Web Site Evaluation & Presentation

    The primary purpose of the web site evaluation and presentation exercise is to help you see how well the concepts that we discuss in class are applied on the web sites used by accounting professionals.  After you complete the exercise you should:

• Understand how to evaluate web sites;
• Know how accounting professionals are using web sites to help fulfill business mission; and
• Be more comfortable and skilled with professional presentations.

Since it is a team learning task, you also should improve your abilities to work cooperatively, resolve conflicts, and manage team efforts so as to accomplish team goals.

    You will form teams  of four people (of your own choice) during the second week of the term. Each team will select or be assigned a public accounting firm that has a web site.  Each team must access and evaluate the assigned firm's web site, using the required Web Site Evaluation Form:

• First, each team member should do this independently, so that the team members do not influence each other.

• Second, the team must prepare a summary or composite evaluation based on the individual evaluations.

• Third, the team must write a cover letter to the web site's manager/administrator that

  • introduces the team and why it is writing,

  • explains the criteria that were used in the review process, and

  • summarizes the critical points mentioned in the summary evaluation from the second step.

  This letter and the summary evaluation will be sent to the firm after I have reviewed the draft documents.  (Right click here to download the required pro forma (boilerplate) transmittal letter and click here to download the pro forma evaluation form.)

• Finally, the team must present its evaluation to the class, in a presentation in which each team member must speak. The presentation should be delivered as though the audience consists of the partners of the accounting firm.

    Grading will be based on the quality of the team's 1) application of the assessment criteria to the assigned web site, 2) letter to the site's manager/administrator, and 3) classroom presentation about the web site and their recommendations. (See the professional communications grading criteria sheet.) The suggested format for the slideshow presentation is:

• Facts- identify the firm's information; identify the evaluator information.
• Issues- list and briefly explain each of the evaluation criteria.
• Authorities- describe the tools used to assess each evaluation criteria and your results
• Conclusion- present your opinion about the web site's overall effectiveness, supported by the results for each criteria.

    A team member may be "fired" by the unanimous consent of the other team members if those team members believe that the individual to be fired has not contributed to or is acting in a manner that is detrimental to the team effort and does not respond to reasonable requests to act more professionally. The remaining team members will be responsible for completing the project as a team and will be graded accordingly. Since the accounting profession and leading accounting educators have made it clear that the ability to work in a team is an essential skill for accounting professionals, the fired individual will receive zero points for the assignment.

Click here to see suggestions for presentations.

Teams

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