Usability

Background: Official websites of tourism destinations provide an important digital content and are considered as widely-used tools of introducing destinations and presenting tourism products to the potential tourists. Improving the usability of websites helps the tourism destinations in achieving their goals. Websites usability is measured based on different criteria. Purpose: This paper evaluates and compares the usability of Iran and Malaysia official tourism destination websites –which are regarded as quite comparable in their tourism products and market- using seven criteria of content, visual attractiveness, infrastructure, interaction and responsiveness, navigation, customization, and product provision. Method: In order to do this evaluation, pairwise comparison questionnaires of the criteria were developed based on DEMATEL and ANP techniques and were answered online by 10 tourism experts in Iran. Websites’ usability analysis was performed using a combination of two MCDM (Multiple Criteria Decision Making) techniques that are DEMATEL and ANP so that the causal relations of the criteria are identified along with the ranking of their significance. Findings: The findings of the research show “infrastructure” as the dispatcher criterion, “product provision” as the receiver, and “content” as the most important criterion in the usability of tourism destinations’ websites. The findings also revealed the superiority of Malaysia’s official tourism website as compared to that of Iran.

This paper explores the usability of Augmented Reality (AR) applications specifically designed for visually impaired individuals, focusing on how these technologies can enhance their accessibility and daily living. AR offers potential benefits in areas such as navigation, object recognition, environmental awareness, education, social interaction, and entertainment. However, visually impaired users face significant challenges, including complex interfaces, reliance on visual cues, and limited access to assistive technologies. This paper identifies key usability guidelines to address these challenges, such as ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers, maintaining consistency in design, providing clear and accessible user interfaces, and integrating alternative sensory cues like audio and haptic feedback. Furthermore, customization options, collision detection, contextual information, and user-centered design principles are emphasized to enhance the AR experience. The study concludes that incorporating these usability guidelines is crucial for creating AR applications that are intuitive, effective, and tailored to the unique needs of visually impaired users. Continuous user testing and feedback are also vital to further refine these technologies and ensure their accessibility.  

Aim : The aim of this study was to design and validate a serious game-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescent girls with social anxiety, using a structured scenario-writing protocol based on Hoffman's Social Self-Appraisal Therapy Model. Method: The research employed a multi-phase approach encompassing scenario preparation, expert evaluation, face validity testing, usability assessment, and pilot implementation. Content validity was evaluated by ten psychologists and counselors utilizing the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) metrics. Face validity was assessed utilizing the Story World Absorption Scale (SWAS) with a cohort of 10 adolescent participants. A pilot study including an additional cohort of 10 adolescents evaluated alterations in social anxiety utilizing the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA). Usability and player experience were examined through the MEEGA+ instrument.   Results: The results demonstrated strong validity and efficacy of the serious game. Content validity was confirmed (overall CVI > 0.79, CVR > 0.62), along with robust face validity - evidenced by attention and transportation scores exceeding 0.81 (Kappa coefficients = 0.85, 0.81) and emotional engagement and mental imagery scores above 0.61 (Kappa coefficients = 0.78, 0.72). Additionally, a significant T-test result (t(9) = 16.74, p < 0.025) further supported these findings. Based on the MEEGA+ evaluation, the game was classified as 'good quality,' with θ scores ranging from 57.5 to 63.5 across usability and player experience subscales   Conclusion: The results revealed that the CBT-based serious game is both experientially effective and clinically promising. For adolescents with social anxiety, it provides a scalable and entertaining intervention tool, especially in situations where access to conventional therapy is restricted.

Purpose : This study presents a user interface model for library websites tailored to visually impaired (VI) users, leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). Method : Through exploratory observation of 33 visually impaired users performing three real tasks on library websites, key factors affecting usability were identified. Data collection involved formal usability testing combined with the think-aloud protocol. The interfaces of four prominent Iranian library websites were analyzed. Content analysis supported by MAXQDA software was used to interpret the data, and Cohen’s kappa coefficient was employed to measure inter-coder reliability. Findings : The main findings of this study revealed that a logical webpage structure and clear descriptive headings have the most significant impact on usability. Additionally, inconsistent labeling, search and results presentation complexity, lack of interface customization options, and technical challenges were identified as major accessibility barriers for visually impaired users. AI-based solutions such as automatic error correction, intelligent voice assistants, AI-powered question answering, result clustering, smart filtering, text and image processing, summarization, and interface personalization were proposed to enhance the user experience. Overall, by integrating user feedback and cutting-edge AI technologies, libraries can create more inclusive digital environments that cater effectively to the needs of visually impaired patrons, setting a precedent for future developments in accessible information retrieval systems. Conclusion : Improving library website usability for visually impaired users requires a nuanced understanding of their specific needs. This research contributes by identifying underexplored AI-based strategies that can significantly enhance accessibility and user satisfaction. Future studies should assess the long-term effectiveness of these approaches and explore additional enhancements.