Human Computer Interaction - Essay Example

HCI: WEBSITES ANALYSIS HCI: Websites Analysis Author Author Affiliation Date Table of Contents HCI: WEBSITES ANALYSIS 1 HCI: Websites Analysis 1 1- INTRODUCTION 4 2- USER INTERFACE ANALYSIS 4 2.1- Navigational features 4 2.2- Graphics used 5 2.3- Color schemes used 5 2.4- Themes used 5 2.5- Hyperlinks supplied 6 3- USABILITY ANALYSIS 6 3.1- Functionality 6 3.2- User Control 6 3.3- Language and Content 7 3.4- Online Help and User Guides 7 3.5- Consistency 8 3.6- System and User Feedback 8 3.7- Web Accessibility 8 4- INTERFACE IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES 9 4.1- Simplicity 9 4.2- Central layout 9 4.3- Fewer columns 10 4.4- Simple navigation 10 4.5- Defining a clear hierarchy 10 4.6- Incorporating search on your site 10 4.7- Website loading Speed 11 5- CONCLUSION 11 6- REFERENCES 11 7- APPENDIX 13 7.1- Appendix A 13 7.2- Questionnaire 13 Questionnaire A 13 Questionnaire B 15 Questionnaire C 16 Questionnaire D 17 Questionnaire E 18 1- INTRODUCTION Effective web design is a key to success of online business or web services. Presently a great deal of concentration is given on designing an effective web based system that can effectively attract an online user. These all lead to much better presentation of the web based system. This paper analyzes two websites first is Hoyts Cinemas at http://www.hoyts.com.au. And other web site is Village Cinemas website www.villagecinemas.com.au. The basic focus of this research will be on the analysis of features, graphics used, color schemes used, themes used and hyperlinks supplied. This paper will also present the detailed analysis of these two websites. 2- USER INTERFACE ANALYSIS First of all I will assess the user interface of both web sites from the user’s point of view: 2.1- Navigational features Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites are very good in case of navigation. However the Hoyts Cinemas website encompasses extensive flash work that makes this website a little bit much heavier. This leads to a long website loading time that is little bit irritating for a user with low internet bandwidth connection. 2.2- Graphics used The use of graphics on both Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites are completely different. The Hoyts Cinemas website is offering more attractive and pleasant website graphics with a stylish flash work. However the Village Cinemas website is offering less effective and dry graphics and movies trailers. This makes this website a little bit boring for web based users. 2.3- Color schemes used Hoyts Cinemas website has used the red and black theme; while the Village Cinemas has employed the blue and white color schemes. These both color schemes are good looking and offering a more professional look for a user. In this scenario a website is able to have a more interactive and effective website working and operational facilities with such a please working and visual themes. 2.4- Themes used Hoyts Cinemas, website has used a more dynamic website coloring and movies presentation theme. This leads to a more enhanced working and user interface styles those offer a better opportunity for user to have a pleasant user interaction at the website. While the Village Cinemas is offering a more static and dry website working theme that is offering less effective user interaction and working interface. This leads to a great deal of difference in case of website working and operations handling. 2.5- Hyperlinks supplied Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites are offering a great deal of the working and effective Hyperlinks. These websites are having all website links and operations in working positions. 3- USABILITY ANALYSIS This section assesses the Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites regarding usability perspective of their working and performance. Below I have presented some of main usability factors (MIT, 2011) and (Dix, Finlay, Abowd, & Beale, 1998): 3.1- Functionality In analyzing the functionality for the usability analysis of the website we are aimed to present a more enhanced website platform that can be effectively managed and maintained. In case of Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites we have found both websites are functional for providing better facilities and functionality to users for the better performance. 3.2- User Control While talking about user control feature, both web sites are offering a great deal of enhanced and effective working features for the user website handling and issues management. In this scenario, the Hoyts Cinemas website is more functional because it is offering a great deal of support for the user in order to view and assess the qualities of movies. 3.3- Language and Content Hoyts Cinema website is offering a very rich website features and contents. Overall information flow inside the website is really good and user is able to effectively navigate all through the favorite and new movies. However the overall information and information contents flow inside the Village Cinemas website is less effective. Here overall information is scatted all through the web pages and offering less effective and complex feeling in case of searching and selecting some special films. 3.4- Online Help and User Guides The Hoyts Cinema website is offering a great deal of user support and guidelines to the user at their web based platform. In this scenario the website is presenting a great deal of features through the online search engine support that facilitates any user to search and locate his favorite films. Besides this Hoyts Cinema website is also offering information links on About Hoyts Movie Club, About Hoyts Rewards and Hoyts Rewards FAQ. These are features make this a perfect site. On this other hand Village Cinema website is also offing online FAQ, Privacy Policy, Website Terms and Competition Terms. These features also offer a great deal of support and facility to web based users. 3.5- Consistency While analyzing the website working, operational and interface consistency, both websites are offering a great deal of support and functionality for the working and operations. Both Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinema websites are offering a great deal of support and functionality for any user visiting the website. 3.6- System and User Feedback Hoyts Cinema website is offering a great deal of support and facility for a user to view and assess the system and user feedback through the online platform. This offers a great deal of support in case of the website information and contents improvement. Here a user can send his personal information and details through the contact us link. The website of Village Cinema is also highly supportive in case of the handling and management of the user feed back and information contents at the website. 3.7- Web Accessibility The overall website accessibility of the Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas websites is highly appreciable. Both website are offering 24*7 gift-shop and movies accessibility. These website are highly interactive all through the time in case of offering better support and facility to online users. 4- INTERFACE IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES This section offers fundamental recommendations regarding the overall design and working improvement at the websites of Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas. Below I have outlined some of main improvement factors. 4.1- Simplicity Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas both websites are really effective in offering superior support for the website working. However both website have used a little bit complex navigation and user interaction interface that makes some problems for the online users. In this scenario there is need for incorporating a much simple user interface. 4.2- Central layout The websites of Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas are offering overall website contents distracted all through the website. These website features are needed to offer a more central user interface connection and linking. The information needs to be incorporated on the main page. 4.3- Fewer columns Hoyts Cinema website is having fewer columns however the Village Cinemas website is more Colum based. In this scenario there is need to design a website that is offering fewer issues in case of website column based division. 4.4- Simple navigation The websites of the Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas are offering some sort of complex user information navigation. In case of finding some preferred user contents people need to spend a lot of time on the overall website working and navigation all through the page (Hunt, 2011). 4.5- Defining a clear hierarchy For the Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas website there is need for defining a clear user working and information flow hierarchy. In this way the user will be able to have a more enhanced and better interface. 4.6- Incorporating search on your site Hoyts Cinema website is offering a website search engine facility while there is also need for incorporating the search engine in the Village Cinemas website that can effectively support the website user information navigation (Yahoo Search Marketing, 2011). 4.7- Website loading Speed Village Cinema website has good loading speed while the Hoyts Cinema website takes too much time. In this scenario there is need for the offering small leading time so that user can avoid irritating distraction. 5- CONCLUSION This paper has presented the detailed analysis of some of the main aspects and Hoyts Cinemas and Village Cinemas. In this regard I have tried to asses some of the main features and aspects of the website working, user interface and navigation. This paper has analyzed the interfaces of both web sites. This paper concludes that Hoyts Cinema is much better than Village Cinemas. 6- REFERENCES Dix, A., Finlay, J., Abowd, G., & Beale, R. (1998). Human-Computer Interaction. Hillsdale: Prentice Hall. Huntt, B. (2011). Web 2.0 How-To Design Style Guide. Retrieved April 04, 2011, from Web Design from Scratch: http://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/web-design/web-2-0-design-style-guide/ MIT. (2011). Usability Guidelines. Retrieved April 03, 2011, from http://ist.mit.edu/services/consulting/usability/guidelines Yahoo Search Marketing. (2011). Web Design Guidelines. Retrieved April 04, 2011, from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:aSvH0Y9uCgsJ:l.yimg.com/a/i/us/ysm/cn/hc/webdegnguide.pdf+website+improvement+guideline&hl=en&gl=pk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjqk4WlwqLo4ZZCIXoCyhIWZIl_qspqWLbMdW8gh7SelhPF45JHSwktcdUxuHmP6SWHwlnvkjQEn3T8f4nNWFxV5eXC1h1k 7- APPENDIX 7.1- Appendix A 7.2- Questionnaire Questionnaire A Alex Douglas Does website loading take small time? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the overall navigation on website is easier? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Do the graphics used on website are complex and taking too much bandwidth? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Is the color scheme of website simple and attractive? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the hyperlinks supplied on the web page functional? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the language and content of the website easier to understand? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the website offer consistency all through the web pages? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Did you find overall working of the web pages simple? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Questionnaire B Viral Katsunomu Does website loading take small time? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the overall navigation on website is easier? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Do the graphics used on website are complex and taking too much bandwidth? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Is the color scheme of website simple and attractive? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the hyperlinks supplied on the web page functional? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the language and content of the website easier to understand? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the website offer consistency all through the web pages? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Did you find overall working of the web pages simple? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Questionnaire C James Hermes Does website loading take small time? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the overall navigation on website is easier? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Do the graphics used on website are complex and taking too much bandwidth? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- No Is the color scheme of website simple and attractive? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the hyperlinks supplied on the web page functional? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the language and content of the website easier to understand? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the website offer consistency all through the web pages? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Did you find overall working of the web pages simple? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Questionnaire D Tolga Balci Does website loading take small time? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the overall navigation on website is easier? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Do the graphics used on website are complex and taking too much bandwidth? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- No Is the color scheme of website simple and attractive? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the hyperlinks supplied on the web page functional? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the language and content of the website easier to understand? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the website offer consistency all through the web pages? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Did you find overall working of the web pages simple? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Questionnaire E Alex Does website loading take small time? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the overall navigation on website is easier? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Do the graphics used on website are complex and taking too much bandwidth? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- No Is the color scheme of website simple and attractive? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the hyperlinks supplied on the web page functional? Hoyts Cinema Website:- Yes Village Cinema Website:- Yes Are the language and content of the website easier to understand? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Does the website offer consistency all through the web pages? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Did you find overall working of the web pages simple? Hoyts Cinema Website:- No Village Cinema Website:- Yes Read More