Adaptive Web Representation

Users tend to have varying preferences regarding multimodal access representations. The number of alternatives provided by paper-based media is inherently limited. Adaptive hypertext applications do not share this limitation. This paper classifies them into three categories of information, and their corresponding interface representation: Content of documents, primary navigational system comprising links between and within these documents, and supplemental navigational systems such as index pages, trails, or guided tours.

CMU-WEB

With the ubiquitous availability of browsers and internet access, the last few years have seen a tremendous growth in the number of applications being developed on the world wide web (WWW). Models for analyzing and designing these applications are only just beginning to emerge. In this work, we propose a 3-dimensional classification space for WWW applications, consisting of a degree of structure of pages dimension, a degree of support for interrelated events dimension and a location of processing dimension. Next, we propose usability design metrics for WWW applications along the structure of pages dimension. To measure these ,we propose CMU-WEB: a conceptual model that can be used to design WWW applications, such that its schemas provide values for the design metrics. This work represents the first effort, to the best of our knowledge, to provide a conceptual model that measures quantifiable metrics that can be used for the design of more usable web applications, and that can also be used to compare the usability of existing web applications, without empirical testing.

Methodology of Schema Integration for New Database Applications

A practitioner’s approach to integrate databases and evolve them so as to support new database applications is presented. The approach consists of a joint bottom-up and top-down methodology; the bottom-up approach is taken to integrate existing database using standard schema integration techniques (B-Schema), the top-down approach is used to develop a database schema for the new applications (T-Schema). The T-Schema uses a joint functional-data analysis. The B-schema is evolved by comparing it with the generated T-schema. This facilitates an evolutionary approach to integrate existing databases to support new applications as and when needed. The mutual completeness check of the T-Schema against B-Schema derive the schema modification steps to be performed on B-Schema to meet the requirements of the new database applications. A case study is presented to illustrate the methodology.

Strategies for Managing EUC on the Web

Beginning in the early 1980s, end-user computing (EUC) began to permeate organizations following the advent of the personal computer and a host of applications directed at the non-IS professional. Along with EUC came a whole new set of organizational opportunities and risks. Ten years later, the World Wide Web has opened the door to a yet more powerful set of EUC applications capable of reaching well beyond the boundaries of the organization. Indeed, Web technology permits end users to design applications that are immediately accessible by unlimited numbers of people from anywhere in the world. As a result, EUC using Web technology has introduced a whole new set of opportunities and risks for organizations. The purpose of this research is to examine what strategies organizations are using in their attempt to maximize the benefits of the Web for end users while mitigating the inherent risks. To this end, individuals from 12 major organizations were surveyed via the Web. The results indicate that while organizations seem to be doing an adequate job of establishing roles and standards, mechanisms for resource allocation, development management, and maintenance appear to be lacking. In fact, most firms seem to be relying on a monopolist control strategy at this point in time. While such a strategy may be the best approach given the relative infancy of Web technology, it could prove to be an unstable strategy in the long run given the reach, range and flexibility of access that Web technology provides. Organizations are encouraged to take a proactive, formal posture toward EUC development on the Web.

Usability

System Usability is becoming increasingly important in situations where assistance in the operation of a system is not readily available for the user. Traditionally, usability measures have consisted of post development testing in a usability lab. Usability practitioners are recognising the need for innovative procedures to incorporate usability in system development at an earlier stage than traditional testing allows and User Centred Design is an approach that meets this need. The objective of this chapter is to examine traditional usability testing and compare it to user centred design practices focusing on the resultant quality of the information system. An examination of literature concerning the two approaches is presented and comparisons made to a case study of a large Australian organisation utilising both measures. The experiences of developers and users within the organisation are presented, and the perceived quality of systems developed using both approaches is examined.

An Information Systems Design Framework for Facilitating TQM Implementation

This paper provides a framework for information systems (IS) design for TQM implementation. The framework consists of three main phases. In the first, TQM implementation tasks are established. These tasks include identifying customer satisfaction variables (CSV), translation of CSV to firm response variables (FRV), benchmarking, and continuous improvement. The second phase includes analyses of communication effectiveness requirements between the organizational entities such as sales/marketing, top management, operations, accounting/finance and also with the customers. In the third phase, appropriate IS component inventories for different communication interfaces are generated. This was accomplished by first mapping the TQM implementation tasks for the communication interfaces. Then appropriate IS/IT solution was recommended for each interface. The final IS design is achieved by integrating IS components at technological, functional, and strategic levels. Finally, a hypothetical example for a large manufacturing firm is provided.

On-Line User Interaction with Electronic Catalogs

In this paper we study the behavior and performance of bilingual users in using an electronic catalog. The purpose of this research is to further the knowledge required for building electronic commerce systems that operate in multiple languages in global settings. We describe a bilingual electronic catalog that can be used by online retailers for selling products and/or services to customers interacting in either English or Chinese. We investigate into the nature of user interactions in multilingual electronic catalogs. We have defined three different groups of users: only Chinese speaking, only English speaking, and bilingual. We are specifically interested in investigating into the language preferences of the third group of users. In order to test language preferences, we have selected two types of products: office supplies and ethnic food. We hypothesize that bilingual users will exhibit differential language preferences for the type of products and the tasks performed in using the electronic catalog. Furthermore, learning curves and interaction effects are also tested. Three different task categories have been designed: browsing, directed search, and exact matches. In the first case, the user is a general browser who is looking for what is available in the catalog. In the second case, the user is looking for a class of products but is unsure of the exact item. In the third case the user knows exactly what item he/she is looking for. We propose to test the efficiency of usage by measuring the time as well as studying the path followed by the user in retrieving product information. This research will shed light on the important issue of designing multilingual electronic catalogs for both local and global applications.

Toward an Understanding of the Behavioral Intention to Use a Groupware Application

Over the past decade, groupware technologies, such as e-mail, electronic bulletin boards, and group support systems, have become an important part of the business computing infrastructure in many organizations. Organizations adopt groupware applications to enhance communication and collaboration among group members and thus improve group performance. While some groupware applications, e.g., e-mail, have been commonly accepted, many other applications, especially those that require significant collaboration and cooperation among users, are not widely used in organizations and their potential benefits are far from being fully realized (Orlikowski, 1993). Although numerous laboratory and field studies have consistently shown the relevance and positive impact of group support systems on group work, more research is needed in understanding how to increase the rate of diffusion and adoption of the technology (Nunamaker, 1997). Behavioral-related elements, recognized by many, are the primary cause of resistance of users toward a newly implemented system or technology. Information technology (IT) research, however, tends to under-utilize existing knowledge in the behavioral science (Turner, 1982; Robey, 1979). Expectancy theory has been recognized as one of the most promising conceptualizations of individual motivation (Ferris, 1977). Many researchers have proposed that expectancy theory can provide an appropriate theoretical framework for research that examines a user’s acceptance of and intent to use a system (DeSanctis, 1983). This study uses expectancy theory as part of a student-based experiment to examine users’ behavioral intention (motivation) to utilize a groupware application.

Exploring the Measurement of End User Computing Success

As end user computing (EUC) becomes more pervasive in organizations, a need arises to measure and understand the factors that make EUC successful. EUC success is viewed as a subclass of organizational information system (IS) success, having distinct characteristics that distinguish it from other sources of organizational computing success. Namely, the success of applications developed by the information systems department (ISD), software vendors, or outsourcing companies. The literature shows that despite the volitional nature of end user computing, end user satisfaction is the most popular measure EUC success. Moreover, despite known limitations reported in the literature, self-reported scales are the instruments of choice by most researchers. This paper explores the literature on EUC success measurement and discusses the main issues and concerns researchers face. While alluding to the difficulty of devising economic and quantitative measures of EUC success, recommendations are made including the use of unobtrusive measures of success, take into account contextual factors, use well-defined concepts and measures and seek a comprehensive integrated model that incorporates a global view.

Towards User-Oriented Control of End-User Computing in Large Organizations

Control is a major issue in end-user computing. The migration of responsibility, resources and authority from IT departments to user departments is frequently seen as a loss of power by the IT departments and an erosion of cost control by senior management. Reactions to this situation tend to focus on technology and formal control mechanisms. This paper contrasts such an IT-oriented view with a proposed, alternative user-oriented view. An IT-oriented view of EUC focuses on the problems it causes, the technology it requires, the methods that should be used and the means of limiting, controlling and standardizing. An user-oriented view of EUC focuses on the problems it solves, the user’s task and the organizational environment. The paper advocates a shift in EUC research away from the technology and the IT issues towards the political, social and cultural issues associated with the users. EUC problems are, in the main, organizational problems requiring a research approach which addresses dynamic issues emerging over a period of time. As a basis for such research, the paper proposes a dynamic model for EUC in which the progression of EUC within an organization is visualized as a series of inference loops.