RFID and privacy: what consumers really want and fear

This article investigates the conflicting area of user benefits arising through item level radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging and a desire for privacy. It distinguishes between three approaches feasible to address consumer privacy concerns. One is to kill RFID tags at store exits. The second is to lock tags and have user unlock them if they want to initiate reader communication (user model). The third is to let the network access users’ RFID tags while adhering to a privacy protocol (network model). The perception and reactions of future users to these three privacy enhancing technologies (PETs) are compared in the present article and an attempt is made to understand the reasoning behind their preferences. The main conclusion is that users do not trust complex PETs as they are envisioned today. Instead, they prefer to kill RFID chips at store exits even if they appreciate after sales services. Enhancing trust through security and privacy ‘visibility’ as well as PET simplicity may be the road to take for PET engineers in UbiComp.     

What users really think about the usability of smartphone applications: diversity based empirical investigation

In recent years, smartphone devices are becoming progressively popular across a diverse range of users. However, user diversity creates challenges in smartphone application (app) development. The diversity of users is often ignored by designers and developers due to the absence of requirements. Owing to this, many smartphone users face usability issues. Despite that, no dedicated platform found that guide smartphone app designers and developers regarding human universality. The aim of this research is to explore the requirements of diverse users in smartphone apps and provide usability guidelines. The objectives of this research are achieved by following two scientific approaches. The human diversity requirements are located by conducting usability tests that investigated the requirements in the form of usability issues. The systematic literature review (SLR) process is followed in order to resolve the discovered usability issues. Both approaches resulted in a list of usability issues and guidelines. The usability tests returned 27 problems while the SLR came with a comprehensive set of universal usability guidelines that were grouped into eleven categories. The study concluded with some major outcomes. The results show evidence of critical usability problems that must be addressed during the design and development of smartphone apps. Moreover, the study also revealed that people with disabilities were three times severely affected by usability problems in such apps than people of different ages and their needs must be considered a top priority in the development of smartphone apps.

     

A survey of what customers want in a cell phone design

The cell phone is an information appliance that has been widely used. It provides instant access to information and makes people more 'connected'. The objective of our study is to investigate the relationship among the design features of the cell phone and identify the most important design features and design factors. In our survey study, we asked 1,006 college students using a 7-point Likert scale structured questionnaire to evaluate their preference of the design features and overall satisfaction of their current cell phone. Nine design factors were derived. Ten cell phone design features and five design factors that significantly impact a user's satisfaction were identified. The most important design features are: the physical appearance, size and menu organisation, which together account for 42% of the total variance of a user's overall satisfaction.     

What users want in e-commerce design: effects of age,education and income

Preferences for certain characteristics of an online shopping experience may be related to demographic data. This paper discusses the characteristics of that experience, demographic data and preferences by demographic group. The results of an online survey of 488 individuals in the United States indicate that respondents are generally satisfied with their online shopping experiences, with security, information quality and information quantity ranking first in importance overall. The sensory impact of a site ranked last overall of the seven characteristics measured. Preferences for these characteristics in e-commerce sites were differentiated by age, education and income. The sensory impact of sites became less important as respondents increased in age, income or education. As the income of respondents increased, the importance of the reputation of the vendor rose. Web site designers may incorporate these findings into the design of e-commerce sites in an attempt to increase the shopping satisfaction of their users. Results from the customer relationship management portion of the survey suggest that current push technologies and site personalization are not an effective means of achieving user satisfaction.     

What users want in e-commerce design: effects of age,education and income

Preferences for certain characteristics of an online shopping experience may be related to demographic data. This paper discusses the characteristics of that experience, demographic data and preferences by demographic group. The results of an online survey of 488 individuals in the United States indicate that respondents are generally satisfied with their online shopping experiences, with security, information quality and information quantity ranking first in importance overall. The sensory impact of a site ranked last overall of the seven characteristics measured. Preferences for these characteristics in e-commerce sites were differentiated by age, education and income. The sensory impact of sites became less important as respondents increased in age, income or education. As the income of respondents increased, the importance of the reputation of the vendor rose. Web site designers may incorporate these findings into the design of e-commerce sites in an attempt to increase the shopping satisfaction of their users. Results from the customer relationship management portion of the survey suggest that current push technologies and site personalization are not an effective means of achieving user satisfaction.     

A survey of what customers want in a cell phone design

The cell phone is an information appliance that has been widely used. It provides instant access to information and makes people more ‘connected’. The objective of our study is to investigate the relationship among the design features of the cell phone and identify the most important design features and design factors. In our survey study, we asked 1,006 college students using a 7-point Likert scale structured questionnaire to evaluate their preference of the design features and overall satisfaction of their current cell phone. Nine design factors were derived. Ten cell phone design features and five design factors that significantly impact a user's satisfaction were identified. The most important design features are: the physical appearance, size and menu organisation, which together account for 42% of the total variance of a user's overall satisfaction.     

Involving users in the design and usability evaluation of a clinical decision support system

AIM: To design and evaluate a clinical decision support system (CDSS) to support cardiovascular risk prevention in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A preliminary requirements specification and three prototype CDSS interface designs were developed. Seven patients and seven clinicians conducted 'usability tests' on five different task scenarios with the CDSS prototypes to test its effectiveness, efficiency and 'user-friendliness'. Structured, qualitative questions explored their preferences for the different designs and overall impressions of clinical usefulness. RESULTS: Patients and clinicians were enthusiastic about the CDSS and used it confidently after a short learning period. Some patients had difficulty interpreting clinical data, but most were keen to see the CDSS used to help them understand their diabetes, provided a clinician explained their results. Clinicians' main concern was that the CDSS would increase consultation times. Changes suggested by users were incorporated into the final interface design. CONCLUSION: We have successfully incorporated patients' and clinicians' views into the design of a CDSS, but it was an arduous process.     

Ameritech's usability laboratory: from prototype to final design

. Ameritech's human factors organization was established in 1989, and from the beginning its charter assumed that user-centred design, iterative usability testing, and beginning-to-end involvement in the product-system development cycle would be central to its work. This article describes the laboratory resources that were created to support the organization. It identifies the needs of the human factors professionals using the lab that served as requirements for the design of the resources, and the interim lab that was built where implementation approaches to some of these requirements were tested and refined. It describes the final laboratory, as well as three different kinds of portable labs. The laboratory is a critical corporate resource, and while it continues to evolve as it is used, it has already demonstrated its value to the human factors organization it serves.     

Partnering usability with development: how three organizationssucceeded

Improving product usability enhances an organization's productivity, competitiveness and profitability. However, integrating usability practice into an organization is challenging. The authors consider three case studies which show how three organizations succeeded     

Ameritech's usability laboratory: from prototype to final design

Abstract

Abstract. Ameritech's human factors organization was established in 1989, and from the beginning its charter assumed that user-centred design, iterative usability testing, and beginning-to-end involvement in the product-system development cycle would be central to its work. This article describes the laboratory resources that were created to support the organization. It identifies the needs of the human factors professionals using the lab that served as requirements for the design of the resources, and the interim lab that was built where implementation approaches to some of these requirements were tested and refined. It describes the final laboratory, as well as three different kinds of portable labs. The laboratory is a critical corporate resource, and while it continues to evolve as it is used, it has already demonstrated its value to the human factors organization it serves.     

Finding what you want: new tools and tricks

You log in and find an urgent request for information about state-of-the-art tools for finding information on the World Wide Web. No problem. At the click of a mouse, you call up your favorite Web search engine and fire off the query “information retrieval WWW”. You get back lots of information in a nicely ordered list. Problem solved. It's not quite so easy-as library scientists have long known and users of the Web are discovering     

The role of users in interactive systems design: when computers are theatre, do we want the audience to write the script?

User participation in the design process may be an axiom of quality design but in the design of interactive, innovative computer systems, user participation may be neither feasible nor desirable. Here, user centred methodologies miss the point. If computers are a medium rather than a tool, then we need a new design paradigm that recognizes the difference between using a product and experiencing a show. In this paper the role of users in interactive systems design within the context of Multimedia product development is discussed. The main features of Multimedia product development are outlined through reference to an empirical study of two organizations and the role of users in the design process is discussed. Finally a different design paradigm is suggested.     

The effect of design on the usability and real world effectiveness of medical devices: A case study with adolescent users

Adolescents are currently overlooked in many fields of healthcare research and as a result are often required to use medical devices that have been designed for use by either children or adults. This can lead to poor adherence and a reduction in health outcomes.     

Optimal NC path planning: is it really possible?

NC physical verification effort can be considerably reduced by analytical modelling of NC tool path. A computer algorithm was developed to graphically emulate the tool path while machining flat polygonal objects. The orientation of the cutter center line relative to the object was then varied and several configurations were generated. For each configuration the total path was evaluated and plotted. Nature of the plots showed that an analytical optimization of the path is possible. In order to make the model more rigorous, attempts are being made to include the effects of the cutter tool life on the total path.     

A survey of blind users on the usability of email applications

Blind users face many challenges and obstacles when using computers at home and in the workplace, including difficulties in accessing web sites and using corporate software. A detailed understanding of usability problems in common email applications can inform designs that will provide improved usability. To help understand the challenges faced, a web-based survey on email usage by blind screen reader users was conducted. This paper presents the results of the survey of 129 blind users, which reveal several important facets of email applications that can be improved for blind users. The paper also discusses the specific challenges that are faced by blind users when using desktop and web-based email software.     

Human experience and product usability: principles to assist the design of user-product interactions

This paper introduces research that investigates how human experience influences people's understandings of product usability. It describes an experiment that employs visual representation of concepts to elicit participants' ideas of a product's use. Results from the experiment lead to the identification of relationships between human experience, knowledge, and context-of-use - relationships that influence designers' and users' concepts of product usability. These relationships are translated into design principles that inform the design activity with respect to the aspects of experience that trigger people's understanding of a product's use. A design tool (ECEDT) is devised to aid designers in the application of these principles. This tool is then trialled in the context of a design task in order to verify applicability of the findings.     

GOMS analysis as a tool to investigate the usability of web units for disabled users

Guideline compliance is a necessary but not sufficient condition to guarantee the usability of web units by disabled users, since efficiency-related issues can be as exclusive for disabled users as violations to basic guidelines. This paper shows that Goals, Operators, Methods and Selection rules (GOMS) analysis, which is an established method in user interface design, can be adapted to evaluate the efficiency of interface designs for disabled users. As examples, several GOMS models for the interaction behavior of disabled users with web units are described, showing how such models can be used to answer concrete accessibility-related questions. Advantages and limitations of GOMS analysis are also discussed.