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.

2011年6月，「網際網路名稱與號碼指配組織」（The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN）董事會核准新通用頂級域名申請人指導手冊（Applicant Guidebook）並正式展開新通用頂級域名計畫（New gTLD Program），該計畫容許頂級域名申請人自行選擇作為網址字尾之字符串，並成為該頂級域名之註冊管理機構。在第一波申請名單中，ICANN陸續通過了700多個申請案件，包含了一般通用名稱類型、品牌及商標類型、地理名稱類型等新通用頂級域名，也因此對於網際網路帶來巨大的影響與變革。由於新通用頂級域名與商標法中禁止私人擁有通用名詞與透過國家疆域、商品與服務類別分流之原則產生本質上的衝突，相較於新通用頂級域名大幅開放所帶來的正面效益，亦引起贊成與反對意見的討論。 惟新通用頂級域名既已開放，本文將討論焦點聚焦於新通用頂級域名計畫整體制度介紹，以及新通用頂級域名開放後，對於傳統網域名稱爭議所產生之新的網域名稱爭議型態質變以及新爭議型態如何適用現行法律之評析，藉此分析新通用頂級域名之開放對於商標權人權益之影響與提供商標權人相關維護品牌價值策略之擬定。另一方面，本文亦自國家之角度，探討新通用頂級域名對於我國網域名稱政策之影響以及應有之政策藍圖規劃。希冀透過本文之分析，對我國商標權人因應新通用頂級域名之浪潮與政府形成網域名稱政策有所助益。