Abstract
The usability of the web pages is assessed using some statistical models. Researchers argue that many usability results and recommendations lack empirical and experimental data. Universities web pages are chosen as subjects for this work. Series of experiments have been conducted to investigate into the usability and design of the universities web pages. Prototype web pages have been developed according to the structured methodologies of web pages design and development. Four universities web pages were evaluated together with the prototype web pages using a questionnaire which was designed according to the Human Computer Interactions (HCI) concepts. The data collected was analyzed using correlation and regression models. The correlation analysis showed that there were significant positive and negative correlations between many items. The regression analysis revealed that the most significant factors (items) that contributed to the best model of the universities web pages design and usability were: multimedia in the web pages, the web pages icons (alone) organization and design, and graphics attractiveness. The results showed some of the limitations of some heuristics used in conventional interface system design and proposed some additional heuristics in web pages design and usability.
Highlights
User interface is a system layer through which the computer and users communicate [1] [2]. It is an essential part of Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
Correlation The correlation analysis study is used to explain the relationship between the variables of the web pages design and usability
The web pages contrast against the background showed significant positive correlation with the web pages icons and text organization, color and graphics consistency, navigation, location tracking, and forms organization and helpfulness
Summary
User interface is a system layer through which the computer and users communicate [1] [2] It is an essential part of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). In a survey conducted in the last few years, software development devoted almost half (48%) of the code to the user interface [5] [6]. It is important to devote considerable time, effort, and cost for user interface design and its usability. Shneiderman [16] reported that web sites could be well categorized by the originator’s identity such as individual group, university, corporation and non-profit organization. He concluded that information about users could guide web designers to a better design. The problems that motivate this research are: 1) There were no empirical studies that categorized the users of the universities web pages and studied their preference, and the problems they were facing when using these web pages
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