Importance and Usability of University Websites

An organization's website is a gateway to its information, products, and services. As such, it should be a reflection of the needs of the clients that it serves. Unfortunately, website design and development is often driven by technology or organizational structure or business objectives, rather than user needs. Since higher educational institutions have started to use their websites as a means of recruiting students, an effective website design emerged as a critical factor in attracting students. The usability factor is an extremely important aspect in an individual website as it ensures the survival of each institution in digital environment. In addition to the importance of website usability, the COVID-19 virus significantly increased the importance of websites, especially university websites. Website users and designers accept usability as major criteria in developing websites. If any institution website has poor usability, it is difficult to use, and visitors may turn to other institutions' websites.

Pelatihan uji kegunaan website menggunakan System Usability Scale (SUS)

System Usability Scale (SUS) is a usability testing technique for a simple system using a Likert scale. Testing and usability analysis assess user satisfaction with the system or web. So, the purpose of this service activity is to train website usability testing with SUS, using the Dukcapil website as a test object. Dukcapil's website will be analyzed for its usability level as a real case for direct practice. In SUS, ten statements are used as parameters in assessing the usability of a website. This activity was attended by 20 people, including Bina Darma University students, vocational students, and IT staff from the Dukcapil Palembang City. The usability analysis of this website aims to assess how well user interaction with the website is going. Then, the results of this assessment and study produce an input as a reference for website development to be more optimal in the future. In testing the usefulness of the Dukcapil website in this PKM activity, it can be seen that the SUS score is at a score of 56.125, with the category Acceptable. Therefore, it shows that the Dukcapil website is ranked F, with a "Good" rating category. The training results show that the Dukcapil website is still very rarely accessed by users. Because it provides information lacking in updates, the features used are still in the beta version (still in the testing phase). Users or participants still do not understand how to use it. In addition, this activity provides participants with an understanding of the website usability test using the SUS model.

Engaging Parents in the Development and Testing of a Website to Support Social-Communication and Play Development for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with social-communication and play challenges and would benefit from interventions targeting these skills. One way to ensure this is by engaging parents in technological supports to learn about an intervention and increase home-school collaboration. Thus, a website could potentially address both needs. This study describes the initial developmental processes of one such website. Specifically, we describe how engaging parents as stakeholders in the website development enhanced its future usability and feasibility. Data were collected through focus groups, interviews, and surveys to obtain parent feedback about website usability and applicability and about the intervention. Survey data were descriptively analyzed. Focus group and interview data were analyzed using systematic qualitative analysis. Parents perceived the website to be useful in helping them target social-communication and play with their preschoolers with ASD and highlighted specific aspects of the website and intervention they perceived as effective. Child outcomes and parent fidelity to the intervention supported these perceived developmental gains. Findings suggest that engaging parents in developmental processes may help ensure usability and applicability of resources and interventions. Furthermore, findings support the use of technology to help parents learn to use an intervention with their preschoolers with ASD. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Strategic Analysis for Governance Development of National Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal in Korea

The Korean government released the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Portal (NSDIP) by integrating the spatial information possessed by 205 agencies to implement governance through the portal. In this study, four evaluation criteria groups (disclosure, participation, civil petition service, and website usability) were established through a literature review related to governance and government portals. After evaluation based on the four evaluation criteria, governance improvement measures were suggested. As an improvement measure, in terms of information disclosure, it was necessary to manage the quality of data update cycle, accuracy, metadata, etc., and to provide customized spatial information. In the stakeholder participation section, feedback from users is reflected in policies, and activation of participation spaces through education and exhibitions is required. In terms of civil petition service, it is necessary to introduce an incentive system to improve innovative services and to prepare measures to prevent infringement of security and privacy in the civil petition process. In website usability, it is necessary to prepare an improvement plan by introducing user-friendly interface design using GIS viewer, and statistics and GIS spatial analysis functions. The improvement plan by the evaluation criteria is expected to be the direction to implement inclusive portal governance.

Measuring User Satisfaction in Website Usability by Considering Stress Level

Usability testing, part of the human-computer interaction problem, is a method commonly used to evaluate the performance of a website interface. Today's study of human-computer interaction is important. It is now developed into UI UX (User Interface / User Experience). The website interface can affect user satisfaction and is a principal factor in a website being liked by users and meeting user needs. When a website is first developed, it can be difficult for a developer to understand the need for a website interface that matches the user persona of that website. Therefore, this research is important as an evaluation material for websites that are developed in the context of a website interface to provide a satisfactory appearance according to user personas. This study evaluates a website by conducting a usability test using the ISO-9241 aspect and getting an average result of 50,967, which is categorized as a bad website is taken from all users in the experiment. This study can also prove the psychological factors of users that influence usability testing, namely differences in the perceptions of website ratings between users with normal and (mild, moderate, severe, too severe) psychological stress levels. Users with normal stress levels will have better usability test results than users with stress levels. This study shows better results than user ratings with a normal stress level of 73,750, so it is categorized as a reliable website.

Analyzing Opioid-Use Disorder Websites In The United States: An Optimized Website Usability Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND As the United States continues to tackle the opioid epidemic, it is imperative for digital healthcare organizations to provide internet users accurate and accessible online resources so that they can make informed decisions with regards to their health. The aim of this study was to analyze the usability of opioid-use disorder (OUD) websites. OBJECTIVE The primary objectives of this study were based on the objectives established by previous literature but were adapted towards analyzing usability of OUD-related websites. The objectives were to adapt and modify a previously established usability methodology from literature, apply this modified methodology in order to analyze OUD websites, and make important recommendations that OUD-related digital health organizations may utilize to improve their online presence. METHODS A list of 208 websites (later refined to sample size of “n=96” websites) were generated for usability testing using a modified Google search methodology established by previous literature. Four keywords were chosen and used in the search: “DEA-X Waiver Training”, “OUD Initiatives”, “Buprenorphine Assisted Treatment” and “Opioid-Use Disorder Websites”. The list was compiled between April 20, 2021 and April 23, 2021. Using an usability methodology established by previous literature, website usability testing was performed from April 24, 2021 to May 19, 2021. Usability analysis was performed concurrently with optimization of the methodology. OUD websites were analyzed and scored on several usability categories. RESULTS “DEA-X Waiver Training” yielded websites that scored the highest average in “Accessibility” (0.84), while “Opioid-Use Disorder Websites” yielded websites that scored the highest average in “Content Quality” (0.67). “Buprenorphine Assisted Treatment” yielded websites that scored the highest average across “Marketing” (0.52), “Technology” (0.89), “General Usability” (0.69), and “Overall Usability” (0.68). “Technology” was the highest scoring usability category among all of the keywords. “Marketing” was the lowest scoring category among all keywords. Statistical T-test analysis revealed that each usability, except “Marketing” had a pair of one or more keywords that were significantly different with a P-value that was equal to or less than 0.05. CONCLUSIONS Based on the findings, we recommend that digital organizations in the OUD space should improve their “General Usability” score by making their websites more discoverable (thereby improving their “Marketing” usability score as well). Doing so, may allow many users, especially individuals in the OUD space, to discover pertinent and accurate information that they are seeking. In conclusion, the primary objectives of this study were addressed. A previously established usability methodology was adapted and modified for the analysis of OUD websites. Based on the study findings, we made important recommendations that OUD-related digital organizations may utilize in order to improve website usability as well as overall reach.

What is a Library Website, Anyway? Reconsidering Dominant Conceptual Models

In late 2019, Thompson Rivers University embarked on a multi-phase website usability project beginning with a website user survey, to be followed shortly afterward by usability testing and interviews. While the survey was completed as planned, the COVID-19 pandemic closed the library and interrupted the usability testing phase. This interruption and the frantic website changes that followed led me to consider survey findings within the context of differing conceptual models of the library website as a whole. This study explores a number of conceptual models of the library website in further depth, considering evidence from both the existing literature and the user survey in addition to the researcher’s own experience making post-COVID website updates. Particular models that are examined include Website as Research Portal, Website as Extension or Representation of the physical library, and Website as Library Branch. Each of these conceptual models has different implications on priorities, structure, purpose, and resource allocation. Rather than considering the models of library employees superior or more advanced than those of students, I contend that an awareness of myriad ways to understand the website can best bridge the gap between library employees and other users. The study concludes that while there is no perfect model of the library website, considering and communicating our models may sharpen collegial decision-making structures and create greater unity of purpose within the library.

Local government website usability on mobile devices: test results and recommendations

Purpose The range of official business that can be handled online has grown in the recent decade. In many cases, e-services are a must. At the same time, the economic impact and social importance of mobile technology have increased. Mobile devices are becoming more and more popular, and their applications diversify. It comes as no surprise that mobile users expect e-services and official information to be available through this channel. The purpose of this paper is to identify problems (difficulties) occurring when browsing websites of local government units (LGU) on mobile devices. Design/methodology/approach The comfort of website browsing depends mostly on the development technique, and the way content is published. Responsive websites are much easier to view on mobile devices than “static” ones. The study involves 400 websites of LGU in Poland. The websites were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analyses with selected techniques and computer tools. Findings The set of 400 websites contained 119 (29.75%) that were not responsive. It exhibited a substantial potential for the optimisation of websites for mobile devices. The study revealed the most common usability failures such as distorted images, “scattered icons”, partial responsiveness and bothersome messages in pop-ups. Originality/value The research identified the most widespread problems with the tested websites. The study yielded recommendations for local governments, which may be useful when managing content, upgrading the website or replacing it with a new one.