20100921 - Chang, Usability Study of Mouseover

A theory-based usability study of the mouseover abstract interfaces by Chang, Yaowen, Ed.D., Columbia University Teachers College, 2005 , 125 pages; AAT 3175671 My interest: (1) Relationships among Effectiveness, Efficiency, and User Satisfaction. (2) Eight outcome measures – what? (3) Comparison methodology of 2 websites. (4) Measures of Effectiveness, Efficiency, and User Satisfaction. How to analyse? Action: To read specific parts of this Dissertation in future. This study: Investigated the impact of the Mouse-Over-Abstract (MOA) interface on the usability of website interface design with the Cognitive Theory of Hypermedia Learning as the conceptual framework. With the MOA interface design, the researcher aimed to examine whether the provision of the preview/context information and the modality in which the preview/context information is presented have a significant impact on interface usability. explore the relationships among the different perspectives of usability: effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The MOA interfaces provided users with an abstract for the linked page in text and/or audio format when users mouse-overed the hyperlinks. Participants explored two websites, one containing astronomy material (pertaining to the phases of the moon) and the other, facts about the Institutional Review Board. After each browsing session, the participants performed assigned tasks. Eight outcome measures were derived from their responses and used to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction perspectives of the interface usability. Contradictory to findings in existing literature, results consistently failed to find supporting evidence for the beneficial effects of context information or modality effects in design usability. Comments: Research findings could also be contrary to popular findings. Phrase "consistently failed to find supporting evidence" is very appropriate; better than saying NO. The correlations among the perspectives of usability indicated that efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction are not interchangeable. Comments: We always know that. So what? What is the impact to usability? Thus, it is essential for researcher to adopt a multi-trait/multi-method approach when conducting usability evaluation. Comments: May need to use this statement in future…to quote in my Dissertation.