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The Awards
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Call for Entries
2009 Awards
Entries for the
2009 awards competition may be submitted starting in January.
Deadline for the
2009 awards competition is Friday, March 6.
Scoring Criteria
FAQ
Why Enter?
Entry Form
The 2008 Entry Form and Scoring Criteria above will be updated
for the 2009 competition in late January. Only dates will change;
content will not change and 2008 forms may be reliably used as
guides for 2009.
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OPEN DIVISION
Adobe Systems
Cisco Systems
Dell
IBM
Juniper Networks
McAfee
Mentor Graphics
Novell
SMALL COMPANY DIVISION
Articulate
Consona (M2M)
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ASPonline.com >
FAQ for Judges
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FAQ for Judges
Each year, the ASP assembles a panel of volunteer judges to pick the
"ten best" Web support sites. Most of our judges have taken part in
previous years' competitions, but we're always looking for fresh
recruits. If you think you'd like to take part in this awesome
adventure, browse the following FAQ and then contact ASP executive
director Jeffrey Tarter (jtarter@asponline.com).
What qualifications do I need to be a judge?
Most importantly, we look for people who feel strongly about good Web
support and have some experience with implementing online support
solutions. We also try to recruit judges with a variety of specific
domain experience—for instance, in usability, knowledgebase design,
traditional telephone support, services marketing, or performance
metrics. We don't need a resume: Just drop us a note introducing
yourself, and we'll get back to you if there are mysteries we think
need to be cleared up.
How much time will the judging take?
We usually give judges five sites to evaluate. You'll have at least a
month to review and score these sites; judges typically spend 30
minutes to an hour per site.
What's the schedule for the 2009 competition?
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 6. It takes us about a week
to log in all the entries and allocate them to individual judges,
plus a few more days for delivery—so you should expect to see entry
materials some time between March 16 and 20. (We also get a lot of
late entries, which may cause delays to some judges.)
We'd like to get your scores and comments by Monday, April 13. We'll
tabulate the results and announce the winners the following week.
If you're planning a vacation, liposuction, or temporary insanity
during this period, you should probably not sign up as a judge.
Can I be a judge if my company has entered the
competition?
No problem. Obviously, we won't ask you to judge your own entry or
entries from competitors, clients, or former employers.
What are the entry materials like?
You'll get a set of screen shots and two essays—one that identifies
three site elements that are particularly noteworthy, and a second
that describes the background and challenges involved in creating the
site. You'll also get URLs and passwords so you can review the actual
sites.
How does the scoring work?
The ASP has developed a scoring system that helps you evaluate 25
different criteria. We've also developed an online scoresheet that you
can use to submit your scores and submit comments.
Every entry gets scored independently by five judges, and we calculate
a composite score to determine overall rankings.
What do judges get in return?
You'll get a complimentary copy of "The Year's Ten Best Web Support
Sites," the book-length report we publish on each year's winners
(regular price $95). You'll also get a nice resume credential, an
impressive-looking certificate, and a modest amount of publicity on
the ASP awards site. And most judges tell us that analyzing and scoring
real Web sites is a nifty experience. (In other words, no cash.)
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