COGNITIVE WALKTHROUGH

Evaluation of Waitrose Recipe Webpage using Cognitive Walkthrough



Evaluation of Waitrose Recipe Webpage using Cognitive Walkthrough

Introduction

Evaluation of the usability of web pages like Waitrose.com is critically important to the development process of the user interface. This is particularly because such evaluations enable the software developers to improve the efficiency of human computer interactions (HCL) so that the interface users are able to operate faster with minimal mistakes. Cognitive walkthrough process is an important evaluation technique that is largely based on the theories of user behavior such as the CE+ psychological theory (Spencer, 2000, p.354). The Cognitive Walkthrough is a usability inspection technique, i.e., instead of empirical data, the user judgments used one or more appraisers. More than other methods, this technique draws its theoretical foundations of cognitive science. The Cognitive Walkthrough analyzed proper courses of action and it asks whether these processes are actually followed by the users. It also causes of problems are detected proposed. This is to enable product designers to be a help to avoid the problem. Unlike most other techniques focuses the Cognitive Walkthrough less to the interface, as more on the mental processes of a hypothetical user. The reason is the assumption that a successful product must meet the mental abilities of a user.

The Cognitive Walkthrough says above all, a certain aspect of usability: ease of learning, the use of a product. It is however stressed that this point strongly to other dimensions (e.g., effectiveness or the efficiency) is connected. The developers assume a facilitation of the learning process through the process of exploration. Therefore, one focus of the analysis to support the extent to which a product is exploratory learning.

Waitrose.com is the official website of Waitrose recipe and grocery supermarket chains that are spread with over 243 branches across England, Wales and Scotland. The Website is primarily designed to help customers and users access online grocery services such as request for online delivery of various products and other customer service supports. In this regard, the user interface is interactively designed in a way that allows users to navigate easily and make orders without any need for formal assistance. This paper uses the cognitive walkthrough process to evaluate Waitrose Recipe Webpage to help identify some of the challenges likely to be faced by the users of the website as well as the efficiency of using the user interface without the need for user guide documentation. During a Cognitive Walkthrough Waitrose Recipe Webpage is investigated, their processing is intended to support a product.

The tasks selected meet two criteria: they are relevant and realistic. It therefore relates to a task that may be executed often and / or relate to critical aspects of work, and secondly it reflects the true nature of the work of the user. In general, analyses were limited to a reasonable but representative selection of tasks. The market usually provides information about selecting studies, demand or task analysis.

Method

The method used in Cognitive Walkthrough should generally allow evaluators to assess the ...