Understanding the user experience (UX) factors that influence user satisfaction in digital culture heritage online collections for non-expert users

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore how user experience (UX) influences user satisfaction when interacting with digital culture heritage online collections from non-expert perspective. Non-experts are categorised as apprentice investigator and general public. UX factors and website features that influence user satisfaction were identified and investigated. The relevancy is to examine whether existing digital cultural heritage online collections are able to satisfy general type users. Two existing digital culture heritage online collections were used as the vehicle to get the findings. A qualitative approach was adopted in this pilot study. Think-Aloud-Protocol was conducted to understand the users' cognitive and affective feelings when interacting with the chosen online collections. Results indicated that UX factors are seen as the enabler to trigger user satisfaction and dissatisfaction. User satisfaction is subjective and dependent on user's needs, expectations and existing experiences. This study revealed that non-experts valued direct and brief content that is displayed through attractive layout, familiar subject matter and dynamic way of presenting the content. Users expect the usability is there but that will not guarantee an overall user satisfaction. Apart from that, they appreciated website features of digital culture heritage collections that would give the users a sense of immersion when interacting with the content and effective content searching. These features appeared to be one of the contributors to influence user satisfaction when interacting with digital cultural heritage online collections.