A domain name is a unique alphanumeric designation that facilitates reference to sets of numbers which actually locate a particular computer on the Internet. Domain names are a fundamental part of the Internet's user interface. Improving the usability of the Internet depends upon effective domain name policy. This study is intended to contribute to improvement in Internet usability for the end users of domain names. Benefits of more usable domain names include: higher sales, customer satisfaction and productivity, and reduced support costs. Domain name policies worldwide vary considerably. Consequently, end users are inconvenienced by contradictory domain name policies, diminishing the predictability of an entity's domain name, and thus decreasing usability for end users. The study objective was to develop criteria with which policy makers can evaluate their domain name policies, in order to improve the usability of domain names for end users. The main research question posed was: What are the criteria for an effective domain name policy? The research methodology included a literature review, domain name policy examination and an ethnographic narrative. The literature review found existing research examining either domain names or usability in isolation. However, research examining the intersection of the two is scarce. The existing research describes domain names as part of the web user interface. In practical terms, this is about how people use domain names to access web sites, email addresses and other Internet resources. It was established that the predictability (and thus usability) of domain names relies on effective domain name policy. The non-standardised and widely delegated process of domain name policy development leads to unpredictable and inconsistent domain names. The narrative recollection presented the researcher's inside perspective on the domain name industry, with a focus on domain name usability. The researcher provided first-hand insights into the evolution of the industry and policy development process, from Australian and international perspectives. To address the problem of poor domain name usability, a framework for domain name policy evaluation is proposed. The framework extends the current research that treats domain names as a user interface by proposing criteria which address usability concerns. The framework allows policy makers to critically assess domain name policies with end users in mind. Examples of the criteria include: understanding who are its intended and untended users, and whether it's consistent with other domain names. The framework has the potential to set an international standard for the critical evaluation of domain name policy, and become the basis for further research. This study was developed from the researcher's perspective as a participant in the domain name industry. A secondary lens regarding the usability of domain names was then applied. This study has only scraped the surface in terms of how the research fields of domain names and usability may be considered together. The research methodology for this study was primarily qualitative and interpretive. A quantitative study of domain name policies globally could provide further insight into areas including: the differences in second level country code domain names, and language implications of domain names.

La utilització d'Internet com a font d'informació sanitària és molt freqüent. La qualitat d'aquesta informació és extraordinàriament variable. Els segells de qualitat presents a les webs mediques, concedits per sistemes d'acreditació, constitueixen un instrument de millora dels serveis d'informació sanitària a Internet.A la present tesi s'analitzen les propostes i recomanacions de les principals iniciatives d'acreditació, s'estudia la percepció que tenen els responsables de webs mediques respecte a la utilitat dels segells d'acreditació i la prevalença d'ús d'aquests segells en les webs de contingut sanitari.Conclusions: la gran diversitat de recomanacions d'acreditació dificulta l'estandardització, els responsables de webs sanitàries reconeixen que el segell de WMA influeix positivament en la qualitat d'aquestes webs i existeix un ús moderat dels segells de qualitat i les webs que els presenten acostumen a ser de millor qualitat que el resta. / La utilización de Internet como fuente de información sanitaria es muy frecuente. La calidad de esta información es extraordinariamente variable. Los sellos de calidad presentes en las webs médicas, otorgados mediante sistemas de acreditación, constituyen un instrumento de mejora de los servicios de información sanitaria en Internet.En la presente tesis se analizan las propuestas y recomendaciones de las principales iniciativas de acreditación, se estudia la percepción que tienen los responsables de webs médicas respecto a la utilidad de los sellos de acreditación y la prevalencia de uso de dichos sellos de calidad en las webs de contenido sanitario. Conclusiones: la gran diversidad de recomendaciones de acreditación dificulta la estandarización, los responsables de webs sanitarias reconocen que el sello de WMA influye positivamente en la calidad de dichas webs, existe un uso moderado de los sellos de calidad y las webs que los presentan acostumbran a ser de mejor calidad que el resto. / The use of Internet as a health information source is very common. The quality of this information is widely variable. The quality seals and trust marks owned by the medical websites and granted by accreditation programmes, are good tools to improve the health services on the Internet. In this dissertation the different guidelines of the main accreditation programmes are analysed. The perception of the responsible personnel in charge of medical websites on the accreditation seal usefulness is studied as well as the prevalence usage of the quality seals in these web sites. Conclusions: the standardization is very difficult considering the wide number of guidelines and quality criteria. The responsible personnel in charge of medical websites admit that the WMA seal has a positive influence in the quality of their websites and that the seals are moderately used although the webs presenting them are usually of a higher quality then the rest.