The TV-WEB project - combining internet and television – lessons learnt from the user experience studies

Abstract

We present the results of the user experience studies conducted as part of the European SEE TV-WEB project activities. The SEE TV-WEB project aims to use the free digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting frequency spectrum capacities for transmitting selected Internet content and ensuring at least some Internet experience via TV devices to the certain less advantaged segments of the population, or those in rural areas without broadband access. Five different test study cases are presented, four in Slovenia and one in Austria, each with different specific target user groups and their own dynamics. According to the project disposition goals the focus was on the elderly. Methods, such as think-aloud protocol in combination with a guided interview and observation of verbal as well as of non-verbal responses, were used. To ensure the repeatability of tests and to help guide the process, a special questionnaire was developed. The research questions focused on: the navigation and interaction concept, the content, the readability, and the overall acceptance and the perception of value of the TV-WEB service. More than 74 users participated in the user experience studies, 27 of them 65 years old or older. The results indicate that the presented navigation and interaction concept is indeed intuitive and simple enough to be used by most users with no or little effort. This is especially proven by the results from studies at both elderly citizens homes, where the majority of participants were 65 years old or older.