The present paper reports a pilot study which aimed to research the issues which users of the world wide web regard to be of central importance. The study involved a survey of web users. A web-based questionnaire was created which comprised evaluation criteria selected from a large set of candidates using sorting techniques. The questionnaire was made available to the web community, enabling users to provide their views on the usability of four nominated web sites after browsing each one. The survey data were analysed and results interpreted to place the perceived importance of delay in context with other usability issues in web environments. The survey aimed to establish the subjective views of users performing browsing activities, rather than on measurements of the user performing allocated tasks.
The sorting exercise ascertained that delay was regarded as important by users, although issues of navigation and web page design are still dominant. However, the survey revealed that delays provoked criticism from users, although such delays appear to be acceptable for more local web sites.
1) The site contains unnecessary graphics which adversely affect the speed of interaction
2) The site contains useful animation
3) The textual content of the pages is legible and easy to read
4) The general quality of information/content is poor
5) The provision of navigation guidance is good
6) The consistency of navigation is poor
7) It is easy to get lost in the site
8) External links are reliable (e.g. up to date and accessible)
9) Internal links are reliable and rapidly accessible
10) Icons do not have a clear meaning and purpose
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Question |
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Mean overall |
2.4 |
2.7 |
3.8 |
2.4 |
3.2 |
3 |
3.2 |
3.4 |
3.6 |
2.8 |
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York |
1.8 |
2.2 |
4.2 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
3.4 |
3.7 |
3.1 |
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Staffs |
2 |
2.7 |
3.8 |
2.5 |
3.3 |
2.8 |
3 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
2.7 |
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Sun |
3.8 |
3.8 |
4 |
2 |
3.8 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
3.3 |
4 |
3.8 |
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Microsoft |
4.3 |
3 |
3.1 |
2.4 |
2.9 |
3.1 |
3.6 |
3.4 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
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Sd overall |
1.3 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
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York |
0.9 |
1 |
0.8 |
1 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
1 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
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Staffs |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1 |
1 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
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Sun |
1.3 |
1 |
1.4 |
0.8 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
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Microsoft |
1.1 |
1.3 |
1.6 |
1.3 |
1 |
1.3 |
1.6 |
0.8 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
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The aim of the reported pilot study was to investigate the issues which users regard to be of central importance with respect to world wide web usability, and whether time-related issues reside within that centrality.
From the sorting exercise, both of the time-related issues were placed in the most important ten from twenty six issues. This would imply that users do indeed regard them to be intrinsic to web usability. However, the subsequent survey suggests that there is little to choose between typical web sites with respect to these issues.
Some users expressed criticism of delays caused by the unnecessary use of graphics, although the sample size was highly questionable in terms of drawing significant conclusions for this aspect of the survey.
Time issues appeared to be more important to users of more powerful machines, although again, it is recommended that this study should be repeated with a wider sample.
It was stated at the outset that this was a pilot study, and further investigation of the issues under investigation would be needed. In order to investigate these issues a method based upon a set of tasks within a specific context would seem appropriate. Rada (1995) identifies two types of information retrieval, namely browsing and searching. A wider study should consider both of these approaches.
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