New web-usability evaluation method: Scenario-based walkthrough

Conventional methods of evaluating Web usability require skilled and experienced evaluators and are therefore expensive. In response, we have developed an original Web-usability evaluation method called Scenario-Based Walkthrough. With this method, an evaluator systematically describes user scenarios to attain the objectives of a Website and evaluates the user actions required to complete each scenario based on a cognitive model. Because the Website objectives are defined in scenarios, the evaluator can effectively identify critical problems that could hinder attainment of the objectives. Furthermore, the method can even be used by nonexpert users and therefore allows Website quality to be maintained at low cost. Even for a complex Website designed for multiple business objectives, this method can be used to effectively evaluate and improve it to achieve business objectives by selecting the high-priority objectives using a business analysis tool called an issue tree. This paper describes the problems of conventional Web-usability evaluation methods and development of the Scenario-Based Walkthrough method. It also describes the usability evaluation procedure of the method and a case example in which the method was used to evaluate and improve the usability of a Website for providing technical support to computer users.