Identifying the relevance of quality dimensions contributing to universal access of social Web applications for collaborative writing on mobile devices: an empirical study

Abstract

When used in a mobile ecosystem, social Web applications are commonly criticized due to their poor quality. We believe this is accounted for by the inadequacy of current approaches for their evaluation as well as the lack of suitable quality models. With an objective to address the aforementioned issues, this paper introduces a quality model that captures the particularities of social Web applications when used on mobile devices. Drawing on the comprehensive literature review, a finite set of performance variables (items, attributes, and categories) that contribute to the mobile quality of social Web applications was identified and subsequently employed for the purpose of designing a conceptual model in the form of a mobile quality requirements tree. An empirical study was then carried out to assess the reliability and validity of the conceptual model and pertaining measuring instrument. During the study, participants accomplished predefined scenarios of interaction with a representative sample of social Web applications for collaborative writing and evaluated their mobile quality by completing the post-use questionnaire. An analysis of data collected from end users uncovered a relevance of performance variables at different levels of granularity in a mobile quality requirements tree as well as pros and cons of evaluated collaborative editors.