<p> As older adults increasingly make use of the Internet to enhance their personal and professional lives, the study of web site usability for older adults is becoming increasingly relevant. Web site usability is concerned with both utilitarian (i.e. functional) and hedonic (i.e. pleasure-related) aspects. This study explores the impact of age on select utilitarian (mental model accuracy and performance) and hedonic (disorientation and engagement) measures of web site usability, and the subsequent impact of these utilitarian and hedonic measures on user satisfaction. A laboratory experiment was conducted where 50 younger and 51 older participants interacted with an experimental web site. The results of the PLS analysis suggest that age has a more pronounced impact on utilitarian constructs than hedonic ones. Specifically, older adults were less able to create an accurate mental model of the web site and in turn had poorer performance with the web site. In terms of impact on user satisfaction, the contribution of hedonic constructs was significant while the impact of utilitarian constructs was not. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

World Wide Web (www) has achieved an important role in communication, information sharing and service delivery now-a-days. World Wide Web consists of millions of web sites and web based applications which are deployed and can be visited all over the world without the limitation of time and geographical boundaries. Web site usability, security and reliability consider some of the core aspects in designing of web sites. In this thesis, we explore possible tensions and tradeoffs between usability and security issues in web site design. We discuss web site usability issues in terms of technical and social aspects. We discuss web site security in terms of usability and offer some recommendations for secure website design without compromising the web site performance. We also highlight the importance of ease of navigation and other aspects of user interface design. In order to explore these issues, we have chosen to review the related literature. We have also conducted interviews with professionals who are mainly concerned with web site usability. Two sample interviews are available at the end of this thesis report. / Human factors and usability issues have traditionally played a limited role in security research and secure systems development. System designers have disregarded usability concerns for the reason that they are not acquainted with them or sometimes they do not take into account the importance of the human factors. Addressing issues of usability and human factors could be an important part of way out for today‟s security tribulations.There is increasing agreement that we need to design secure systems that people can actually use, but less agreement about how to reach this goal. / +46 (0) 8 7954987 +46 (0) 720 254440

No description available.

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.