Contributed Column

Net Notes

Universal Web site accessibility becoming critical for business

by Elaine Young, Bluehouse Group

Our country recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Yet, in this age of technology and rapid advancement, many of us have overlooked one of the best tools that can be used to reach this audience of more than a million individuals.

Consider these facts, recently published by Harris Interactive, the interactive arm of the Harris Poll (www.harrisinteractive.com):

• Adults with disabilities spend, on average, twice as much time online as adults without disabilities.

• Adults with disabilities are much more likely than adults without disabilities to report the Internet has significantly improved the quality of their lives.

Within a fairly short period of time all federal government Web sites will be required to conform to specific standards that will facilitate accessibility for everyone. While these requirements will not be binding for the private sector or for recipients of some federal funds, there are provisions for those who receive grants and funding under the Department of Education's Assistive Technology Act to meet these standards.

All of these trends indicate that the time is now to plan for Web site accessibility. Here's how.

As you plan a Web site or a site redesign decide how accessible you want to build your site to work with tools such as a "text reader" -- a program that reads out loud the text on a Web page so content can be heard. Ask these questions:

• Will you design for the visually impaired and create a text-based site?

• Will you also plan for your site to address the needs of the hearing impaired if you plan on running audio on the site?

• What about clickability? If an individual's hands can't grasp a mouse, can they still navigate through your Web site using the tab key or other hands-free devices?

A great place to start is to test your existing Web site. The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) is a non-profit organization that has developed a tool called "Bobby," which will help you to evaluate your site. Visit www.cast.org/Bobby for more information.

The ideal solution for true accessibility is to create two Web sites -- a graphic- and a text-based. One site that does this very well is Ability Magazine (www.abilitymagazine.com). This organization has created two Web sites: one with graphics and one without in order to provide broader accessibility. However, doing this will double your time commitment. Any changes that need to be made will have to be made twice. For many businesses this time commitment is more than they can afford.

What can you do to get closer without building two sites? How can you reach people who use tools like a text reader and still create an economically viable Web site? The easiest answer is to design a very basic site, low on graphics with well thought-out text. No fancy movement on the page. Simple, simple, simple.

Here are some guidelines that will help you make a poorly accessible site good and workable, no matter what the design:

1. Title tags: Part of the code in the HTML page, the title tag, is often ignored by the sighted because it doesn't stand out; it shows up at the top of the browser. However, the visually impaired rely on these tags because when their text readers read it out loud they can know what Web site they have come to.

2. Alt tags: Without a very descriptive alternative text tag (Alt) -- text that fully describes what an image is conveying -- for a graphic, there is no way for the visually impaired to get a sense of navigation, products, or sense of what you are trying to convey. If you've surfed the Web, you've probably already seen Alt tags without even realizing it. When you hold your cursor over a graphic, often a block of text will show up that describes the image. That's the Alt tag: useful for the sighted; invaluable for the visually impaired.

3. Descriptive text: If you are using audio on your site, provide a readable transcript.

4. Navigation: Make the clicking easy to get to if a mouse isn't used. Utilizing the tab key is much easier for individuals who have to use special tools and can't hold onto a mouse.

With these items taken care of you will greatly enhance your site, and as a double bonus provide a more solid base for online promotion, since all of these tips also increase your site's favorable listing with search engines.

As technology continues to move forward, universal access will become more of a reality. The question for business is: Do you move now, on your own terms, or do you wait until you are pushed?

Elaine Young is the director of communications and marketing for Bluehouse Group, a Web design firm specializing in e-commerce and Lotus Notes/ Domino development, online promotion and marketing techniques.

Net Notes

Evaluating the return on investment of your Web site

June 2000
by Elaine Young, Bluehouse New Media Solutions

A recent survey conducted by the Strategis Group, an international telecommunications consulting firm, shows an increase of 6 percent in U.S. Internet use within the last six months. With that increase, there are 106 million U.S. adults who are connected to the Web. Vermont is part of this trend, as evidenced in last year's "Vermont Internet Commerce Research Project " report prepared by Action research for Sen. Patrick Leahy and the Vermont Small Business Development Center. Perhaps most significant is the following: 58 percent of Vermont businesses with Web sites have tapped new markets. Of these businesses:

• 1 percent have reached the Vermont market

• 39 percent have reached the national market

• 42 percent have reached the international market

• 13 percent have reached a specialty market

For Vermont businesses, statistics like these, along with the inherent pressure they create, provide a unique challenge. How do you reach this ever-expanding market and at the same time ensure that the money you have invested (or are about to invest) is really worth it? The initial cost of a Web site, whether it is information-based, e-commerce-focused or your primary marketing tool, can often seem extraordinary. In the long run, it is critical to address and agree upon a way to clearly measure the return on investment (ROI) for your site.

The first question that I get from people interested in creating or updating a Web site is, "What's the standard cost?" There is no standard cost. Each Web site is as unique as the business that drives it, and each one will take a different amount of time to build, as well as utilize different technologies. So how do you justify the cost? How do you plan so that you can not only project your ROI, but also actually measure it down the line?

Begin by evaluating the ultimate goal of your site. What is its purpose and what do you hope to accomplish with it? The goal for an e-commerce site is easy -- sell product and make money. However, for an information-based site or one that is primarily a marketing tool it is more difficult to formulate and measure that end goal. Utilizing advertising revenue from your Web site to measure your ROI will not get you very far because there is much more to it than that.

Once you nail down your goal, stop. Now is the time to take a hard look at what this is worth to you. Analyze your complete marketing strategy -- that includes any type of advertising you do locally or nationally, any brochures, newsletters and additional collateral that you produce, as well as the postage costs involved in mailing out that collateral. How much do you currently spend on these traditional marketing tools each month? Depending upon the contract, and the market, one full-page ad in a Sunday edition of a newspaper can run well over $5,000. We all know that an advertising strategy consists of more than running just one ad on one day in one newspaper. TV, radio and magazines are all part of the package as well. How do you track the ROI on those investments?

Now, look again at what you are willing to spend on a medium that has the potential to reach more than 106 million U.S. adults, drive 39 percent more national business your way, and allow you to utilize one-to-one marketing techniques to enhance your customer base. A medium that is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and available worldwide. Clearly, just putting up anything for a Web site will not do.

The key to tracking the ROI of your Web site is remembering that this is not a traditional medium; traditional rules don't apply. Traditional ROI tracking will not work in this new media world where technologies and expectations change not only from day to day, but also from minute to minute. With this in mind, here are some ways to help you gauge the success of your Web site.

Track the numbers
Make sure that your hosting provider gives you statistical tracking that includes how many unique visitors came to your site, how long they stayed, where they came from and what keywords they used to find you.

E-commerce sales
If you sell things over the Web, make sure there is a way to differentiate between online orders and catalog or in-store orders.

Being found
Whenever a potential client or customer calls you, find out how they heard about you -- advertising, the Web or word of mouth. Keep track of those numbers, too.

Information providers
If your goal is to provide information, how "sticky" is your site? The longer people stay, the more information they are gathering, and potentially, if you sell advertising on your site, the more ads they will see.

Bottom line: If your Web site is easy to use, offers quality products or information, looks reputable and is fresh, you are already ahead of the crowd. Track the numbers, market your site and watch as you realize a strong ROI.

Elaine Young is the director of communications and marketing for Bluehouse New Media Solutions, a full-service Web design firm with clients that range from IBM Microelectronics to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. A graduate of the Marlboro College master's degree program in Internet strategy management, Young provides marketing and strategy guidance to Bluehouse and its clients.

Builder's Brief

Construction Outlook Positive for Vermont in 2000

May 2000
by Thom Serrani, executive vice president, Associated General Contractors of Vermont

The biggest increase in nearly two years is how economists have described construction spending nationally for the first part of the new millennium. Construction was up 2.7 percent nationwide in January while here in Vermont the overall figure reached 4 percent over last year mainly due to a surge in residential construction. Both non-residential (defined as offices, schools, institutions, hospitals) and non-building were down in Vermont over January 1999 figures according to Dodge Reports. January and February figures place non-residential down 52 percent from last year at this time. Non-building construction (roads, bridges, dams, sewage treatment), managed to jump 16 percent from 1999, a total of $15-plus million worth of contracts as of the end of February. It is clear that in its 109th month of continued economic prosperity the nation's good fortunes will help keep Vermont in continued economic good health for the short term.

The 1998 and 1999 construction seasons were both robust construction periods in Vermont and although non-residential construction is off to a slow start in 2000 it is expected to equal the previous two years' strength by the time the year closes. Investments in commercial, institutional and public construction are expected to be strong in the 2000 construction season.

Major construction projects at Vermont ski areas and in Chittenden County are expected through the next construction cycle, including continued expansion of the headquarters of IDX Corp., IBM and major renovations at Fletcher Allen Health Care Center in Burlington.

The $30 million, 240,000-square-foot expansion of IDX in the last year will double the current work force by 1,000 new jobs. With other office expansion in the area, it will create a ripple effect in the need for housing and transportation improvements.

Other expansions over the last year: Hubbardton Forge, a manufacturer of wrought iron lighting and home accessories in Rutland -- as well as G.E. in Rutland and Mack Molding, a plastics maker in Arlington -- will continue to drive the economy in those areas of Vermont over the coming construction season.

Investment in public infrastructure will increase construction work in 2000 and through the next four years under the federal funding authorization from TEA-21: the Transportation Equity Act. Vermont receives more than $100 million per year from the federal government translating into more bridge, highway and culvert work for highway and bridge contractors. Roadway paving and bridge rehabilitation, repair and replacement are getting renewed attention in Montpelier due to public demand to fix and maintain our existing statewide transportation system.

That being said, it is important to note that Vermont has consistently ranked in the bottom 11 states in national studies comparing road and bridge deficiencies in the 50 states. In response to this and public demand the Legislature has budgeted expenditures of $59 million on paving and $49 million on bridges in the fiscal year that starts July 1. In 1988 the Agency of Transportation estimated it would take $1.6 billion over a 10-year period to rehabilitate, repair and replace more than 454 structurally deficient Vermont bridges listed at that time. With 585 structurally deficient bridges currently listed at the agency and many roadways needing culvert replacement, base reconstruction and wider roadway shoulders, that figure could easily climb to $6-7 billion in needed investment just for the existing statewide system.

With the interstate system now 30 or more years old, funding will be needed to repair and rehabilitate that system as well. New transportation initiatives in commuter rail, public transportation and recreational bike paths will also compete for limited available dollars, further exacerbating what seems to be an insurmountable problem to catch up with needed repairs and rehabilitation of the existing transportation network we rely on for business and daily routine.

The Vermont outlook for 2000 looks positive in the expectations for residential construction, especially remodeling. Up 20 percent already over last year, that trend should continue to rise to fill the needs of new job creation in Chittenden County. However, new home construction is expected in the $225,000 and up price range according to those familiar with the home construction market. Middle income and affordable housing remains a concern due to the availability of building lots in Chittenden County.

The national economy grew by a 6.9 percent rate in 1999. Predictions in New England and nationwide for year 2000 are equally positive. Nationally, non-residential construction grew by only 1 percent in 1999 but is expected to rebound in 2000, according to the Associated General Contractors of America, the parent organization of AGC Vermont. In Vermont, 1999 non-residential construction was 36 percent over the previous year. A staggering figure in comparison to the national statistics, however, understandable in that Vermont was late to realize economic growth experienced by other states and regions. Indeed, other states had experienced high growth rates earlier on that were not sustainable at those rates of increase.

Non-building construction jumped by 9 percent nationally in 1999 and is expected to grow by 8 percent in 2000 according to AGC America, helped substantially in both years by aggressive federal funding to the states for highway-related construction. In Vermont non-building was up 7 percent for 1999 over 1998 and is expected to meet or exceed that percentage for 2000.

Not all rosy
While overall construction was up 11 percent from 1998 to 1999, including the combined figures of non-residential, residential and non-building categories, it is expected that year 2000 will equal or exceed these numbers once the season gets into full swing. But problems do exist.

While the sun shines brightly on our industry, in the short-term, dark clouds are just over the horizon. The construction industry continues to be plagued by a shortage of workers. The average age of a construction worker in this country is 47 years old or older. As these workers reach the age of retirement who will fill their shoes in the industry? Who is coming into the industry at an early age to learn the trades? That reality is facing every contractor in the country.

Here in Vermont we liken these past couple of years of economic prosperity to the boom in the 1980s. The economic comparison may be applicable, but equating the work force tells a different story. In 1988, at the peak of the economic boom, the construction industry employed 17,500. Today that number is 14,500, down 3,000 from its peak in 1988. Where will the workers come from to meet the needs of the construction industry in this and future economic expansions? That is the critical question for contractors in Vermont and nationwide.

In 1998 the Council of State Governments passed a resolution stating that Òfor every dollar spent in construction there is a $2.60 return to the economy.Ó It is clear that for the foreseeable future in Vermont, construction will not only be positive for Vermont contractors, suppliers and vendors but construction will also play a major role in fueling the good economic times we have all been fortunate to experience in recent years.

Consultant's Corner

Understanding Processes

May 2000
by Todd Cary, Improvement Management Systems

As we discussed in the March issue of Business People, at the heart of every Continuous Improvement effort is the act of eliminating waste from your processes. The problem is, you can't just look in the trash can to find wasteful activities that cost your company buckets of money. So, if the "circular file" doesn't yield the answers, what do you do? Start by defining the process to help expose wasteful activities.

Your whole business is made up of processes. It is important to understand that businesses that do not "produce" a tactile product -- such as the service industries and those that produce non-traditional products, such as electronic media companies -- still engage in processes to develop their wares. Let us use two definitions as a base for understanding the structure of a process.

Dr. Shigeo Shingo defines a process as "the flow by which raw material is transformed into a final product" (54). For non-manufacturing businesses, "raw material" can represent information input; "final product" is just that, the service or commodity purchased by the customer.

Processes can be evaluated on numerous levels. For example, the highest level of a software developer's process flow could be: order entry, to design, to programming, to delivery. On the next, more detailed level, order entry may involve customer interaction, and the collection of several forms, phone calls, and emails to organize the customer's requirements for use by the design department. Design may begin with a brainstorming session, followed by prototyping, design reviews, final design, and the hand-off to programming. There, the features are programmed, and the product is readied for the testing and delivery processes.

It quickly becomes evident that each process is made up of several sub-processes, and can be evaluated to very detailed levels. You can become mired in detail too early in the exercise. Here is where the next definition comes in handy. Shingo augments the definition of a process by saying, if a process is the flow of a product, an "operation is the flow of tasks performed by human workers on a product" (54). Thus, as order entry is a process,some of its operations may dictate that a person enter the information on a computer, send out routings, and generate a work order.

You are probably beginning to recognize patterns in your own company's day-to-day activities that exist as processes, but visualizing them from beginning to end can be difficult. By using simple flow charting techniques, create process "maps" being sure to enlist the input of the people working the process. Focus on the top two levels, the highest loosely meaning from business unit to business unit, the second meaning department to department, or desk to desk. By limiting yourself to the high-level maps, you will avoid becoming bogged down by the details of "operations." Mapping operations after you've refined the process will save the effort of evaluating details that could drastically change.

Performing this as a team exercise affords the benefit of having the process experts on hand to apply their knowledge. As the maps progress, care should be taken to document the communication, quality, and approval points.

Eliminate the waste
Now that you've graphically defined the process, it's time to eliminate the waste. We already stated that, to find waste, you have to look at your processes, but what are you looking for? Hiroyuki Hirano effectively argues that "waste does not process anything, nor does it add any value" (176).

Waste can hide in many places:

• Over-complex systems retard the flow of information

• Improperly trained labor can cause delays and defects

• Storage is a waste of space

• Excessive inventory carries a price tag

• Paperwork and filing take time

• Meetings without an agenda, scope and target accomplish little

Many would contend each and every step of their processes is absolutely necessary, and has been "honed to the highest level of efficiency". No doubt, but do they add value? To determine if an activity is value-added, ask yourself this question: "Is this something the customer would be willing to pay for?" Better yet, ask: "Does this activity change the form, fit, or function of the product, or service?" You must be willing to dig. Question the logic behind every process by asking "Why?" at least three times, or until you hit the wall, a solid answer. (Children are masters of this technique.) When you get to the wall, you are at the root of the task, and are in a position to evaluate its worth.

It takes time and a genuine commitment to continuously improve, making your company more competitive. By defining and mapping your processes, eliminating wasteful activities, and sharing your objectives with employees, you will gain valuable understanding, and a new level of control of your business. The next move is to strive for consistency so the only wastes you find in your business are coffee cups and candy wrappers.

Hirano, Hiroyuki. JIT Implementation Manual: The Complete Guide to Just-In-Time Manufacturing. Cambridge, Mass.: Productivity Press, 1990.

Shingo, Shigeo. The Shingo Production Management System: Improving Process Functions. Tokyo: Japan Management Association, 1990.

Todd Cary is a consultant with IMS (Improvement Management Systems, (802) 951-9226) of Burlington, specializing in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement Programs, and Quality Systems. Cary has owned and operated manufacturing and design companies, and has worked in industry and aerospace with companies such as Husky Injection Molding Systems and Boeing.

Embracing Continuous Improvement in Non-manufacturing Businesses

March 2000
by Todd Cary, Improvement Management Systems

It took American manufacturing industries nearly 20 years to fully admit to productivity and quality gains attributable to the implementation of Japanese-style manufacturing strategies. Initially dismissed by Western companies, they have proven to be the most visible elements of the American auto industry's resurgence into global competitiveness. In the early Ô90s thousands of large and small manufacturers experimented with the new methods of process control, buoyed by the continuing successes of Detroit. Now, non-manufacturing companies in the service, electronic media, and technology-based industries, should be positioning themselves to realize the same benefits of improved communication and streamlined processes by adopting the concepts of Continuous Improvement.

Continuous Improvement is the Americanized phrase originating from the Japanese word Kaizen (ki-zen), "change for the better." Introduced, ironically, to post-war Japan by American academic Dr. Edward Deming as a concept in total quality, Kaizen was refined over the next 50 years by leading companies, such as Toyota. The foundation of Kaizen, or Continuous Improvement, is the act of constantly eliminating wasteful practices in all company processes.

Process -- it's not just for manufacturing. Every company has processes -- banks, restaurants, software developers, tele-marketers. From bidding on contracts, to creating press releases, to updating a customer's Web site, there exists a series of actions that directly affect the form and function of what a customer receives. Often overlooked as a source for generating productivity, scrutinizing "the way we do things around here," and eliminating non-value added tasks is the first place to begin streamlining your processes. Documentation and process mapping are useful tools to aid in the effort.

"Quality is Job One!" as Ford Motor Co. declared in the early '90s. This policy-inspired marketing slogan is the true goal of any Continuous Improvement program. However, no matter the efforts of a creative marketing department, quality can only be defined by one individual, the customer. The customer maintains expectations of how a service or product will be useful. Without knowing precisely those expectations, it will be with a lot of luck that a company fully satisfies a customer's needs. A customer can be defined as an "end user," the entity who will be putting your product or service to use, whether that be a company implementing your software to run their business, or the next department in your company for which you do research. Their requirements will shape your processes to supply them with the best quality product. How do you know what their requirements are? Ask them.

Now that you've begun to improve the way you do business, you must strive for consistency. A common stumbling block of newly conceived Continuous Improvement programs is a lack of communication. The efficacy of the company's training curriculum, documentation, performance metrics, and employee involvement rely on unrelenting communication efforts. A system for storing and disseminating your new process procedures, quality information, training courses, and improvement efforts should be easy to use and manage, and will prove to be invaluable.

Countless resources are available to companies seeking better methods to reduce wasteful activities, accommodate customers' requirements, and improve communication through the creation of a Continuous Improvement program. In addition to published material and training seminars, there are several federal- and state-sponsored organizations, such as the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC), which are chartered as a resource for business solutions.

The most challenging hurdle of implementing a Continuous Improvement program, of any degree, is contained in the word Kaizen itself: change. Every company, even the most dedicated practitioners of Kaizen, experience the aversion to change inherent in the human work force. Reluctance to change most visibly manifests itself as ignorance in the form of opposition to a new idea -- fear of the unknown. We have all felt the pangs of anxiety taking hold as we contemplate alternatives to the status quo. However, non-manufacturing companies can now use the knowledge of manufacturers experienced in Kaizen to guide them through halting fears. By far, the easiest, cheapest and most effective tool when implementing a Continuous Improvement program is to enlist the help of the largest asset of any company: the employees.

Todd Cary is a consultant with IMS (Improvement Management Systems) of Burlington, specializing in Continuous Improvement Programs, Lean Production and Quality Systems. Cary has owned and operated manufacturing and design companies, and has worked in aerospace and industry with companies such as Husky Injection Molding Systems and Boeing.

Commissioner's Report

The Discipline of Sustainable Spending

January 2000
by Tom Pelham, Commissioner of Finance,
Vermont Department of Finance and Management

There's a common refrain in the private sector that government ought to be run like a business. "Ah" they say, "if the bureaucrats were spending their own money they wouldn't spend it like that!" It cuts the other way as well. Public sector folks say, "Wow, if that were taxpayers' money they wouldn't get away with that." I heard this latter comment recently when discussing how a relatively small Vermont company spent more than $200,000 on an executive search. In state government, opportunistic politicians along with the media would no doubt publicly and loudly second-guess the wisdom of a $200,000 executive search to fill an empty agency secretary or key departmental commissioner position. However, in the private sector, if management and stockholders are satisfied, no alarm bells are rung.

Alarm bells are rung all the time about state government spending. Vermont is a small state. With our smallness comes an intimate democracy. We debate, face to face, health care and welfare reform, Act 60 spending and corrections' budgets. However, underpinning all these public discussions is the state's overall fiscal health. Given the complexities of our democracy, problem-solving in the public sector is inherently difficult. Poor fiscal management only makes matters even more difficult. As with any business enterprise, red ink in the bottom line is a red light to new opportunity.

Over the last 10 years, Vermont's fiscal well-being has improved dramatically. To a degree, the strong economy has helped, but, more important, it's the discipline of sticking to a common-sense fiscal policy that has yielded this result. That policy is "sustainable spending." It was trumpeted by the late Gov. Richard Snelling and has been affirmatively implemented by Gov. Howard Dean. Put simply, sustainable spending means that over the long term, state spending should not grow faster than the underlying long-term growth of the state economy.

The math of sustainable spending is quite simple as well. Over the last 10 years, as measured by the Vermont State Domestic Product (VSDP), Vermont's economy has grown at a 4.12 percent annual rate. Revenues into the state's treasury have exceeded this underlying economic growth due to the booming stock market. In contrast, combined spending from the state's two largest operating funds, the general fund and transportation fund, has grown by only 2.9 percent per year. (In the early part of the decade when the state had a large deficit and no "rainy day" fund, spending growth was constrained to a range of 2 to 3 percent. More recently, as the state's finances became healthier, spending growth has been in the 3 to 4 percent range.)

The time-tested virtues of discipline and diligence are necessary to keep spending at sustainable levels. Governmental leaders must set firm performance expectations, closely examine every request for new spending, and require new priorities be offset with the reductions in or the elimination of lower priority programs. And sometimes, even when a request for new spending has great merit, the answer to the request has to be "no" if it threatens the overall fiscal policy of sustainable spending.

The positive divergence between these two fundamental trends, long-term economic growth and state spending growth, has produced a lot of black ink for state government over the last decade. As early as 1993, Vermont ran an operating surplus of almost $19 million, and more recently the surpluses have been in the $80 million range.

These surpluses have been used in ways that even further enhance Vermont's fiscal health. In the early 1990s, Vermont's fund deficit was eliminated. In the middle 1990s, the state's "rainy day" funds were filled to capacity using surplus operating funds; and most recently, the surpluses have been used to cut the income tax and the sales tax and to pay "cash" for items that normally would be funded through the issuance of long-term debt. Such items include the acquisition of 133,000 acres of conservation land in the Northeast Kingdom, the construction of a new correctional facility and vocational trade school in Springfield, the acquisition of necessary computer systems, the construction of affordable housing, the refurbishment of our state parks, and the recapitalization of a farm loan program, among many others.

Is state government a business? No. Does state government have operating results that would be the envy of most private sector enterprises? The answer is clearly "yes." A 10-year spending growth trend of less than 3 percent, the generation of operating surpluses greater than 10 percent of operating expenditures and the reduction of the price of government (taxes) to its consumers is, by any standard, a demonstration of strong management performance. This high level of performance has been closely examined by the same entities that rate private sector performance: Moody's, Standard and Poor's, and Fitches. Each of these entities over the past year has raised its credit rating for Vermont. Vermont now holds the highest credit ratings among all New England states. Public-sector managers have cause to be proud of these results.