sampling and use cases

Hi all,

while following the discussion about page sampling I feel more and more
uncomfortable discussing this important issue without haven't discussed and
described use cases. I fear that we as participants of this TF might have
different cases in mind when discussing evaluation methodologies and that we
are taking the second step before the first. 

Imagine the case of a comparative study of 50 or even more websites, for
sure we will need a "representative sample of a website" and there also
might be a need for a ranking which is not possible without a score in one
way or another. Imagine the case of a website with just 200 or 100 or 50
pages. Is there an objective need for testing just a representative sample?
A score (percents, points, or whatever)? And in a comparative study of 100
smaller websites I'm sure again a sample is needed.

The policy of a testing organization will differ and the needs of clients
also. Some might have a strict separation of testing and consulting, some
might not have a strict separation. In the first case a client pays first
for the test and after for the consulting. In the second case probably the
testing organization might document the barriers and write how to solve
those barriers, in this case the consulting is an integral part of the test
itself. At the first glance it looks just like two different policies, but
it is more. Will our methodology be open enough for these two cases?

Probably there is not the one and only evaluation methodology.

Best

Kerstin

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Kerstin Probiesch - Accessibility Consultant
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Tel.: 06421 167002
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Received on Sunday, 18 December 2011 11:03:05 UTC