| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣科技大學 === 設計研究所 === 101 === Through the rapid development of internet, the social networking service (SNS) serves a novel online socializing channel for users. Based on this kind of service, the virtual socializing style has already became indispensable part for our life. This study is intended to investigate the interface usability of social networking website. The research results can be used in promoting the practicability of current social networking websites and in developing new user interface with more intuitive usage.
The experiment in this study includes two stages: (1) The pilot test: The purpose is to investigate the current social networking interfaces. In this stage, the author will obtain the usability of each user interface including the operating style, usability, user satisfaction regarding their experiences and the way of interaction on each experimental sample. (2) The validate experiment: Based on the results generated from the first stage, the independent variables are identified. The research will aim at the news feed interface on social networking websites.
The validate experiment was planned based on a 3 (levels of information representations) by 3 (layout styles) two-way ANOVA design. There are three levels in the independent variable of information representation: (1) Information is represented as a whole: The information (text content) of news feed interface was represented. (2) Information is represented the same as the current interface: The information (text content) of news feed interface was represented same as current interface. Besides, the text beyond 5 lines will be hidden beneath the button. (3) Information is represented as a brief: The information (text content) of news feed interface was represented as a brief. Besides, the text beyond 1 line will be hidden beneath the button. There are two levels in the independent variable of layout styles: (1) The current layout style: The width of layout of news feed interface is same as the
current interface. (2) The wide layout style: The width of layout of news feed interface is about 35-38 characters width and wider than the current layout style.
The generate results indicated that: (1) The result of testing on the user who has the experience on using social networking websites but was arranged on the testing website at the first time felt that the most attracting part of social networking interface is its own abundant functions. But at the same time, the user interface may lower the usability and satisfaction of experience quality if it is represented with too much information by list. (2) The results of task performance are that in some tasks the independent variables of information representation and layout style are significance. The analysis showed that, the information represented as current interface is better than others and the wide layout style is better than current layout style. The interaction has significant difference between “information representation” and “layout style”. (3) The results of system usability are information representation as a brief better than represented as a whole and current user interface. From users’ viewpoints, the value of usability will increase if information is represented as a brief in this news feed interface that is full of mass information. (4) The interaction in system usability is significance. With regard to the information represented as a whole is much more suitable for current layout style, but not the information represented as a brief. On the contrary, the information represented as a brief is suitable for wide layout style. And this interface design is better than others. (5) QUIS data analysis showed, generally, the interaction is not significant. But the QUIS in immersion dimension and scenario dimension are significant and wide layout style is better than current layout style. The QUIS values in most of the experimental samples are more than 4.
Keywords: Social networking website, Information representation, Layout style, News feed interface, Experience design
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