In this study, I would like to suggest a new model of web navigation design which can enhance older-users web usability. I would like to prove that when users enjoy web navigation design, all users, young and old, access information much more effecti ...
In this study, I would like to suggest a new model of web navigation design which can enhance older-users web usability. I would like to prove that when users enjoy web navigation design, all users, young and old, access information much more effectively. Using a survey, I suggest some types of web navigation designed for older users. After that, based on the result of the preparatory survey, I conducted an experiment with 4 types of web navigation designs, which have been developed to reflect varying stages of comprehensibility. There were three persons of a younger age group and three persons of an older age group. In the experiment, I checked how much time it took for the participants to search the internet to figure out whether universal design works or not. My survey focused three points. First I tested whether they lost their way while searching for information. Secondly, if they did lose their way, I checked whether they could recover from their errors and find their way back. Thirdly, I investigated whether layout, location and size of the web navigation design factors affected usability.
I analyzed four kinds of web navigation designs using the methodology of "repeated two-way ANOVA." This methodology entails two factors of analysis. First of all I put 'estimated information searching time' as a 'Between- Subject Factor' and put 'four kinds of web navigation designs' as a 'Within Subjects Variable.'To figure out each group's navigation process in searching for information, I observed factors of error incidence through 'Video Ethnography.' After the experiment I tried to determine common points and different points of the usability of web navigation designs with a questionnaire on the layout, location, and size of the navigation design factors.
The results of my survey indicated that all users, both young and old, spend the shortest time, have the easiest interface, and have least error incidence under the universal web navigation design which I suggested for the old-age users as the ideal model. According to my surveys, I conclude the following five points. First, the best navigation design types for older users require the following six conditions: a global menu which must be located on at the top of a page in a bar format, a subcategory menu should be in a drop-down format under this global menu, the global menu should have hyperlink function, a roll-over menu which indicates the items of the next step should be included, the menu should be classified to enhance the depth of hierarchical structure, web pages should have no scroll function, and finally, the text in the main body should be a larger font. My second conclusion is that under the right web navigation design, all users, including older users and younger users, can search for information more effectively. My third result is that, using the universal web navigation design, even younger users can reduce probability of error occurrence. Fourth, I believe that layout, location, and size of web navigation design, which old users are sensitive to, are important for youth users as well. Fifth, older users prefer web navigation design which with greater "depth" of hierarchical structure, while youth users prefer "width." Moreover, the old users like bigger text, while animations, images, and menus which interact with the mouse point serve to confuse them and increase error occurrence.