Abstract: An evaluation of two websites with the same content but different interface styles (traditional menu-based and interactive metaphors) is described. A formative usability evaluation was carried out with heuristic assessment of aesthetics followed by post-test memory. The subjects had more problems with the metaphor-based site, but rated it more favourably on the aesthetics heuristics. There was no difference in free memory recall between the sites. The implications for website design and evaluation are discussed. 1

Abstract — Usability is a multi-dimensional characteristic of a computer system. This paper focuses on usability as a measurement of interaction between the user and the system. The research employs a task-oriented approach to evaluate the usability of a meta search engine. This engine encourages and accepts queries of unlimited size expressed in natural language. A variety of conventional metrics developed by academic and industrial research, including ISO standards, are applied to the information retrieval process consisting of sequential tasks. Tasks range from formulating (long) queries to interpreting and retaining search results. Results of the evaluation and analysis of the operation log indicate that obtaining advanced search engine results can be accomplished simultaneously with enhancing the usability of the interactive process. In conclusion, we discuss implications for interactive information retrieval system design and directions for future usability research. Index Terms—usability, search engine, search tasks, query formulation, query refinement I.

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