# User Experience, Functionality and Aesthetics Evaluation in an Academic Multi-Site Web Ecosystem
###### Abstract  
The present study focuses on using qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the functionality, user experience (UX), and aesthetic approach offered by an academic multi-site Web ecosystem consisting of multiple interconnected websites. Large entities in various industry fields often have the need for an elaborate Web presence. In an effort to address the challenges posed by this need specifically in the field of academia, the authors developed, over a period of many years, a multi-site ecosystem within the Ionian University, which focuses on interconnectivity and a collaborative approach to academic content management. This system, known as \"Publish@Ionio\", uses a singular content management infrastructure to allow for the creation of content for different websites that share both information and resources while at the same time allowing for individual variations in both functionality and aesthetics. The ecosystem was evaluated through quantitative data from its operation and qualitative feedback from a focus-group interview with experts, including website editors and administrative staff. The collected data were used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the multi-site approach based on the actions and needs of the individuals in charge of generating content. The study led to conclusions on the advantages that interoperability offers in terms of digital and human resource management, the benefits of a unified aesthetic approach that allows for variability, and the necessity of collaborative content management tools that are tailored to the content's nature.  
academic ecosystem; content management; Web design; user experience; aesthetics; multi-site; World Wide Web +
Footnote †: journal: Future Internet  
The ecosystem's evaluation process included both the collection of quantitative data based on real usage from the operation of the system and the collection of qualitative feedback provided through a detailed focus-group interview with expert specialized personnel, such as website curators, editors, and members of the various offices in charge of different institutional websites. The combination of qualitative and quantitative data leads to a robust body of information that was used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the multi-site approach, as well as the habits and needs of people in charge of generating research and education-related content in the academic context.  
This evaluation led to interesting conclusions on the advantages that website interoperability and collaborative content management offer in terms of maximizing the value of both digital and human resources and optimizing content manager UX, as well as the benefits of a unified aesthetics and functionality approach to visitor UX, and the necessity of custom content management tools that are tailored to the specific nature of content from the field of academic research and education. These findings do not apply solely to this specific ecosystem but are general indicators of the value of a multi-site approach that focuses on digital resource sharing and collaborative management features. Additionally, they provide insight into how this approach can become invaluable in addressing the need for an elaborate Web presence in multifaceted organizations.  
In the following section, the research background of this research is briefly detailed. Afterward, a short description of the ecosystem is presented with emphasis on its main design tenets and its focus on collaborative content management. In the Section 4, the overall research design is detailed, and explicit research questions are posed, along with a description of the data collection process. The results of the data analysis are presented in the Section 5. Finally, the Section 6 addresses each research question individually, and a summary of findings, limitations, and future plans is presented in the Section 7.