Introduction to Volume 14, Issue 2
We are delighted to publish an essay by Sara Czaja titled “Usability of Technology for Older Adults: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Be.” The author discusses the difficulty of older adults in using information and communication technologies (ICTs), including potential usability barriers. She reviews the work done as part of the […] [Read More]
Usability of Technology for Older Adults: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Be
Introduction We are witnessing two dramatic demographic and social trends: one in population aging and the other is the explosion in technology across most domains of living. Over the next several decades, most countries in the world will experience a substantial increase in the size of the older population. In 2012, people age 65 and […] [Read More]
Observed Differences Between Lab and Online Tests Using the AttrakDiff Semantic Differential Scale
Abstract Online usability testing has long been of interest to usability engineers and designers. Previous studies found that online tests are as good as lab tests in measuring user performance, but not in finding usability problems. However, little is known about measuring the hedonic quality of user experience, such as joy, beauty, and attractiveness, in […] [Read More]
Exploring the Boundary Conditions of the Effect of Aesthetics on Perceived Usability
Abstract A growing body of usability research suggests that the aesthetics of a system affects users’ perceptions of the usability of that system. But the causal relationship between aesthetics and usability and the direction of that relation have not been firmly established because of a shortage of experiments that have manipulated aesthetics and usability as […] [Read More]
The Cross-Sequential Approach: A Short-Term Method for Studying Long-Term User Experience
Abstract We propose a novel cross-sequential approach to accelerating the collection of user feedback while providing a broad perspective by analyzing samples of users at various stages of service and product experience. User experience changes over time as the relationship between user and product evolves. Understanding temporal changes is important for designing positive long-term user […] [Read More]