Usability in digital publications

Usability in digital publications
SAMI PEKKALA  
PRESENTATION BASED ON M.SC THESIS
“USABILITY EVALUATION OF DESIGN
SOLUTIONS FOR TABLET MAGAZINES”
HTTP://MEDIA.TKK.FI/VISUALMEDIA/PUBLICATIONS/MSC-THESES/DI_S_PEKKALA_2012.PDF

USABILITY IN DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS 7.4 2014
USABILITY IN DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS
Overview
‣Introduction to usability
‣Tablet magazine categories
‣Methods
‣Results & Conclusions
‣How to make a usable tablet magazine?
2

HTTP://UPLOAD.WIKIMEDIA.ORG/WIKIPEDIA/COMMONS/6/66/BUTTERFLY_LARGE.JPG
WHICH WOULD YOU VOTE FOR?
Usability important?
3

MULTIPLE METHODS
User tests
‣“[Usability is the] extent to which a product can
be used by specified users to achieve specified
goals with effectiveness, efficiency and
satisfaction in a specified context of use.”
‣ ISO 9241-11:1998
4

HTTP://WWW.ASIS.ORG/ASIST2010/PROCEEDINGS/PROCEEDINGS/ASIST_AM10/SUBMISSIONS/323_FINAL_SUBMISSION.PDF
MULTIPLE METHODS
User tests
‣ ISO 9241-11:1998
‣Effectiveness
‣ = Level of completeness at which users achieve specified
goals
‣ Measured by: The proportion of successfully completed
5

MULTIPLE METHODS
User tests
‣ ISO 9241-11:1998
‣Efficiency
‣ = Resources used in completing a task
‣ Measured by: Time spent to complete the tasks
6

MULTIPLE METHODS
User tests
‣ ISO 9241-11:1998
‣Satisfaction:
‣ = Positive attitudes toward using the system
‣ Measured by (e.g): Seven-point Likert scale from “not
satisfied at all” to “very satisfied”
7

QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE
Methods
‣In the study: 4 x 10 test subjects, each did 10
tasks on a magazine
‣ Methods: thinking-aloud, performance measures (time),
subjective evaluation, eye-tracking
‣ More methods and measures give more complete picture
of the usability
‣ Four versions of the same magazine content in iPad apps
‣ 1 Re-designed for tablet, 3 automatic layout HTML-based magazines
‣ Other notable usability evaluation methods: heuristic
(expert) evaluation, group evaluation, physiologic
measurements.
8

BACKGROUND
Tablet paper
‣Circulations of printed papers are in decline
‣ Publishers need new business models and platforms for
distribution
‣Recently, digital publishing’s emphasis has
been on e-reading, tablet and mobile devices
‣ However, no established model for digital publishing
‣Four versions of the same magazine content
was included in the study
9

CATEGORIZATION
Tablet paper
‣Print replica, Re-designed for tablet, Web
‣ However, no definitive or distinct categories can be stated
10

CATEGORIZATION
Tablet paper
‣“Print replica”
‣ Exactly the same content than in print
‣ Plain PDF or wrapped in an app
‣ Cheapest and easiest to make
‣ No interactive features apart from simple text search and
hyperlinks > No additional value compared to print
11

CATEGORIZATION
Tablet paper
‣“Re-designed for tablet”
‣ Print’s content with extra audio, video and images
‣ Native app designed separately for iPads and others
‣ Most expensive publication model (platform specific)
‣ All of tablet device’s features can be utilized  
> Maximal additional value compared to print
‣ Used by big magazines, where more resources can be
spent on layout and app design
12

CATEGORIZATION
Tablet paper
‣“Web”
‣ Print’s content with extra audio, video and images
‣ HTML5/CSS3 web-page viewed in browser (or wrapped in
an app)
‣ Not expensive, same content can be published and viewed
in several devices and screen-sizes (desktop, mobile,
tablet, print) automatically (platform agnostic)
‣ All of tablet device’s features can’t be fully utilized  
> Still lots of additional value compared to print
‣ Used especially in frequently updated (news) publications,
where ready-made layout templates can be used in articles
13

ACCORDING TO THE STUDY
(Tablet magazine) Usability

USABLE TABLET PAPER
Results
‣Of the four magazine versions, HTML5/CSS3
version with content-aware automatic layout
fared best (even better than the retail version)
in almost all measures
‣ Magazine’s digital publication can be done semi-
automatically, if the content’s meta-data is extensive and
correct.
‣ Content-aware layout takes into account dominant colors in
photos, persons faces etc.
‣ This was the only version with image zoom on pinch, which
was a necessary feature according to the users
15

HOW TO MAKE A USABLE TABLET PAPER?
Conclusions
‣Freedom and adaptation
‣Effortless navigation
‣Added value from digital
‣Unhidden content
16

CONTINUOUS SCROLLING
UN-PAGINATED, 1-COLUMN LAYOUT
IMAGE ZOOM, ADJUSTABLE FONT SIZE
BOTH ORIENTATIONS
USABLE TABLET PAPER HAS
Conclusions
‣Unhidden content
17

CLEAR SHORTCUTS
PAGE NUMBERS
PAGE MAP
Conclusions
‣Unhidden content
18

HTTP://WWW.WIRED.COM/BUSINESS/2010/02/THE-WIRED-IPAD-APP-A-VIDEO-DEMONSTRATION/
WIRED DEMO OF ADDITIONAL VALUE (0:40)
Conclusions
‣Unhidden content
19
“
...MORE DATA, VIDEO. I’VE GOT A
FEELING THAT THIS IS THE SAME
MATERIAL THAN IN THE OLD
(PRINTED) MAGAZINE. YOU CAN
ZOOM THE IMAGES, BUT OTHER
FEATURES ARE NOT UTILIZED AT
ALL.
“

SHOW ALL/MOST OF THE CONTENT DIRECTLY
EXTRA-CONTENT BEHIND EASILY- 
DISTINGUISHABLE LINKS
Conclusions
‣Unhidden content
20

CONTACT ME AT 
SAMI.PEKKALA@MCIPRESS.FI
The end
MCI Press on sisältömarkkinoinnin suunnittelutoimisto. Luomme asiakkaillemme näkyvyyttä digi- ja printtimedian sisällön avulla.
MCI Press is a content marketing design office. We create visibility to our customers with the help of digital and print content.
www.mcipress.fi

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