Factors Influencing Video Quality of Experience in Ecologically Valid Experiments: Measurements and a Theoretical Model

Users' perception of multimedia quality and satisfaction with multimedia services are the subject of various studies in the field of Quality of Experience (QoE). In this respect, subjective studies of quality represent an important part of the multimedia optimization process. However, researchers who measure QoE have to face its multidimensional character and address the fact that quality perception is influenced by numerous factors. To address this issue, experiments measuring QoE often limit the scope of factors influencing subjective judgments by administering laboratory protocols. However, the generalizability of the results gathered with such protocols is limited. The proposed PhD dissertation aims to address this challenge. In order to increase the generalizability of QoE studies we started with an identification of factors influencing user multimedia experience in a natural context. We proposed a new theoretical model of video QoE based on both original research and a literature review. This new theoretical framework allowed us to propose new experimental designs introducing influencing factors one by one in an additive manner. Thanks to the model, we can also propose comparable experiments which could differ in ecological validity. The proposed theoretical framework can be adjusted to other multimedia in the future.