Task and user-based Entropy-Rank Sum-TPOP integration proposal for usability evaluation of web applications

Abstract

The present study aims to determine the importance weights of the subjective and objective usability criteria based on task and user by considering these criteria simultaneously in the usability analysis of web applications. In this context, by proposing a Multi-criteria Decision Making approach including Entropy-Rank Sum (RS) – Technique of Precise Order Preference (TPOP) integration, the Multi-Dimensional Usability Analysis (MDUA) approach was advanced. The proposed analysis approach was applied on MOODLE software selected as a sample web application. The objective criteria in the sample application were measured using the Morae V3 program as a result of users performing their predefined tasks, and the subjective criteria were evaluated by determining the importance orders of the criteria for each user that affect the users' satisfaction. Subsequently, objective criteria weights were calculated by the Entropy method on task basis, and subjective criteria weights were computed by the RS method on user basis. In the last stage, the weights of the objective criteria and the weights of the subjective criteria that change according to the user are combined separately using the TPOP method. Thus, the most important subjective and objective criteria for improving the usability of MOODLE LMS were determined.

Keywords

• Usability
• TPOP
• Entropy
• Rank Sum
• Multi-criteria Decision Making