## 1.1 Purpose
This document specifies the requirements for Rev2 of the Get Real website (http://getreal.ous.edu) and its associated support pages, scheduled for summer of 2007. The website's primary purpose is to attract and encourage Oregon high school students to pursue coursework that leads to a baccalaureate degree in computer science (CS) at one of the seven Oregon University System campuses.

## 1.2 Scope
The software product to be produced is the Get Real website, accessible at http://getreal.ous.edu, along with its associated support pages.

The Get Real website aims to provide a high school teen-friendly set of web pages that are easy to navigate while offering sufficient depth and information about careers in computer science. It will serve as a resource for two primary groups of Oregon high school students: those already interested in computer science seeking in-depth career information, and college-bound students who may be attracted to a computer science career through compelling information on the site.

The application's core objective is to attract and encourage Oregon high school students to pursue coursework leading toward a baccalaureate degree in computer science at one of the seven Oregon University System campuses. The overarching goal is to increase the number of Oregon students who choose computer science and related majors, ultimately leading to an increase in computer science graduates from Oregon universities.

Key benefits for users of the site include:
*   Access to personal and career information from a broad spectrum of computer science professionals.
*   Information on computer science courses and other relevant details from Oregon University System campuses.
*   Timely and up-to-date information, potentially including Q&A sections, designed to encourage repeat visits.
*   Clear calls to action and actionable plans for students to follow in preparation for a computer science career.

[N/A]

### 1.3.1 Product perspective

The Get Real website (version 2) is an update of the existing Get Real website version 1. A future version 3 may be needed to incorporate ideas learned from version 2.

The Get Real site operates as an extension of the Oregon University System (OUS) website (e.g., getreal.ous.edu). Being part of the OUS domain is intended to maximize search engine visibility. The site is hosted on Oregon State University (OSU) servers.

The copyright and other security measures for Get Real are expected to be consistent with those of the OUS site. Similarly, web design conventions should adhere to the standards and conventions used on the OUS site.

#### System interfaces

The Get Real website interfaces with the Oregon University System (OUS) domain and infrastructure, operating as an extension of the main OUS site. It is hosted on OSU servers. Its security measures and web design conventions are tied to OUS standards.

#### User interfaces

The Get Real site is required to function correctly and be tested across multiple web browsers, specifically Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Netscape.

#### Hardware interfaces

There are no special hardware interface requirements for the Get Real website.

#### Software interfaces

There are no special software interface requirements for the Get Real website.

#### Communications interfaces

There are no special communication interface requirements for the Get Real website.

#### Memory constraints

Constraints related to "Space" are identified, which implies limitations on primary and secondary memory or storage capacity.

#### Operations

The operation of the Get Real website is subject to the limited availability of Chancellor’s Office resources. Specific operational tasks include the need for web design resources (X hours per week) for editing URLs for RSS feeds. There is also a requirement for ongoing tracking and evaluation of website "hits" and user engagement time, with subsequent content, design, and navigation changes based on these evaluations.

#### Site adaptation requirements

[N/A]

#### Interfaces with services

[N/A]

### 1.3.2 Product functions

The Get Real website will provide the following major functions to attract and encourage Oregon high school students to pursue computer science degrees:

*   **Exploring College:** Provide information on computer science offerings from Oregon University System campuses and other Oregon colleges.
*   **Jobs & Money:** Offer answers to questions regarding societal contributions and earning potential with a computer science degree.
*   **Real People:** Showcase profiles of recent computer science graduates and experienced professionals in diverse CS and related careers, potentially utilizing video or audio.
*   **Women in Computer Science:** Profile women computer scientists and engineers, highlighting their roles in problem-solving and community involvement.
*   **Resources:** Provide information on a wide range of pre-college technology programs and courses for high school students.
*   **I’m Looking For...:** Offer a list of focused questions and answers with internal links to relevant topics such as money, people, and colleges.
*   **Articles:** List external articles relevant to computer science careers.
*   **High School Courses:** Present recommended curricula for high school students interested in computer science and related careers.
*   **Search for additional information:** Enable both internal search within the Get Real site and external search for CS-related outside sites.
*   **Professional Organizations:** List and link to key national and international computer science organizations (e.g., ACM, IEEE), with pointers to student sections.
*   **RSS feeds of current CS information:** Deliver selected articles from the Chancellor’s Office daily communications distribution to RSS subscribers on the site.
*   **Ask a Grad or Prof – FAQ:** Provide a question-and-answer format for students to get feedback from Oregon University System faculty or graduates, with answers posted in an FAQ section or a blog.
*   **Consider a CS Minor:** Offer information for students in other professions (e.g., medicine, law, business) to highlight the value of having a computer science minor.

### 1.3.3 User characteristics
The primary users of the Get Real website are typical Oregon high school students, ranging from grades 9 to 12, across all high schools in Oregon.

These students can be broadly categorized into three groups:
*   **Students interested in Computer Science (CS):** This group actively seeks more concise and in-depth information about a CS career. They tend to focus on sections like "Real People," "Resources," and "Colleges," and appreciate detailed information such as college comparison charts and personal stories.
*   **College-bound students not necessarily interested in CS:** This group may be attracted to a CS career if presented with compelling information and an engaging user experience. They are less tolerant of text-heavy pages and prefer visually attractive content, more white space, pictures, and easier navigation. They desire a site that "speaks to them" and offers clear, digestible information.
*   **Students interested in diverse professions:** This group includes students pursuing careers in fields such as medicine, law, business, protein research, weather prediction, or neurobotics, who could benefit from understanding the value of a CS minor.

Feedback from high school students indicates a general preference for visually appealing content, shorter paragraphs, bullet points, charts, and diagrams to accommodate faster page reading and shorter attention spans. Students not initially interested in CS are particularly sensitive to "walls of text" and require a more engaging graphic design.

### 1.3.4 Limitations
The following items limit the supplier's options for the Get Real website:

*   **Resource Constraints**:
    *   Space
    *   Bandwidth for video streaming
    *   Limited availability of Chancellor’s Office resources
*   **Performance**:
    *   The site must provide adequate response time to accommodate the short attention spans of high school students.
*   **Security and Policies**:
    *   Copyright and other security measures for Get Real must be consistent with those of the OUS site.
*   **User Interface Compatibility**:
    *   The site must function correctly and be tested against Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Netscape browsers.

## 1.4 Definitions
[N/A]

# 2 References

## Compliance

*   **Get Real Version 1 Style Conventions**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: [N/A]
    *   Source: Established in Get Real version 1. Specific documentation not provided.

*   **ACM Recommended Curricula for High School CS Students**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
    *   Source: [N/A]

*   **Oregon University System (OUS) Site Security Measures**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Oregon University System (OUS)
    *   Source: [N/A]

*   **Oregon University System (OUS) Site Web Design Conventions**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Oregon University System (OUS)
    *   Source: [N/A]

## Guidance

*   **EngineerGirl Website**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: National Academy of Engineering
    *   Source: http://www.engineergirl.org

*   **University of Washington (UW) Computer Science Videos**
    *   Title: "a day in the life of", "power to change the world", "Pathways in computer science"
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering
    *   Source: http://www.cs.washington.edu/education/ugrad/prospective/download.html

*   **Women in Computer Science (WICS) at University of Oregon**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: University of Oregon
    *   Source: http://www.cs.uoregon.edu/groups/wics/

*   **University of Pennsylvania Computer and Information Science (CIS) Women in Computer Architecture (WICArch)**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: University of Pennsylvania
    *   Source: http://www.cis.upenn.edu/acg/wicarch.html

*   **Professional Organizations**
    *   Title: [N/A] (Refers to student sections of these organizations)
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), ACM SIGGRAPH
    *   Source: [N/A] (General reference to their websites/student sections)

*   **Google Search Engine**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Google LLC
    *   Source: http://www.google.com

*   **Yahoo Search Engine**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: Yahoo! Inc.
    *   Source: http://www.yahoo.com

*   **MySpace News**
    *   Title: [N/A]
    *   Report Number: [N/A]
    *   Date: [N/A]
    *   Publishing Organization: MySpace
    *   Source: http://news.myspace.com

## 3.1 Functions

The Get Real website provides a teen-friendly, easy-to-navigate platform designed to attract and encourage Oregon high school students to pursue computer science degrees and careers. Its primary functions involve the presentation of information, interactive features, and search capabilities to guide students toward a decision to pursue a career in computer science.

The specific functions of the Get Real website include:

*   **Content Display and Information Provision:**
    *   Display a listing of computer science offerings from Oregon University System campuses and other Oregon colleges.
    *   Provide answers to questions regarding career contributions and potential earnings with a computer science degree.
    *   Present profiles of recent computer science graduates and experienced professionals, showcasing diverse career paths and real-world applications of CS knowledge.
    *   Feature video or audio content to convey personal messages and experiences from CS professionals.
    *   Profile women computer scientists and engineers, highlighting their problem-solving roles, community involvement, and exciting careers.
    *   Provide resources for pre-college technology programs and courses for high school students.
    *   Present a list of focused questions and answers with internal links to relevant content within the Get Real site, covering topics such as money, people, and colleges.
    *   Display a curated list of external articles related to computer science careers.
    *   Show recommended high school curricula for students interested in computer science and related careers, with pointers to university recommendations.
    *   List and link to professional computer science organizations (e.g., ACM, IEEE) and their student sections.
    *   Provide information for students in other professions (e.g., medicine, law, business) on the value and benefits of having a computer science minor.
*   **Information Dissemination and Interaction:**
    *   Feed selected articles from the chancellor’s office daily communications distribution to RSS subscribers on the Get Real site.
    *   Enable users to submit questions to Oregon University System faculty or graduates for feedback.
    *   Post answers to submitted questions in a publicly accessible FAQ section.
    *   Potentially host a blog featuring insights and career information from CS graduates or professors.
*   **Search Capabilities:**
    *   Provide an internal search function to allow users to find information within the Get Real website.
    *   Provide an external search function to allow users to search for CS-related information on outside sites, such as OUS campuses and external articles.

The original requirements specification does not provide detailed information regarding validity checks on inputs, exact sequences of operations, responses to abnormal situations (including overflow, communication facilities, hardware faults, and error handling/recovery), the effect of parameters, or the specific relationship of outputs to inputs (including input/output sequences and formulas for input to output conversion).

*   Validity checks on the inputs: [N/A]
*   Exact sequence of operations: [N/A]
*   Responses to abnormal situations: [N/A]
*   Effect of parameters: [N/A]
*   Relationship of outputs to inputs: [N/A]

## 3.2 Performance requirements
The Get Real website shall provide adequate response time to users. A slow server response would be unsatisfactory for this application, given the short attention spans of high school students. The response time should be comparable to the current OUS website (www.ous.edu).

## 3.3 Usability requirements
The Get Real website must be teen-friendly and easy to navigate to effectively attract and hold the attention of high school students.

The site's graphic design must be visually attractive, incorporating more white space, pictures, color, diagrams, and charts to break up text and enhance engagement.

Content should be presented in readable chunks, avoiding "walls of text" by using shorter paragraphs, bullets, and charts where possible, to accommodate faster page reading and shorter reader attention spans.

Navigation must be intuitive and easy, potentially utilizing interactive table menus for more detailed information while keeping main pages concise.

The site should resonate with students, making them feel it offers valuable information even if they are not initially interested in computer science.

Rapid response time is crucial to maintain student engagement, as high school students tend to have short attention spans.

Web design conventions must be consistent with the standards and conventions used on the OUS site to ensure a familiar and predictable user experience.

## 3.5 Logical database requirements
[N/A]

## 3.6 Design constraints
Constraints for the website include:

*   Space
*   Bandwidth for video streaming
*   Limited availability of Chancellor’s Office resources

## 3.7 Software system attributes

*   **Security**
    *   Copyright and other security measures for the Get Real site shall be the same as those of the OUS site.
*   **Maintainability**
    *   Web design conventions shall be consistent with the standards and conventions used on the OUS site.
    *   The site shall adhere to CSS and other style conventions established in Get Real version 1.
*   **Usability**
    *   The site shall be teen-friendly to hold student attention and guide viewers to information.
    *   The site shall be easy to navigate.
    *   Pages shall be designed with more white space, pictures, diagrams, charts, and color to be visually attractive.
    *   Information shall be broken into more readable chunks, avoiding "walls of text," by shortening paragraphs and adding bullets and charts where possible to accommodate faster page reading and shorter reader attention spans.

## 3.8 Supporting information
The Get Real website aims to attract and encourage Oregon high school students to pursue baccalaureate degrees in computer science (CS) at one of the seven Oregon University System campuses. The overarching goal is to encourage more Oregon students to choose computer science and related majors, thereby increasing the number of computer science graduates from Oregon universities. Maintaining a teen-friendly site is considered of highest importance to hold student attention and guide viewers toward a decision to pursue a CS career.

Benefits for using the site should include:

*   Personal and career information from a broad spectrum of CS professionals.
*   CS course and other information from Oregon University System (OUS) campuses.
*   Timely and up-to-date information that encourages readers to return to the site, potentially including Q&A.
*   A call to action and plans for students to follow to prepare for a CS career.

Oregon high school students from several schools and classes were interviewed to gather feedback on version 1 of the Get Real site. Common themes emerged regarding the need to change and update the overall site graphic design and the "Real People" section.

Students who were not generally interested in CS suggested:

*   Graphic design changes, more white space, pictures, and easier-to-navigate pages.
*   A site that "spoke to them," as they felt version 1 had little to offer if they were not already CS students.
*   Breaking information into more readable chunks, avoiding "walls of text."
*   More visually attractive information, including color, photos, diagrams, and charts, to break up text and enhance appeal.

Students interested in CS and engineering suggested changes in the "Real People," "Resources," and "Colleges" sections. They were attracted by pictures and positively commented on the college comparison chart and the structured sections within each person's story.

Based on this feedback, changes for version 2 should include design modifications to all existing pages to shorten paragraphs and add bullets and charts where possible, accommodating faster page reading and shorter reader attention spans.

The primary readers of this document are the web designers contributing to and testing the Get Real website.

## 4.1 Functions
The following approaches and methods are planned to verify the functionality of the Get Real website:

*   **User Interface Compatibility Testing**: The website's functionality will be tested against Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Netscape browsers to ensure consistent operation and user experience across these platforms.
*   **Content and Navigation Evaluation**: The effectiveness of the website's content, design, and navigation will be continuously tracked and evaluated by monitoring "hits" and time spent on the student-focused website. This ongoing evaluation will inform necessary content, design, and navigation changes to ensure the site meets its objectives.

## 4.2 Performance requirements
[N/A]

## 4.3 Usability requirements
Usability will be verified by tracking and evaluating website usage, including "hits" and time spent on the student-focused website over time. Content, design, and navigation changes will be made as needed based on the evaluation of these metrics.

## 4.5 Logical database requirements
[N/A]

## 4.6 Design constraints
[N/A]

## 4.7 Software system attributes
[N/A]

## 5.1 Assumptions and dependencies
There are no development assumptions or dependencies.

## 5.2 Acronyms and abbreviations
*   **ACM**: Association for Computing Machinery
*   **CS**: Computer Science
*   **CSS**: Cascading Style Sheets
*   **FAQ**: Frequently Asked Questions
*   **HS**: High School
*   **IE**: Internet Explorer
*   **IEEE**: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
*   **OUS**: Oregon University System
*   **Q & A**: Questions & Answers
*   **RSS**: Really Simple Syndication
*   **SRS**: Software Requirements Specification
*   **TBDs**: To Be Determined