How can the ICAS website be improved?

“If your idea of an accountant is someone who sits in the office adding up figures all day, think again.” This is ICAS’ answer to the question of what is a CA?

Unfortunately, a quick sift through their website suggests this stereotypical image is indeed spot on. Page upon page of text is only broken up with a series of black and white thumbnails, displaying suited men and quill pens. Such an impression does nothing to dispel the boring, introverted image of accountants.

In comparison to other accounting bodies’ websites, the ICAS site severely lacks colour and imagination. As a result of the masses of text you are faced with, you unintentionally start skimming, and before you realise, stop reading the pages altogether. The pages of CIMA, ACCA and ICAEW are all bright, attractive and welcoming. The overall impression of the ICAS website could be greatly improved by the use of more colourful images and text on the homepage.

Although there is a greater volume of information on the ICAS website than on any other professional body, I do not feel it is particularly user friendly. For example the sites of both ACCA and CIMA offer a sitemap, which I found particularly helpful when navigating my way around the site. At the moment ICAS do not offer such a facility, so I would definitely recommend this. Similarly, CIMA have a job search option which allows you to customise a search to fit your individual requirements. Although ICAS have a vacancies section, you are unable to filter out unsuitable jobs. This again could be introduced to help improve the website.

As a potential student, I want to know why I should pick ICAS as opposed to another professional body. While other sites actively try to answer this question, the ICAS website does not. Whether intentional or not, this gave me the impression that ICAS think their reputation should be enough to make me apply. ICAEW in particular highlight the benefits offered to their students and provide case studies to create a positive image. Simply answering this question in a paragraph or two would help ICAS eliminate the arrogant impression I feel much of their website gives off.

There are areas of the ICAS website I find particularly useful. The option to receive news releases by email or RSS feed is a unique feature that other bodies currently do not offer. At the moment though, this is limited to ICAS news releases only. I would like to see this extended to include all new additions to the site, be that case studies, articles or general updates to the site.

Again from a student’s perspective, I find the “What employers/students say?” section of the site helpful. Like most people, reading the personal accounts of people who have "been there and done it" leave a much greater impression than advertisements on a website. Although they may well be biased, such personal experiences have a large bearing on career choices I will make. However the number of views given is very limited and out-dated. Therefore, I would like to see this section updated, and include a greater number of student accounts.

Most students find the thought of starting their CA fairly daunting. Introducing a blog, written by a student from their first day on the job would help allay many fears that new students often have. A diary like this would go some way to eliminating the stigma attached to a CA and make the qualification more appealing.

Furthermore, the number of employers who are quoted in this section could be broadened. At the moment only one quote is given and this is attributed to the president of ICAS. I would suggest expanding this section to include the opinions of a variety of companies from a variety of different markets.

If ICAS adopted these basic recommendations, I think their website would be more appealing to prospective students and other users alike.