given an incentive to do the survey such as free gift cards. This would
allow them to get the information they need without a huge cost to them.

Analysis of results
Cost effectiveness
Hire a designer-$4,500
Website design classes-$3,000
Create a survey-$2,000
Creating a survey is the most cost effective option.

Personalization on website
Hire a designer- Very good. Personalization is great but cost may rise if needs of website
are too specific
Website design classes- Good. Based on how well the person attending the classes was
able to grasp the material and convey it on the website.

Create a survey-Very good. Feedback from customers will allow you to cater to their
specific needs and adjust the website accordingly.
The most effective options for personalization are hiring a designer or creating a survey.

Recommendation
My recommendation to El Modelo would be to create a survey on how the website can be more
accessible as well as what features people would like to see from the website. This option lets
them cater to everyone they can in addition to being the cheapest of the three options. Giving an
incentive to customers who take the survey will ensure they get the large amount of feedback
possible which in turn will produce the greatest results when the feedback is put into action. The
feedback will need to be incorporated into the website and will result in increased traffic to the
website. Increased traffic to the website will get El Modelos name out there more which will
increase sales. This is my personal recommendation for El Modelo but any of the options will
increase accessibility their site and improve use of their site. Thank you for allowing me to
provide my thoughts on possible solutions to the El Modelo website. I am pleased to be able to
recommend the creation of a survey for the El Modelo website and hope that these solutions help
to improve the website going forward.

Graphics

References
"The 10 Most Affordable Online Web Design Schools." Web Design Degree Center. N.p., 2015. Web. 22
Nov. 2015.
"Articles." Good Website Characteristics. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
"El Modelo Website Improvement." Interview by Dylan A. Siracusan. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
"How a Good Website Drives Restaurant Traffic." GO Digital How a Good Website Drives Restaurant Traffic
Comments. N.p., 14 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
"Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, Principles, Guidelines, and Examples." Universal Design
of Instruction (UDI): Definition, Principles, Guidelines, and Examples. Washington University, n.d. Web. 25
Nov. 2015.
"Website" El Modelo Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015..