This bachelor thesis examines what hedonic values influence female Instagram users to interact with influencer’s Instagram content. Furthermore, we examine what hedonic needs female Instagram users might find meaningful and if those needs can lead to activity on an influencer’s Instagram account. It also explores if the value aesthetics can have any effect on female Instagram user’s activity on an influencer’s Instagram. The study uses mixed methods in order to answer the research question and the sub questions. We have used a survey to examine which hedonic needs are most meaningful to the female users and if those needs have any effect on user’s interaction on influencers posts. Interviews have been held in order to explore if hedonic values and aesthetics have any influence on user’s activity on influencers Instagram content. Our study showed that the most essential hedonic needs are relatedness, meaning and stimulation and that these are the needs that leads to the most activity. It also showed that aesthetics and all hedonic values have an influence on user activity on an influencer’s Instagram.

The main objective of this study was to investigate elderly citizen's impression of the user experience of municipality websites during an ongoing pandemic. Aspects as usability, design principles and information architecture were investigated. Since a larger portion of the world’s population is getting older, and society’s digitalization is increasing, this is a topic that is important. The study included user testing in the form of a think-aloud method together with an observation as well as semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the municipality websites had major shortcomings regarding the elderly’s perspective on the website’s usability, design, and information architecture. The analysis based on the results from the user studies highlights nine key areas. Issues related to the user experience was detected. This is further argued in the study’s discussion along with a reflection of the study, a statement of what the research has contributed to and proposals for further research in the information architecture field.

The study examines how Instagram users are affected by the information they are exposed to on a daily basis through social media. The study focuses on Instagram because according to a report from Svenskarna och internet (2020), as many as 80 percent of the age group 16-25 years use Instagram daily. To answer our purpose of the study we have implemented interviews and a survey. We have also chosen to present relevant research and literature on the subject. The result of the study shows that users are affected by influencers on Instagram but they are not always aware of it. The result also shows that persuasive design is integrated on Instagram through notifications, likes and comments. The majority of participants search for inspiration on Instagram and they mainly interact with people on Instagram through likes.

The aim of this bachelor thesis is to explore how links and labels are used on the project collaborator’s – Volvo Construction Equipment’s – websites through web analysis tools. Whether there’s a correlation between user’s web behavior and their choice of navigation channel and clicked link label, and what effect placement, label and design have on the conversion rate of a link was explored by using structured observation and a combined field experiment and A/B test. Data was collected using two different web analytics tools (Adobe Analytics and Hotjar). The results showed that there was a statistical relationship between a user’s web behavior and which channel she chose, but no correlation between her web behavior and which link she chose to click. The results also showed that changing a link’s placement, label and design altogether had a synergic effect on the conversion rate of the link, but whether the conversion rate was actually affected by changing only one of these factors could not be determined as the results did not result in a statistical correlation using the chi-square test. In addition to presenting the findings made, a discussion of the study’s implications and how they may have affected the reached results is also presented. Among other things, there were some issues with the web analytics tools used as well as the collected data (e.g., a potential bot was identified on one of the studied sites which affected the structured observation method). Finally, suggestions on further research in the studied area are presented.

To be able to present its user with personal and relevant content and thus the best user experience, Instagram constantly updates and modifies its algorithms. This bachelor thesis investigates how continuous changes in algorithms on Instagram are affecting the social media strategies and activities for professional account holders such as companies, influencers and other media profiles. To approach the issue, email-based interviews and content analysis have been used as qualitative methods in the study. These two methods have allowed this thesis to examine in what way continuous changes of the algorithms can result in an experience of increased difficulty according to professional account holders in terms of their marketing activity. Aswell, it examines whether the sorting mechanism contributes to a perception of reduced visibility on the platform. The thesis discusses relevant factors to execute marketing activity effectively and successfully on the platform; these factors are summarized into a need for engagement and interaction, visibility and knowledge of the consumer's interaction pattern. How these factors matter is described in the study. After analysis of collected data it was found what account holders consider negative with Instagram’s algorithms, which is answered in this thesis. The result of the study shows that there is a perceived reduction in visibility and increased difficulty for professional account holders in terms of marketing activities. From a larger perspective, the study discusses potential challenges in terms of how algorithms and content filtering can affect the whole field of Information Architecture.

This bachelor thesis aims to examine how the user experience of a website is affected depending on whether it use a hamburger menu or a drop down menu. Secondly, how efficiently each participant use these menus as well as whether or not the menu they use the most efficiently also is the menu they considers give the best user experience, will be investigated. This study will also explore how the lack of animation used in the menus might affect the user experience. A qualitative method, contextual inquiry, is used to examine the user experience of two prototypes which are designed with either a dropdown menu or a hamburger menu. A structured observation is used to find out which menu the participants use most efficiently. Here the time it takes to complete a task in each prototype will be observed. The two prototypes are both lacking hover-animation. How this shortage of animation might affect the user experience will be examined during contextual inquiry. The results showed that the participants prefered the hamburger menu although most used the drop down menu more efficiently. The lack of animation was affecting the user experience negatively in the drop-down menu but not in the hamburger menu.

In the summer of 2015, Google revealed that the number of searches conducted through mobile phones, for the first time had exceeded the number of searches conducted via computers. Last year (2018) Google announced that they had begun to both index and rank websites according to the principle of mobile-first. This means that Google now considers the mobile phone, rather than the computer, as the primary device. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to examine what consequences this paradigm shift has for the process of search engine optimizing a website  through the lens of, in this case Swedish, SEO companies. A qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews was applied with the purpose of gathering insights from the SEO companies on the subject. The findings of this study identify mobile-friendliness as a vital part of the SEO-process, in order to achieve high ranking in search results. Further findings also suggests that core principles of SEO are more likely to clash with core principles of UX-design in a mobile-first context, than when desktop reigned supreme.

This bachelor thesis examines how a user can experience different color combinations and how those effect a navigation menu on a website. This with regards on the users first impression. Furthermore, were also different contrasts examined. This thesis also investigates how a navigation menu is being perceived on the basis that it is more appealing in its design, but lacks contrast, comparatively to a design that has strong contrast but do not satisfy the user. Moreover, if color combinations and its placement together with the contrast can increase the efficiency in a navigation process. The colors that were tested were blue and red. Three prototypes were designed which had different color and contrast combinations, but the main colors were blue and red. A qualitative method was being used to examine the impact colors and contrasts can have. An unstructured observation was applied to study the user’s behavior and which prototype was most effective. Moreover, was a think-aloud test where the users had to think-aloud. This method generated an understanding about users first impression and how effective the navigation menu was. Lastly, a semi-structured interview was applied to create a greater understanding about colors impact on the users. The results showed that color and contrast have a big influence on a user’s first impression, but also on a navigation menus’ effectiveness. A more appealing menu with low contrast was being preferred over a menu with high contrast but a less appealing design.

The purpose of this study is to examine what factors affect user experience regarding findability and information architecture on e-commerce websites by using svenskahem.se as a pilot-website. The research methodology consists of both quantitative respectively qualitative methods, such as surveys and usability testing. In order to determine the effect on user experience, the paper will discuss two information architecture principles such as organization system and labeling system. A correlation has been observed between findability and the users' understanding of the organization, respectively labeling system of the website. This study is focusing on the homepage and the product pages of svenskahem.se. The study shows that the user experience overall has been good, though the product pages need improvement.

Digital participation is a crucial part of the modern society. Everyone should have the possibility to be digitally active. However, studies have shown that 50 % of people with mobility disabilities in Sweden thinks it is hard to use the internet. The aim of this study is to examine what in a websites structure might cause problems for mobility disabled persons. The study focuses on the four core principles of information architecture that is organization-, navigation-, search- and labeling systems. The study used a mixed method and began with an internet survey among a group of people with mobility disabilities. The survey results then led to an interview with three people with mobility disabilities. The outcome of these two methods showed that the navigation system was the most important one of the four regarding accessibility. The problem that occurred the most was website’s with too deep hierarchy that made the user click many times and scroll a lot. The study also stumbled upon an interesting phenomenon, many people with mobility disability don’t usually think they have a problem with using the internet. But when they think about it, they can see all the little things that might be a problem.