Power of the Swipe: Why Mobile Websites Should Add Horizontal Swiping to Tapping,Clicking, and Scrolling Interaction Techniques

Horizontal swiping has become a common interaction technique on smartphones, yet many mobile websites do not incorporate this functionality, instead requiring users to scroll down or click on buttons, arrow keys, and other hotspots. This is perhaps because user studies comparing swiping with other interaction techniques are scarce. An experiment was conducted (N = 252) to inform this issue by investigating whether and how adding the swiping functionality to a tap-only mobile website influences users’ intentions to use the website. The data revealed that the addition of swiping technique positively affected behavioral intentions to use the website. Perceived enjoyment was a key variable that explained this effect. These findings have design implications for mobile websites.     

A Multimodal Measurement Method of Users’ Emotional Experiences Shopping Online

Emotions play an important role in the design of e‐commerce websites. A website should satisfy its users’ emotional needs. Emotion measurement is a prerequisite to understanding users’ emotional needs; because emotions contain complicated components, they are difficulty to measure. To interpret users’ emotional experiences while the users are interacting with e‐commerce websites, we propose a multimodal measurement method conjoint using questionnaires, eye tracking, and physiological measures. The effects of various websites on users’ emotions and the relationship between users’ subjective emotional ratings, eye movements, and physiological responses, along with the effects of their emotions on behavior intentions, were analyzed. The results indicate that differences in users’ emotional experiences while shopping on various e‐commerce websites are primarily embodied in subjective emotional ratings and eye movements. There is a correlation between users’ subjective emotional ratings, eye movements, and physiological responses, and to some extent, users’ emotional experiences can affect their behavior intentions.     

Exploring the design criteria of website interfaces for gender

The interface is the major channel through which users to navigate a website to find information matching their needs; nevertheless, gender-specific preferences for websites interface design have not been sufficiently explored or evaluated based on comprehensive and systematic approaches in past research. This study investigated the website interface design criteria for users of different genders based on usability principles. Undergraduate and graduate students in Taiwan were selected as the target sample. A total of 236 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed significant gender differences in scaling of the importance of website interface design criteria. The three most important website interface design criteria for males were compatibility, minimal action, and flexibility, whereas the three most important design criteria for females were compatibility, learnability, and user guidance. This paper discusses the possible explanations for the gender differences and their implications for website design.     

Evaluating websites for older adults: adherence to ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines and end-user performance

Older adults in the US are the fastest-growing demographic, and also the largest-growing group of internet users. The aim of this research was to evaluate websites designed for older adults in terms of (i) how well they adhere to ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines and (ii) overall ease of use and satisfaction. In Experiment I, 40 websites designed for older adults were heuristically evaluated based on their adherence to usability guidelines derived by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. In Experiment II, three websites with varying levels of guideline compliance were evaluated by older adults in a usability test. Results from this study indicate that the website most compliant with the ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines resulted in higher task success, but did not result in significantly better efficiency, satisfaction, or preference. These findings demonstrate the importance of using both guidelines and usability testing when designing websites for older adults.     

基于用户交互模型的会员网站每日活跃用户量分析

现有的网站往往向注册用户提供服务,而网站中的每日活跃用户量往往决定着网站建设的成败。为了描述网站中每日活跃用户的动态变化,本文将用户在网站上的交互行为分为响应、扩散和衰落三种类型,并提出了一种基于用户交互模型的每日活跃用户量模型。通过响应、扩散和衰落三种交互行为的定义,进一步推导出每日活跃用户随着时间的变化率。通过对每日活跃用户随着时间的变化率进行分析得到如下结论,当网站中用户的响应概率小于衰落概率时网站的活跃用户将趋向于0,反之活跃用户趋于某个固定的常数。大量的真实数据实验表明,不论网站自身的运营是否成功,本文提出的方法都可以很好的描述网站的每日活跃用户数量及其发展趋势,这对于网站的建设和维护具有重要的指导意义。     

Factors that affect visually impaired users' acceptance of audio and music websites

The number of users with visual impairments is on the rise. Companies have an opportunity to increase their reach and revenue by ensuring their websites are accessible to these users. Developing websites around the needs of those with visual impairments is especially critical as the affluent Baby Boomer generation ages and is faced with a multitude of vision problems. Despite this fast growing, web-reliant population, little work has been done to develop a behavioral model that addresses its needs. Grounded in accessibility and acceptance theories, this research proposes a model that predicts Web usage behavior of blind and low-vision users. Our results show that one of the most widely used acceptance models does not predict the adoption behavior of visually impaired users as effectively as a modified model that includes information accessibility. Those with visual impairments decide to revisit a website based, in part, on its accessibility as well as its ease of use and usefulness. These results suggest that traditional acceptance models may predict the behavior of users with visual impairments better when reliability and convenience of access to Information are also considered.     

Public websites and human–computer interaction: an empirical study of measurement of website quality and user satisfaction

The focus of this paper is to investigate measurement of website quality and user satisfaction. More specifically, the paper reports on a study investigating whether users of high-quality public websites are more satisfied than those of low-quality websites. Adopting a human–computer interaction perspective, we have gathered data from the 2009 public website awards in Scandinavia. Our analysis of Norwegian and Danish websites reveals that the use of quality criteria is highly technical compared to the traditional usability testing focus on efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction of the actual system use by representatives. A Pearson correlation analysis of user evaluation from 296 websites that participated in the Danish web award Bedst på Nettet (‘Top of the Web’) showed no significant positive correlation between website quality and user satisfaction. We put forward recommendations for further investigation: (1) inclusion of real users (citizens and businesses) in real-use setting in the evaluation process could help move forward the understanding of the relationship between website quality and end-user satisfaction; (2) the lack of correlation between website quality and user satisfaction could be a point of departure for critical discussions of future implementation of public information and services and (3) additional and in-depth research of the measurement of website quality in the public sector, user expectations and the impacts of website quality improvements on user satisfaction.     

Using Q methodology to explore user’s value types on mobile phone service websites

The website has been greatly extended and is popular all over the world for electronic commerce. Many technical tools and business functions can increase their reach by websites. The mobile phone service is an essential amenity for people. The intention of this research is to take an extensive look at different kinds of mobile phone website users. In this research, Q methodology is used to gather and analyze the data. According to the results, users’ types may be categorized into four groups: Online shoppers, Information seekers, Recreation demanders, and Easy users. The empirical results of this study can provide decision support intelligence for the websites designers to increase mobile phone website users’ satisfaction.     

Reprint of a process model for developing usable cross-cultural websites

In this paper we present a process model for developing usable cross-cultural websites. Compatible with ISO 13407, the process model documents an abstraction of the design process focusing on cultural issues in development. It provides a framework in which a variety of user-based and expert-based techniques for analysis and design are placed within the life-cycle of website development. In developing the model, we relate practical approaches to design with theories and models of culture and discuss the relevance of such theories to the practical design process. In particular we focus on four key concerns: how an audit of local website attractors can inform the design process; the concept of a cultural fingerprint to contrast websites with the cultural needs of local users; the problems associated with user evaluation; and cross-cultural team development. We then show their relation to our process model. We conclude by summarising our contribution to date within the field.     

Visual complexity of websites: Effects on users’ experience, physiology, performance, and memory

Visual complexity is an apparent feature in website design yet its effects on cognitive and emotional processing are not well understood. The current study examined website complexity within the framework of aesthetic theory and psychophysiological research on cognition and emotion. We hypothesized that increasing the complexity of websites would have a detrimental cognitive and emotional impact on users. In a passive viewing task (PVT) 36 website screenshots differing in their degree of complexity (operationalized by JPEG file size; correlation with complexity ratings in a preliminary study r=.80) were presented to 48 participants in randomized order. Additionally, a standardized visual search task (VST) assessing reaction times, and a one-week-delayed recognition task on these websites were conducted and participants rated all websites for arousal and valence. Psychophysiological responses were assessed during the PVT and VST. Visual complexity was related to increased experienced arousal, more negative valence appraisal, decreased heart rate, and increased facial muscle tension (musculus corrugator). Visual complexity resulted in increased reaction times in the VST and decreased recognition rates. Reaction times in the VST were related to increases in heart rate and electrodermal activity. These findings demonstrate that visual complexity of websites has multiple effects on human cognition and emotion, including experienced pleasure and arousal, facial expression, autonomic nervous system activation, task performance, and memory. It should thus be considered an important factor in website design.     

WWW网页布局规则初探

连入WWW(WorldWideWeb)的用户和网点数量每年成倍增长.要想使一个网点在数以百万计的网点中给访问者留下深刻的印象,设计出一个含有丰富信息、易于浏览、视觉上怡人的网页(WebPages)是不可或缺的.本文从Gestalt心理学、传统印刷术、超文本制作和人机交互学出发,尝试提出一个网络文档(WebDocuments)界面布局的设计规则,包括文本、图形、静态和动态的网络文档.本文把网络文档分成五种基本类型,然后给出了一些布局规则.     

Ranking versus reputation: perception and effects of search result credibility

Search engines play a key role for Internet users when searching for information. The vast majority of users are heavily influenced by the given ranking on the search engine results page (SERP). In this study, N?=?222 university students were tasked to inform themselves about the working conditions in South Asia on the basis of given SERPs. Besides the ranking on the SERP, two credibility cues – the type of the website (news site, corporate website, research institute, and private blog) and the primary source of information mentioned in the search result (scientific study vs. corporate spokesperson) – were varied. Two research objectives were examined: the influence of the ranking and the credibility cues on the evaluation of search results; and the effect of both ranking and credibility cues on the selection. Credibility cues had a strong influence on the perception of the search results’ credibility. Students rated the credibility higher if search results linked to reputable websites or mentioned a neutral primary source of information. We also find an interaction effect between the type of website and the primary source of information. However, participants’ selection was mainly influenced by the ranking. Reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.     

The negative impact of saturation on website trustworthiness and appeal: A temporal model of aesthetic website perception

Previous research on the perception of websites has shown that users' impressions of websites generated in ultra-rapid display durations (50 ms) correlate with their assessment after longer display durations. Based on the importance of color saturation in the design of websites, we present a 2 ✕ 3 ✕10 study design in which participants either assessed highly saturated or desaturated versions (between-subjects) of 50 websites coming from 10 content domains. All websites were presented three times to each participant in varying durations (50 ms, 500 ms, and 10 s), and each site was rated regarding its trustworthiness, visual appeal, and perceived usability. In contrast to a large body of research describing positive effects of higher saturated colors, our results show that these findings cannot be generalized to website perception, as we found negative effects of saturation depending on the content domain. Furthermore, we propose a temporal model of website perception based on the results in which users first evaluate the visual appeal of a website, followed by a continuous re-assessment of apparent usability, and lastly its trustworthiness. The results have broad implications for the design and presentation of information using digital media.     

Website design,trust and culture: An eight country investigation

User perceptions of website design (for Information Content, Information Design, Navigation Design, Visual Design), Website Trust, and Transaction Security are examined for differences in an eight country sample. Motivation for the investigation includes: (1) to test and compare user reactions to website design in countries with different degrees of uncertainty avoidance, (2) to consider user reactions based on country economic and technological conditions related to the theory of institutional trust and social capital, and (3) to extend clustering theory and the GLOBE cultural cluster model to determine if culturally similar countries group regarding user perceptions of websites. Overall and as predicted, users in low uncertainty avoidance, high institutional trust and social capital countries such as Canada and the USA have the most favorable perceptions of website design. An interesting finding is that while country economic and technological conditions may temper user perceptions in some instances, overall culture is a stronger predictor. Clustering theory is a useful determinant of user perceptions, and there is strong support that users within a given cultural cluster have similar requirements regarding website design.     

Linking card sorting to browsing performance – are congruent municipal websites more efficient to use?

Card sorting is a method for eliciting mental models and is frequently used for creating efficient website navigation structures. The present studies set out to validate card sorting by linking browsing performance to the degree of match between the mental model and the navigation structure. First, a card sorting study was conducted (n?=?27) to elicit users’ mental model of municipal websites. Second, performance was measured for a number of search tasks with varying degrees of congruence with users’ mental model (n?=?50). Analysis by linear mixed-effect models suggests that the match between mental model and website structure has no effect on browsing performance. We discuss possible reasons and consequences of the failure to validate card sorting for designing navigation structures of informational websites.     

Spanish Content on Hospital Websites: An Analysis of U.S. Hospitals' in Concentrated Latino Communities

This study explores the nature and extent of Spanish language translation of hospital websites. A quantitative content analysis of 121 U.S. hospital websites located in Hispanic communities was conducted. Results indicate that a significant number of U.S. hospitals fail on their websites to offer equal content for Spanish language users. The study also examines several factors potentially associated with the incidence of website translation. First, organizational factors such as hospital size, ownership type and formal statements of diversity commitment are investigated. Second, demographic factors such as county population size and Hispanic population size are also considered. Hispanics' use of the Internet, the digital divide, culture's impact on Internet use, and eHealth provide a background for discussion of the findings.     

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Source Credibility Theory Applied to Logo and Website Design for Heightened Credibility and Consumer Trust

Websites are often the first or only interaction a consumer has with a firm in modern commerce. Because consumers tend to make decisions within the first few seconds of online interaction, the first impression given to users can greatly determine a website's success. Leveraging source credibility theory, a strategy is presented for building credibility derived from a user's initial impressions of a website, in online environments. The study demonstrates that logos designed to communicate traits of credibility (i.e., expertise and trustworthiness) can trigger positive credibility judgments about the firm's website and that this increase in perceived credibility results in greater trust and willingness to transact with the firm. In addition, the study demonstrates distinct effects on consumers’ distrusting beliefs. The positive trust effects are magnified when the design of a website extends and complements the credibility-based logo design. This practice-supporting model further indicates how website designers can methodically design logos and websites that nonverbally communicate credibility information within the first few moments of a website interaction.

[Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of the International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction to view the free supplemental file: Online Appendix A.]     

基于深度神经网络burst特征分析的网站指纹攻击方法

以Tor为代表的匿名网络是一种隐匿用户数据传输行为的通信中介网络.不法分子利用匿名网络从事网络犯罪,对网络监管造成了极大的困难.网站指纹攻击技术是破解匿名通信的可行技术,可用于发现基于匿名网络秘密访问敏感网站的内网用户行为,是网络监管的重要手段.神经网络在网站指纹攻击技术上的应用突破了传统方法的性能瓶颈,但现有的研究未充分考虑根据突发流量(burst)特征等Tor流量特征对神经网络结构进行设计,存在网络过于复杂和分析模块冗余导致特征提取和分析不彻底、运行缓慢等问题.在对Tor流量特征进行研究和分析的基础上,设计了轻便的基于一维卷积网络的burst特征提取和分析模块,提出了基于深度神经网络分析burst特征的网站指纹攻击方法.进一步,针对在开放世界场景中仅使用阈值法简单分析指纹向量的不足,设计了基于随机森林算法的指纹向量分析模型.改进后的模型分类准确率达到了99.87%,在缓解概念漂移、绕过网站指纹攻击防御机制、识别Tor隐藏网站、小样本训练模型和运行速度等方面均有优异的性能表现,提高了网站指纹攻击技术应用到真实网络的可实践性.     

Investigating the problems faced by older adults and people with disabilities in online environments

Irresponsible and inaccessible web design causes unnecessary problems to certain website users. By applying the web content accessibility guidelines to a website the amount of possible users who can successfully view the content of that site will increase especially for those who are in the disabled and older adult categories of online users. We present the results of assessing the compliance of a selection of websites with guidelines set out by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). It was found that most sites evaluated were inaccessible to those with disabilities. Only one of the selected sites passed all three priority levels set out by the WAI. In many cases, minor modifications to sites will make them accessible to people with disabilities. Therefore it can only be speculated that the reasons for lack of conformance may vary from lack of awareness of the issue, time constraints or the general stress of having to keep up with new technologies. Companies who overlook users with disabilities however may be doing so at long-term risk to their legal position, public image and ultimately business success.     

Development, Distribution and Evaluation of Online Tourism Services in China

The development of electronic commerce (E-commerce) has led to great changes in the tourism industry in many countries around the world including China. The Chinese tourism industry has invested large amounts of money over last few years in the development of what is known as the 'Golden Tourism Project.' This study sheds more light on this project by investigating online tourism service development in China from three perspectives: the tourism website, the tourism website user and the tourism website provider. The results show that the majority of tourism website providers are regional tourism destination organizations that mainly provide comprehensive local tourism information and online services. The results also show the level of regional economic development has a significant impact on the construction of these local tourism websites. Through conducting a questionnaire survey, this paper identifies the types of web users and their evaluation for tourism websites. It assesses the level of current user satisfaction and discusses the principal barriers of implementation of online tourism services in China from a technical, financial and organizational point of view respectively. It is found that obtaining information is still the main aim of web users, however, the difficulties are slow Internet access and high fees. In conclusion, this paper proposes possible approaches to improve the quality of online tourism services in China.