Is It Still Where I Expect It?—Users’ Current Expectations of Interface Elements on the Most Frequent Types of Websites

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Authors
Heinz, Silvia
Tuch, Alexandre Nicolas
Frasseck, Lars
Opwis, Klaus
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Publication date
27.08.2016
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01A - Journal article
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Parent work
Interacting with Computers
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Pages / Duration
1-20
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Oxford University Press
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Abstract
Knowing users’ expectations about what they expect on a website and where they expect to find it is crucial for the success of a website. For the last decade, technological advances have entailed major changes in website design but the impact of these changes on users’ mental representations of websites remains unclear. In an online study (N = 841), we asked users to sketch their prototypical version of an online shop, a news website and a company page, thereby indicating the interface elements they expect on the website and their expected location. We compared our results to those of a previous study to investigate changes in users’ mental representations of websites over time. This comparison suggests that interface elements such as the logo, main content and navigation area are still expected in the same location although others have shifted to the rich footer area at the bottom of the website. In addition, new elements such as links to social networks have been incorporated into users’ mental representations whereas other interface elements have disappeared. By providing updated consolidated blueprint models for all three website types, we help designers to create expectation-based websites. Further implications for research and practitioners are discussed.
Keywords
expectations, website design, mental models, location of interface elements, user interface, differences over time
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0953-5438
1873-7951
Language
English
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Yes
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Published
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Peer review of the complete publication
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Citation
HEINZ, Silvia, Sebastian LINXEN, Alexandre Nicolas TUCH, Lars FRASSECK und Klaus OPWIS, 2016. Is It Still Where I Expect It?—Users’ Current Expectations of Interface Elements on the Most Frequent Types of Websites. Interacting with Computers. 27 August 2016. S. 1–20. DOI 10.1093/iwc/iww012. Verfügbar unter: http://hdl.handle.net/11654/24637