Improving visibility and accessibility in mobile web social networking sites

• Main Authors: Co, Sheryl Jaymee, Lim, Derrick Allan, Valderrama, Johm Nicholas
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Social networks; Web sites > Design; Web site development industry; Information services industry; Information technology; Consumer satisfaction; Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8911
• Institution: De La Salle University

The increasing number of social networking sites and mobile phone users created the possibilities of incorporating social networking sites on mobile device, as mobile devices can be one of the best devices used for social networking sites because of its mobility. However, the population still prefers accessing the social networking sites with the use of computers because of usability problems encountered on mobile devices. Current studies have considered providing guidelines for social networking sites and mobile devices, but there are no available guidelines specifically designed for mobile social networking sites that consider the users point of view. In order to identify the current problems encountered by users on mobile social networking sites, a needs analysis experiment was performed by the researchers with the use of a Nokia phone accessing mobile Facebook. The experiment required the subjects to navigate the different pages of mobile Facebook and performing some of the common tasks done in a social networking site which include reading comments, browsing for friends', and sending messages. The researchers developed prototype designs after identifying the problems that are encountered by the users in the needs analysis experiment which will be used in solving the current problems of mobile Facebook users. In order to validate the prototype design Single Usability Metric was used in analyzing the result of the research experiment. Single Usability Metric allowed the researchers to determine the best prototype design. Additionally, Design of Experiments (DOE) was used to validate the results of the Single Usability Metric. DOE also provided the model desirability and indicated that all independent variables in the study were significant. From the DOE analysis, alternative 13 had the highest desirability as well as having the highest Single Usability Metric Score. The analysis of research indicates that page titles and notification messages are the top two variables that influence the satisfaction , effectiveness and efficiency of a user toward the design of mobile social networking sites.