Remote usability evaluation: user participation in the design of a Web-based email service

  • Authors:
  • David R. Millen

  • Affiliations:
  • AT&T Labs, 100 Schulz Drive, Red Bank, NJ

  • Venue:
  • ACM SIGGROUP Bulletin
  • Year:
  • 1999

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

A case study is presented in which remote usability evaluation methods were used in the development of a new Internet service. The new service provided access to email using a standard web browser. User session logs, which included keystroke level event records, were examined for approximately 600 of the service trial users. This allowed temporal and activity analysis of user behavior, as well as the detection of general session usage patterns. In addition to keystroke level data, feedback about the service was collected using a public discussion forum. The user feedback messages were coded and analyzed to confirm important service benefits, and to identify and understand potential service enhancements. The trial feedback, taken collectively, suggests important attributes that both prevent and invite user adoption of a new email client application.