Gisela M. von Dran

Satisfiers and dissatisfiers: a two-factor model for website design and evaluation

Proliferating Web-user interface studies prompt a need for theoretical approaches. This study presents a two-factor model that can guide Website design and evaluation. According to the model, there are two types of Website design factors: hygiene and motivator. Hygiene factors are those whose presence make a Website functional and serviceable, and whose absence causes user dissatisfaction (thus dissatisfiers). Motivator factors, on the other hand, are those that add value to the Website by contributing to user satisfaction (thus satisfiers). An empirical study is conducted in two phases. In Phase I, 44 core features and 12 categories of features were identified by a total of 76 subjects as Web design factors. In Phase II, 79 different subjects distinguished hygiene and motivator factors in the context of a particular Website (CNN.com). The results showed that the two-factor model provides a means for Web-user interface studies. In addition, Subjects in Phase II commented that, as time passes or familiarity increases with certain design factors, their identification of what are hygiene and motivator factors might change, promoting further investigation and possible expansion of the model. Suggestions for Website designs and evaluation, and further research directions are provided.

Important Design Features in Different Web Site Domains: An Empirical Study of User Perceptions

This study uses an inductive thematic analysis approach to examine user perceptions on the importance of Web site design features in six different Web site domains: Financial, e-Commerce, Entertainment, Education, Government, and Medical. The five most important features, as well as the five most important families of features, were identified for each of the domains. The results indicate that (1) there are certain features that are perceived as equally important among different domains; (2) there are other features that are regarded as ex-tremely important for one domain and extremely unimportant for another. The study provides empirical evidences for Web site designers and evaluators about what features are more important to focus on when dealing with Web site domains. It adds value to the cur- rent literature on consumer behavior in the electronic environment and web usability studies.

The information infrastructure: policy and security considerations

To understand possible implications of the emerging information infrastructure, it is appropriate to first look at the evolution of technology related policies in an attempt to identify unresolved policy issues related to information technology. It is also appropriate to create an awareness of likely decision points that may critically influence our future society, and try to envision the role of public administrators in establishing and information infrastructure and telecommunications policy.