Expectations and rankings of Web site quality features: results of two studies on user perceptions

In the emerging electronic environment, the creation of customer-centered Web sites is becoming increasingly important. We report on two exploratory studies on user perceptions of using Web sites. We first use Kano's (1984) Model of Quality to conduct an investigation of quality features in the Web environment. An independently conducted study later expands the first study by addressing several limitations. The results of both studies suggest that: the Kano quality model can be used as a framework to control Web site quality in terms of three quality types and the time transition of the quality nature; not every feature is regarded as equally important within a Web domain; and different domains have different rankings of important features, although there are certain features that are regarded as highly important among domains studied. These studies provide some empirical evidence on user perceptions of Web site quality features and lead to further theoretical investigations.

[1]  Efraim Turban,et al.  Determinants of successful Website design: relative importance and recommendations for effectiveness , 1999, Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences. 1999. HICSS-32. Abstracts and CD-ROM of Full Papers.

[2]  Carolyn Snyder,et al.  Web Site Usability: A Designer's Guide , 1997 .

[3]  S. Parker.  Work and the Nature of man , 1969 .

[4]  Leon A. Kappelman,et al.  Measuring Information Systems Service Quality: Concerns on the Use of the SERVQUAL Questionnaire , 1997, MIS Q..

[5]  Rex Eugene Perera.  Optimizing Human-Computer Interaction for the Electronic Commerce Environment , 2000, J. Electron. Commer. Res..

[6]  Peter A. Todd,et al.  Consumer Reactions to Electronic Shopping on the World Wide Web , 1996, Int. J. Electron. Commer..

[7]  T. Hennig-Thurau,et al.  The impact of customer satisfaction and relationship quality on customer retention: A critical reassessment and model development , 1997 .

[8]  Gerald L. Lohse,et al.  Electronic shopping , 1998, CACM.

[9]  Michael W. Forbes,et al.  Toward an understanding of consumer experience on the Internet: implications for Website design , 2000, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[10]  F. Herzberg.  One more time : How do you motivate your employees? , 1968 .

[11]  Ben Shneiderman,et al.  Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction , 1998 .

[12]  Richard T. Watson,et al.  Measuring Information Systems Service Quality: Concerns for a Complete Canvas , 1997, MIS Q..

[13]  William J. Kettinger,et al.  Perceived Service Quality and User Satisfaction with the Information Services Function , 1994 .

[14]  Ruth V. Small,et al.  Websites that satisfy users: a theoretical framework for Web user interface design and evaluation , 1999, Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Hawaii International Conference on Systems Sciences. 1999. HICSS-32. Abstracts and CD-ROM of Full Papers.

[15]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  Usability engineering , 1997, The Computer Science and Engineering Handbook.

[16]  Alastair G. Smith,et al.  Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information Resources , 1997 .

[17]  Keith Instone,et al.  Usability Heuristics for the web , 2001 .

[18]  Ronald M. Baecker,et al.  Readings in human-computer interaction : toward the year 2000 , 1995 .

[19]  Jakob Nielsen,et al.  User interface directions for the Web , 1999, CACM.

[20]  John Eighmey.  Profiling user responses to commercial web sites , 1997 .

[21]  Kevin Oliver,et al.  Evaluation criteria and indicators of quality for Internet resources , 1997 .

[22]  Frederick G. Conrad,et al.  A heuristic evaluation of a World Wide Web prototype , 1996, INTR.

[23]  Ruth V. Small,et al.  A two factor theory for Website design , 2000, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[24]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  The nature and determinants of customer expectations of service , 1993 .

[25]  Richard E. Boyatzis,et al.  Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code Development , 1998 .

[26]  Marsha Ann Tate,et al.  Web Wisdom: How To Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web , 1999 .

[27]  Jack B. Revelle,et al.  The QFD handbook , 1998 .