Web due: uma técnica de inspeção de usabilidade de mockups de aplicações web guiada por zonas próprias de páginas Web

Abstract

Despite the increasing number of usability inspection methods for Web applications, most of these methods are being applied in later stages of the development process, which increases the cost of correcting the identified problems. This master degree thesis presents the Web Design Usability Evaluation (Web DUE) technique, a technique that was specifically crafted for the usability inspection of paper based prototypes (or mockups). The Web DUE technique aims at aiding inspectors in the identification of usability problems in earlier stages of the development process, thus reducing the cost of correcting them. To achieve this goal, the Web DUE technique suggests to divide mockups into Web page zones and, using a set of usability verification items, to check if the interface is usable or presents usability problems. To simulate interaction between the mockups and the user, and to support usability problems detection, we created the Mockup DUE tool. Both, the creation of the Web DUE technique and Mockup DUE tool, were supported by empirical validation. In this dissertation we present: (a) how we created the Web DUE technique based on the analysis of the results of a systematic mapping extension; (b) the feasibility study of the technique; (c) how the results from the empirical study helped in the creation of the Mockup DUE tool; (d) the feasibility study of the Mockup DUE tool; and (e) the evolution of the proposed technologies for the inspection of Web mockups.