Volume 15 Issue 07, July 2025
Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
6.995, 2024 7.75
http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass
284
IMPROVING THE USABILITY OF A SCHOOL-RELATED MOBILE WEBSITE
Independent researcher at Bukhara state pedagogical institute
Shahzod Qudratov
e-mail: shahzod100997@gmail.com
Abstract:
Developments in the field of technology have led to the emergence of innovative
approaches and new practices in the digital world. Websites - initially designed for information
exchange and based on internet platforms - have become increasingly accessible from any
location due to the widespread use of mobile devices. Ensuring a good user experience,
especially on mobile devices, is critically important for such applications and can significantly
affect their long-term usability. From this perspective, usability-focused research not only
contributes to the development of websites but also enhances the experiential quality of any
digital product offered to users.
Keywords:
usability, mobile web, website
Introduction.
Between 2000 and 2016, the level of Internet use increased by about 9 times,
reaching 3.6 billion users. Internet technology has led to the formation of unique innovations and
interactive solutions, and today various Internet-based applications have become an integral part
of our lives. One of these applications is websites with a wide user base, which provide the
opportunity to access the necessary information faster and more conveniently. This creates
conveniences for users, such as saving time and independence from location [1].
In this study, the main (login) page of a school (or educational institution) mobile website is
evaluated and usability is improved, especially on one of the most common devices -
smartphones. Usability testing was used as the main method in this process [2].
Usability testing is an evaluation process based on systematic observation under controlled
conditions with potential or active users of a product. The main goal of this approach is to
identify as many usability or problem areas as possible in a product, as well as to create a
comparison between different products [3].
These tests are usually conducted by directly observing, listening to, or recording participants as
they perform a specific task. The main objectives of these tests are to identify usability problems,
collect qualitative and quantitative data, and assess the level of user satisfaction with the product
[4].
This study also used methods such as interviews, voice-overs, video and audio recordings to
determine usability. The school mobile website analyzed in the study will be referred to as the
“app” from this section onwards [5].
This section analyzes existing theoretical sources and previously conducted scientific work on
the research topic.
Mobile web
The term "mobile" was formed based on some of the features of devices used in everyday life -
namely mobile devices . The main essence of this concept is that the user has the opportunity to
freely access information of any content at any time, anywhere. The tools that provide this
opportunity are mobile devices. The common features of these devices are as follows:
Volume 15 Issue 07, July 2025
Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
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Portable, that is, easy to carry;
Intended for personal use;
It is almost always with the user;
Quick and easy to use;
It has various internet connection options.
WWW (World Wide Web) or "Web" for short is a multifunctional hypermedia system that
allows users to access information in various formats, such as text, images, audio, video, and
animation, in an interactive and compact way .
The mobile web is a technology that allows users to access the information they need anywhere,
anytime, and in any form . This technology has taken people out of the previously computer-only
Internet space and into an independent and mobile information environment [6].
Today, most web applications are being adapted to mobile devices in order to respond more
quickly to people's needs . Therefore, mobile -friendly websites, which are at the heart of the
mobile web environment, is gaining special importance. Since mobile devices have entered our
lives, many of their features, such as shape, size, screen, speed, design, and functionality, have
evolved. In line with this development, applications developed for mobile devices are also being
created in a way that is focused on a specific type of device. This is also true for school websites
[7].
websites were once designed primarily for computer screens , this has changed with the
proliferation of mobile devices that can connect to the internet. As a result, the design of
websites needs to be designed to suit the user's device . School websites, which play an
important role in information exchange, need to follow web design standards and user-centered
approaches to work effectively on different platforms
.
From a web developer's perspective, creating consistent, consistent designs across devices with
different screen sizes is a daunting task. This is where the concept of Responsive Web Design
(RWD) comes in. This concept was first introduced by Ethan Marcotte in 2010, and it uses
variable grid structures
,
responsive images , and and media queries are key technical
components.
Sharkie and Fisher defined RWD as a set of techniques and technologies needed to develop an
application that works the same on different types of devices . Peterson called it “a design that
makes a web page easy to view and use, from the smallest phone screen to the largest computer
monitor.” Technically, this design is based on HTML and CSS3 media queries. is achieved by
hiding, resizing, or repositioning content on a web page to fit the device size .
Usability
Usability is a concept that is directly related to the level of user acceptance of a product or
system with which we interact. This term generally refers to a standard approach used to create
functional, efficient, and user-pleasing interfaces.
Although ISO considers the definition of usability as "the degree to which an intended user, in a
specified context, can perform intended tasks effectively, efficiently, and with satisfaction" to be
formal, it emphasizes that it includes the following three important elements:
Target users
: Not just any user, but a specific audience targeted by the product;
Specific tasks
: The purpose of the product must match the user's need and intention;
Specific context
: The product must be designed specifically for the circumstances in
which it is used by that user.
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Nielsen emphasized that usability cannot be limited to the interface level alone and identified the
following components [8]:
Ease of Learnability
: A user using the system for the first time should be able to
quickly understand how to operate it;
Productivity
: The ability of a user to use the system effectively after learning it;
Ease of remembering
: Even if it has not been used for a while, the user does not
need to learn it again when he returns to the system;
Errors
: Few errors in the system;
Satisfaction
: Using the system should be a pleasant and reliable experience.
In general, usability is defined as the degree to which a product is effective, easy, and satisfying
to use by users in different contexts in their daily lives. The main goal is to create a system that
meets the needs of the user and provides satisfaction.
Evaluation and development work in this area should be carried out systematically. The
following methods and techniques are widely used in usability studies:
Tracking
Questionnaire
Participatory design
Interviews
and
focus
groups
Log analysis
Simulation (animation)
Initial
prototyping
on
paper
Think aloud
Co-discovery
Sorting cards
Usability tests
Video and audio recordings
Expert
and
sensitive
assessment
Repeated tests
Eye movement tracking
Some of these techniques are used during the product development process, while others are
used after the product is in use. Barnum distinguishes two main approaches to assessing usability:
Formative evaluation
: Smaller tests aimed at identifying and resolving problems that
arise during product development;
Final evaluation
: Extensive, often statistically based evaluations conducted after a
product is fully developed to determine whether it meets user needs.
Nielsen also emphasizes that these two approaches to usability evaluation - formatting and final
evaluation - play a separate role. While the formatting approach serves to improve the interface
as part of an iterative design process, the final evaluation serves to determine the overall quality
of the product.
Since the school mobile website evaluated in this study was an active implementation, all
evaluation work was considered to have been conducted as part of the final evaluation.
Discussion
Websites are now an indispensable tool for educational institutions, both in terms of information
exchange and effective communication with the public. Especially for higher education
institution websites that serve thousands of users, one of the important questions is how well
these resources meet the needs of the target user. Also, as the devices that allow access to these
sites vary, the number of variables that need to be considered in the design process of websites
increases.
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This study examined the usability of the official website on smartphones. The target users for the
evaluation were students from the same university who did not have any disabilities. Future
studies could consider designing and improving the website for a wider audience by taking into
account users with different levels of disabilities.
Video recordings during the analysis showed that when some tasks were about to be completed
by participants, the task was delayed due to insufficient attention or distraction from elements on
the page. In order to identify such situations, the use of eye-tracking technologies for future
studies could be more effective. This would allow us to determine the degree to which menu
structures, graphics, links, texts, and multimedia content are perceived (Rızvanoğlu & Öztürk,
2010).
Participants also experienced confusion when completing some tasks, as they could not find the
links they needed in the menu in what they considered to be the logical place. Although these
problems were partially resolved based on interviews with participants, it is recommended that
the card sorting method be used in the future to improve the menu organization from a user
perspective.
The concept of usability cannot be static, as human needs are constantly changing. Periodic
usability assessments can help prevent potential negative user experiences. Otherwise, even if
the application is developed with great effort, its lifespan may be shortened.
Involving users (students, teachers, and other stakeholders) in the design process is also
important in making the web application user-friendly. It is also useful to test the newly
developed web page again with the target user group and verify the results. A limitation of this
study is that this final testing phase was not conducted.
In this study, the following features that should be present on the landing page of mobile
websites of educational institutions that are planned to be developed or are already operating,
with healthy school users aged 18–21 selected as target users, were identified and the
recommendation was directed towards the design of the mobile website:
Content that is important to the user should be placed at the top of the page, while
less important content should be presented at the bottom;
Avoid posting too much unnecessary content;
The page should not be too long;
Blocks such as news, announcements, and events are presented as pictorial icons,
small images with links;
Proper organization of the menu structure in a way that does not distract the user;
The presence of a search box on the page;
The meaning of the symbols (icons) should be presented in a way that is intuitively
understandable to the user;
Removal of repetitive graphic images;
Clearly separated page titles;
Providing the user with sufficient information and warnings when interacting with
the system;
Identifying possible errors, taking into account that elements that work on a
computer may not work on mobile devices.
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Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
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In conclusion, there are significant benefits to designing educational websites that incorporate
the above features to improve user experience. Also, conducting usability analyses at least once a
year will play a significant role in providing more effective services to users.
References
1.
Barnum, CM (2010). Usability testing essentials: Ready, set… test! . Elsevier.
2.
Baiter, A. (2009). Usability and usability testing in web design. Academic Knowledge
Bulletin , 11, 471–477.
3.
Budak, A., & Gezer, M. (2016). Responsive Web Design: A Technical Review. Journal of
International Management Information Systems and Computer Science , 1(1), 17–24.
4.
Budiu, R. (2014). Mobile: Native apps, web apps, and hybrid apps. Nielsen Norman
Group .
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/mobile-native-apps/
5.
Cağıltay, K. (2011). Usability and user experience . Ankara: ODTÜ Yayıncılık.
6.
Daniels, C., et al. (2007). Usability testing methods and practices . Usability.gov.
7.
Desruelle, H., & Gielen, F. (2013). Mobile web applications: Best practices and techniques.
European Commission Publications .
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Dumas, JS, & Loring, BA (2008). Moderating usability tests: Principles and practices for
interacting . Morgan Kaufmann.
