Latest Changes to Reserach

Ok so originally when i wanted to start this project i wanted to focus on Generation Y and there use of technology. For two reasons 1. because i am one, and 2. because they are the future users and i belive the most active users on the internet. I then changed my focus due to a work position i took up with www.altc.edu.au to look at Knowledge Workers. I have decided today that in order for me to stay focused and committed to my project it needs to be inline with my own loves and interests. Hence why i decided to change the focus and have it reflect my personal interests. The project will now focus on all age groups and the navigation changes will be made to a news web site.

Definition of Knowledge Worker

This research looks specifically at Knowledge Workers and how they use information web sites.

Definition of Knowledge worker as taken from wikipedia;

Knowledge worker (also referred to as as intellectual worker or brain worker) is someone who is employed due to his or her knowledge of a subject matter, rather than their ability to perform manual labor. It includes those in the information technology fields, such as computer programmers, systems analysts, technical writers and so forth. The term can also refer to people outside of information technology but who are hired for their knowledge of some subject, such as lawyers, teachers, and scientists.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_worker

Static Menu Deisgn

Below links are for articles on CSS methods that can be used to create static (non scrolling) menu designs on websites.

http://www.w3.org/Style/Examples/007/menus

Cognition and Language Laboratory

The CLL conducts experiments via the Web.

Paper on recruitment of participants and archiving of Internet-based experiments

The Web Experiment List:
A Web service for the recruitment of participants
and archiving of Internet-based experiments

Interesting Wikipedia pages

The below pages from wikipedia, i came across these whilst looking into online research methods

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Ethnography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_research_method
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web-based_experiments

Log Analyser Software

Deep Log Analyzer version 3.5

Web analytics and website statistics software.


I will be using this tool to perform log analysis. A custom report will be used to extract user data based on IP address and follow there navigation paths to provide a time snapshot of each page/node visited.

http://www.deep-software.com/morereports.asp?ref=dla

Determining Usability Test Sample Size

Determining Usability Test Sample Size
Carl W. Turner*, James R. Lewis†, and Jakob Nielsen

A papper which discuses the factors involved in determining usability test sample sizes

Evaluation of Procedures for Adjusting Problem-Discovery Rates Estimated From Small Samples

Research paper written by James R. Lewis "IBM Corporation".

Abstract talen from the paper;

There are 2 excellent reasons to compute usability problem-discovery rates. First, an estimate of the problem-discovery rate is a key component for projecting the required sample size for a usability study. Second, practitioners can use this estimate to calculate the proportion of discovered problems for a given sample size. Unfortunately, smallsample estimates of the problem-discovery rate suffer from a serious overestimation bias.

Usability Sampling Tool

Searching on the web the other day i came across this website which houses a variety of sampling calculators. The metrics used in these calculators come from reserach performed by notable experts. I am curerntly looking into using this tool for selecting the correct usablity sample to use in navigation reserach.

Some notable references for the interface usability calculator are;

Lewis, James (2001) "Evaluation of Procedures for Adjusting Problm-Discovery Rates Estimated from Small Samples" in The International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction 13(4) p. 445-479

Turner, C. W., Lewis, J. R., and Nielsen, J. (2006). Determining usability test sample size. In W. Karwowski (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors (pp. 3084-3088). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Fixed Vs Fluid Web Design

Interesting Articles on the argument of Fixed vs Fluid. My opinion is that Fixed is the best option for control over design/layout etc. Fixed is the best way to ensure the same display on all browsers across all screens. This argument increases with the rapid introduction of wide screen monitors and mobile phones. With a fixed screen the problem becomes one only of scrolling left/right up/down rather then overlapping of page elements.

fixed vs fluid website layout, whats right?

fixed vs fluid website layouts

fixed vs fluid layouts let the battle commence

Web Site Navigation Research

This blog has been created to faciliate my research in web site navigation design.

Currently undertaking Honours Research in Information Technology with Southern Cross University in New South Wales Australia.


Research Abstract

Whether for work, study or personal reasons, more and more people are turning to the Web for information. On the other hand, more and more websites come into existence. What makes people chose one website over another? Research shows that ease of navigation for information search (searching process) plays an important role in choosing websites. How can ease of navigation be assessed? It is widely accepted that it can be measured by means of cognitive load.

This research investigates the effectiveness of applying cognitive load theory in navigation design for improvement of searching performance.