Slides for the plenary talk on "The Personalised University" presented at the IWMW 2000 event held at the University of Bath on 6-8 September 2000. See http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2000/sessions .html#sanders

1. The Personalised UniversityThe Personalised University
Clifford SandersClifford Sanders
Online Projects ManagerOnline Projects Manager
Gareth McAleeseGareth McAleese
Web Development ManagerWeb Development Manager

2. Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview
 Customisation and Personalisation what areCustomisation and Personalisation what are
they?they?
 Why Personalise?Why Personalise?
 Personalisation ComponentsPersonalisation Components
 Visitor Relationship MarketingVisitor Relationship Marketing
 Privacy ConcernsPrivacy Concerns
 My University of UlsterMy University of Ulster
 Some Summary PointsSome Summary Points

3. What is CustomisationWhat is Customisation
 User driven processUser driven process
 Gives the user the control over theGives the user the control over the
interactioninteraction
 Allows the user to change the appearanceAllows the user to change the appearance
and importance of informationand importance of information
 Allows users to define their interests using aAllows users to define their interests using a
questionnaire approachquestionnaire approach
 Information is ‘Information is ‘rememberedremembered’ between visits’ between visits
 UU ‘Who am I’UU ‘Who am I’

4. What is Personalisation?What is Personalisation?
 Knowledge driven experienceKnowledge driven experience
 Behavior – basedBehavior – based
 Is an ongoing incremental processIs an ongoing incremental process
 Content tailored to individuals based onContent tailored to individuals based on
knowledge about their preferences andknowledge about their preferences and
behaviorbehavior
 Enables you to quickly and easily tailor theEnables you to quickly and easily tailor the
experiences of your visitors and customersexperiences of your visitors and customers
across all your interaction pointsacross all your interaction points
 Customer Profile -Customer Profile - Leverage History to PushLeverage History to Push
“The Right Information at The Right Time”“The Right Information at The Right Time”

5. Why Personalise?Why Personalise?
 Get to know your visitorsGet to know your visitors
 Treat them as individualsTreat them as individuals
 Deliver more appropriate contentDeliver more appropriate content
 Provide added valueProvide added value
 Improve your customer serviceImprove your customer service
 Make the site easier to use – we’ll tell youMake the site easier to use – we’ll tell you
what you need to knowwhat you need to know
 Large websites - makes information easierLarge websites - makes information easier
to find (or more correctly target information)to find (or more correctly target information)

6. ““Users of personalized sitesUsers of personalized sites
view at least 10 times moreview at least 10 times more
pages then the four to fivepages then the four to five
page views common onpage views common on
a non-personalized site”a non-personalized site”
Source: Internet.comSource: Internet.com

7. ““Sites who fail to provideSites who fail to provide
relevant content and helpfulrelevant content and helpful
functionality drive awayfunctionality drive away
approximately 40% of repeatapproximately 40% of repeat
traffic”traffic”
Source: Forrester ResearchSource: Forrester Research

8. Personalisation RequiresPersonalisation Requires
 A different approach to website design andA different approach to website design and
implementation – content separated fromimplementation – content separated from
design and its delivery method/channeldesign and its delivery method/channel
 Content to be tagged at a granular levelContent to be tagged at a granular level
 Closer interaction with the completeCloser interaction with the complete
business – integration with your offlinebusiness – integration with your offline
activityactivity

9. Personalisation ComponentsPersonalisation Components
 The Key componentsThe Key components
 User ProfileUser Profile
 PreferencesPreferences
 PlatformsPlatforms
 ProcessesProcesses

10. User ProfileUser Profile
 Information on Visitors and customers (e.g.Information on Visitors and customers (e.g.
registration data)registration data)
 Information on their browsing behaviour andInformation on their browsing behaviour and
purchases (e.g. click streams)purchases (e.g. click streams)
 Events (searches and data/form feedback)Events (searches and data/form feedback)
 Use of Data Mining / Artificial Intelligence toUse of Data Mining / Artificial Intelligence to
deduce new rulesdeduce new rules
 A rich profile isA rich profile is The KeyThe Key to personalisationto personalisation

11. PlatformsPlatforms
 Information on delivery channels, www, wap,Information on delivery channels, www, wap,
call center (call me) etccall center (call me) etc
 User preferences for each channel (call workUser preferences for each channel (call work
number during day, home in evenings)number during day, home in evenings)

12. Business RulesBusiness Rules
 Explicitly defined rulesExplicitly defined rules
 Constantly evolving (or should be)Constantly evolving (or should be)
 Can sometimes be hard to expressCan sometimes be hard to express
electronicallyelectronically

13. Rules EngineRules Engine
 A system for applying the rules either onlineA system for applying the rules either online
or offlineor offline
 Adaptive, using Data-Mining/AI techniquesAdaptive, using Data-Mining/AI techniques
to deduce new rules based on other visitorto deduce new rules based on other visitor
patternspatterns

14. Visitor Relationship MarketingVisitor Relationship Marketing
 Establishing relationshipsEstablishing relationships
 Two way information flow - feedback onTwo way information flow - feedback on
product rangeproduct range
 Enhanced service elements/response times/Enhanced service elements/response times/
one-to-one contact with customersone-to-one contact with customers
 Mutual rewards and commitment (loyaltyMutual rewards and commitment (loyalty
scheme)scheme)
 Customer RetentionCustomer Retention
 Less running costs once establishedLess running costs once established

15. Privacy IssuesPrivacy Issues
 Key principles of consent, fairness andKey principles of consent, fairness and
transparencytransparency
 Shopping with a ski mask onShopping with a ski mask on
 Driving without license platesDriving without license plates
 Big Brother is watching youBig Brother is watching you
 Data Protection / Freedom of Information ActsData Protection / Freedom of Information Acts
 When it goes wrongWhen it goes wrong
 Intel, DoubleClick, Amazon buying circles...Intel, DoubleClick, Amazon buying circles...
 The Key is toThe Key is to “Remember information for“Remember information for
people, not about them”people, not about them”

16. Some Example SitesSome Example Sites
 www.amazon.comwww.amazon.com
 www.blackstar.co.ukwww.blackstar.co.uk
 www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk

29. My University of UlsterMy University of Ulster
 Driven From Marketing PerspectiveDriven From Marketing Perspective
 User ‘Portals’User ‘Portals’
 My IntranetMy Intranet
 My StudentWebMy StudentWeb
 My VisitorMy Visitor
 Implementation of a Content ManagementImplementation of a Content Management
System (probably Zope)System (probably Zope)
 Data Warehouse – User ProfileData Warehouse – User Profile
 Rules EngineRules Engine

31. My University of Ulster…My University of Ulster…
 All courses held in a central databaseAll courses held in a central database
 Searchable by selecting optionsSearchable by selecting options
 Response given on screen, sent by email orResponse given on screen, sent by email or
printedprinted
 University gathers information on customerUniversity gathers information on customer
preferencespreferences
 Register for updates / new course info etcRegister for updates / new course info etc
 Problem: will service element be matchedProblem: will service element be matched
by conventional approach?by conventional approach?

32. My University of Ulster…My University of Ulster…
 Campaign ManagementCampaign Management
 Integrating offline marketing activitiesIntegrating offline marketing activities
 News and EventsNews and Events
 Integration of email with website (weeklyIntegration of email with website (weekly
update)update)
 Alumni PortalAlumni Portal
 Student Recruitment PortalStudent Recruitment Portal

33. My University of Ulster…My University of Ulster…
 Customisation (Customisation (donedone))
 Content Management System (Content Management System (donedone))
 Custom DB (Custom DB (donedone))
 Moving towards ZOPE (Moving towards ZOPE (next 12 monthsnext 12 months))
 Profile Data Warehouse (Profile Data Warehouse (50%50%))
 Simple profiles developed – will develop asSimple profiles developed – will develop as
personalisation system developspersonalisation system develops
 Personalisation (Personalisation (next big stepnext big step))

34. SummarySummary
 RequiresRequires
 a clearly thought out Internet policya clearly thought out Internet policy
 Highly competent technical teamHighly competent technical team
 Benefits (Visitor)Benefits (Visitor)
 Saves Time & MoneySaves Time & Money
 Better InformationBetter Information

35. The FutureThe Future
 Integration of other mediums – Call Centre,Integration of other mediums – Call Centre,
WAP, Digital Televisions etc.WAP, Digital Televisions etc.
 Delivery of mass open and distance learningDelivery of mass open and distance learning
programsprograms
 Technology watch – what's around theTechnology watch – what's around the
cornercorner