A comparative study between a computer-based and a mobile-based assessment : usability and user experience

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare the overall usability and user experience of desktop computers and mobile-devices when used in a summative assessment in the context of a higher education course. Design/methodology/approach The study follows a between-groups design. The participants were 110 first-year undergraduate students from a European university. Students in the experimental group participated in the assessment using mobile devices, whereas students in the control group participated using desktop computers. After the assessment, students self-reported their experiences with computer-based assessment (CBA) and mobile-based assessment (MBA), respectively. The instruments used were the user experience questionnaire and the system usability scale. Findings Attractiveness and novelty were reported significantly higher in the experimental group (MBA), while no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of efficiency, perspicuity, dependability and stimulation. The overall score for the system usability was not found to differ between the two conditions. Practical implications The usability and user experience issues discussed in this study can inform educators and policymakers about the potential of using mobile devices in online assessment practices, as an alternative to desktop computers. Originality/value The study is novel, in that it provides quantitative evidence for the usability and user experience of both desktop computers and mobile devices when used in a summative assessment in the context of a higher education course. Study findings can contribute towards the interchangeable usage of desktop computers and mobile devices in assessment practices in higher education

Evaluating the Usability of a PGA Tour Event's Website

This study examined the mobile usability of the official website of the Wyndham Championship, a PGA TOUR event, and provided recommendations for improvements based on usability testing. This research was conducted for use by website designers and managers for PGA TOUR events to improve their websites' usability and user experience. Three individuals from each PGA TOUR fan segment were tested to understand needs and improve ease of use for all PGA TOUR fan segments. Through qualitative usability testing, it was determined that the Wyndham Championship website is clean, easy to navigate, full of important information, mobile-friendly and appealing. However, minor and major problems need addressing for the website to be more user-friendly, provide a better user experience and meet the business needs of the tournament, i.e., signing up for email newsletters. This research shows that mobile PGA TOUR event websites should be easily navigable, including menu headings that most fans will understand, have an appealing aesthetic and include pertinent information and links on the desktop site. These problems and recommendations are a good starting point for PGA TOUR event websites to use to evaluate the usability of their websites.Master of Arts in Digital Communicatio

A Comparison of Performance and Preference on Mobile Devices vs. Desktop Computers

Smartphones and desktop computers are ubiquitous in today\u27s world. Due to the improved computing power and high portability of smartphone devices, users are performing more sophisticated tasks on their smartphones. This study compares the performance of a web-based task on a desktop computer with a mobile-based task on a smartphone. In addition, we have compared the overall user experience and preference across the two devices. In order to achieve this, we created a mobile-based word game for an Android mobile platform and a web-based version of the same word game for a browser platform. Sixty participants were instructed to complete the tasks on both devices. Our results show that while performance on the computer-based game was significantly better than performance on the mobile-based game, people preferred to play on the smartphone rather than the desktop computer. People preferred smartphones over desktop computers on account of their touch-screen features, portability and ease of use, even though they actually performed the task more efficiently on the desktop computers

Investigating the use of a web-map survey tool for heritage planning

Heritage planning is critical for preserving places of value to community members. Citizen participation is necessary so that the public can have a voice in matters that directly impact their own communities. Public participation has traditionally been in the form of public meetings, workshops, interviews, analog surveys, and questionnaires. However, often only a subset of local residents take part in these physical means of participating in their local community’s decision making. There is a need for the use of web-mapping for gathering citizen input. This study investigated how map-based survey tools can support public participation in built heritage planning in Stratford, Ontario using a web-map tool called Heritage Planner. The main functionality of Heritage Planner was to use its web-map and survey capabilities together to consider heritage value at property- and neighbourhood scales. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, citizens could not be recruited from Stratford. Instead, students from the Environment Faculty at the University of Waterloo were recruited to provide feedback on the app. Participants who had not visited Stratford before were more inclined to comment on the larger sized properties in the city, while participants who had visited the city before were more inclined to comment on properties influenced by the neighbourhoods they visited. Due to the limitations in this study, the main direction to take for future research would be to implement an improved Heritage Planner app amongst citizens in Stratford and implement similar studies in Ontario and Canada

Infill Planner: A geo-questionnaire to gather public input on infill developments

Urban infill and intensification planning strategies aim to lead toward more efficient use urban land and ultimately urban forms that more sustainable and offer citizens improved quality of life. Due to the potential impacts of introducing change into established neighborhoods, the implementation of these planning strategies is not straightforward. Urban infill strategies often elicit public reactions, either positively or negatively, which ultimately influence the successes or failures of infill projects. Local knowledge and public input must therefore be considered during these planning processes. Map-based tools are increasingly being adopted to solicit public input in urban planning. However, the varying designs and implementation of these tools outpaces planning research. A research gap relating to what works, how and in which context therefore exists. This thesis seeks to understand how the public considers both site (i.e., property) and situation (i.e., neighborhood) factors when considering potential infill developments. Infill Planner, a web-based tool that combines interactive maps and questionnaires, was developed to allow participants to designate future land uses for potential infill development sites. The tool was tested in a simulated urban infill planning process for selected sites in the City of Stratford, Ontario. Despite the simulated nature of the planning exercise, the research contributes to our understanding of how individuals use map-based data and tools when considering the site-specific and neighbourhood level implications of infill developments. Lessons from the design and implementation testing as well as implications for planning practice and academia, are also discussed

Understanding The Growth Of Takeaway Food Apps in The UK: A Supplier and Consumer Perspective

This research investigates the development, use and consumer acceptance of online takeaway food ordering (OTFO) apps in the UK. Although the online takeaway food ordering sector is well-established, it continues to improve services by bringing new technology and innovation in the sector. Among the latest technologies introduced into the sector is the development of takeaway apps. Given the recent developments and advancements in technology, there is limited evidence on how consumers view and use takeaway apps. In addition, the development and operation of the sector has so far received little attention in the academic literature. To develop a more in-depth understanding of this new technology and its adoption, the study employed a mixed methods approach. The first approach adopted a case study perspective to investigate the growth of technology within one organisation. The second approach focused on consumer acceptance of the technology through conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 12) and a questionnaire survey (n = 150). The findings from this study suggest that organisations that supply takeaway apps tend to adopt innovation to improve business growth and ensure customer satisfaction. The best way for the organisation to encourage consumers to adopt the new technology was evidenced through the marketing mix such as through television advertisements. Although organisations have been active in promoting the apps, there are still insufficient information of consumer perception of how the technology. Through investigating the consumer perspective, it was revealed that the consumer perceived the use of takeaway apps similar to purchasing takeaway food. To understand consumer acceptance of takeaway apps, the study used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by studying perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived trust, perceived risk security and perceived social influence on the intention to use and actual use of the apps. This study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on the online takeaway food ordering sector. In addition, it has an applied contribution in contributing to the development of new theory in the technology influence on university student takeaway food purchase and the acceptance of takeaway food apps