Transcript Does Websense Make Sense? - University of St. Thomas

Does Websense Make Sense?
Leah M. Otto
Final Project Presentation
MBC Program
University of St. Thomas
Since 2004
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New software on the market called Websense.
Immediately hailed as important for business.
Solved problem of Internet abuse in the
workplace.
Pre-2004 Internet Access at Work
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Internet abuse in workplace.
Employers struggling with how to monitor.
Legal, HR, IS, Security concerned.
Affected productivity and work environment.
How Websense Works
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Reads key words.
Blocks access.
Bad content gone from workplace.
Employers safe.
The Down Side
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Websense reads words, not context.
English words prone to double meanings.
Work related content sometimes blocked.
Websense: The Problem
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Websense confused by double meanings.
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Breast cancer = pornography
Ads on Lottery site = gambling
Pop music lyrics = violence
Could Websense Affect You?
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Nurses can’t find medical research.
Most literature focuses on the employers’ point of
view.
Workers need representation.
The vice president of Best Buy
advertising noticed staff said
unable to access work related Web
sites.
How do we know it’s Websense?
User receives message from Websense.
Necessary Research Blocked
Types of Internet research
 Ad concepts
 Celebrities
 Internet ad analysis
Workers Frustrated, but,
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IS: Websense prevents hacking.
HR: Websense ensures politically correct
environment.
Legal: Company at risk for lawsuits w/o Websense.
What We Needed to Know
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How many people affected?
How often?
To what extent is work impacted?
Would data support a business case for change?
Research Question
Does lack of access to Internet sites from the offices of
Best Buy impact the work of its internal advertising
department?
So I decided to…
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Field study of 26 questions sent to 200 Advertising
employees.
E-mail/Internet based survey.
Conducted April 2006.
Response
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97 respondents (48%) of the 200 workers on the
distribution list.
Are you able to access the Web
sites you’re looking for?
80
70
60
50
40
Ad Staff
30
20
10
0
Usually
1/2 the
Time
N/A
How does Websense impact your
work?
60
50
40
30
Ad Staff
20
10
0
No Impact Adds Time Adds Time
to projects
to
Workweek
Reduces
Quality
Adds
Operating
Cost
Creates
Need for
More Staff
Internet Research Conducted by
Employees
70
Photographers
60
50
Emerging Media
40
Best Buy Ads
30
20
Target Audience
10
0
Employees
Competitor Web
Use
Results
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25% able to access needed sites only half the time.
55% say blocks add time to projects.
Over 63% say their Internet research has to do with
getting information about competitor Web use.
Outcomes:
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May be only 25% of staff, but, the issues are high
priority for the company.
Time added to projects is expensive.
Best Buy Outcomes
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Two Websense-free work stations installed in
February 2007. (About one year after the study.)
Usage monitored by IS.
Advertising managers review usage reports each
month.
The Answer
Does lack of access to Internet sites from
the offices of Best Buy impact the work of
its internal advertising department?
Yes.
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Not a majority, but, there is impact.
The impact is on high priority work.
Q&A