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Introduction
A Web-Based Tool for Evaluating User-Computer Interaction
Jaime Sánchez and Omar Alonso
Department of Computer Science
University of Chile
Chile
Email: {jsanchez, oalonso}@dcc.uchile.cl
Diverse studies have increasingly demanded easy-to-use and well documented tools to evaluate user interfaces [Norman
& Drapper 1988; Norman 1988; Winograd 1996]. Authors agree, that whenever possible during the software design
cycle, it is safe and necessary to do some sort of evaluation.
Efficient tools to register adequately data about interfaces (display, dialog boxes, controls, menus, icons) and interaction
(feedback, visibility, mapping, affordances, usability) are needed in terms of having standardized measures to get a
sense of how the design matches user satisfaction, needs, feelings, interests, and mapping [Norman 1988; Apple 1992].
The process of evaluation is essential to inform the designer about how well a proposed design models the users' needs
in terms of their characteristics, type of activities to be done with the system, the environment of use, and the technology
that supports it [Preece 1994, Barsfeld 1994, Rada 1995]. Different traditional evaluation techniques such as
observation, verbal protocols, users opinions (interviews, group discussions, questionnaires), focus groups, logging
actual use, and user feedback have been described in the literature in order to gather data to better fit the needs of the
users' circumstances [Nielsen 1993; Schneiderman 1992].
It has been said that the process of selecting appropriate evaluation techniques involves 'picking, mixing, and adapting
from the range of techniques available' [Preece 1994, Cooper 1995; Barsfeld 1993]. This study intends to introduce a
web-based tool based on an interactive questionnaire to obtain users' and designers' opinion and reactions both locally
and distributively. We implement a traditional technique, such as a questionnaire, as a tool that can be administered and
accessed distributively, anytime, anywhere, from a Web page (see the questionnaire in
http://www.dcc.uchile.cl/~oalonso/project/).
The Model
We present a model for evaluation user interaction process based on a Web application that can complement activities
based on user observation. Possible users of this tool are people interested in evaluating a specific software based on a
set of questions. Also, it can be useful for interface designers to experiment and collect data for a more in-depth analysis
of their design. Both will be using the same software for evaluation purposes: a Web browser.
The user who wants to evaluate a particular software can interact with a Web browser as the main tool for answering
questions and annotating comments. The user can check for graphical output of the data stored, select comments from
other users, and visualize snapshots of other user interfaces running in other platforms.
The interface designer can check for graphical output, special comments, and other requirements. The next step after the
data analysis is to rebuild or rearrange features of the user interface and place them on a Web page. This can be done in
either of two ways. The designer can choose a user interface toolkit, build one, take snapshots, and place them on the
page. The other approach is to build an applet and place it on the page with the advantage that the user not only can
evaluate the software interface, but can also check and interact with new features while the design process is underway.
Our first testing was centered on the evaluation of Web browsers owing to the availability of different products and
research prototypes, and to the fact that a Web browser can be used during the user-interface evaluation.