Abstract
Enhancing the Design of Web Navigation Systems: The Influence of User Disorientation on Engagement and Performance
Jane Webster and Jaspreet S. Ahuja
This paper draws on research from a wide literature base to develop a model relating Web navigation systems, disorientation, engagement, user performance, and intentions. The model is tested in an experimental study examining the effects of one simple and two global navigation systems. Although well-accepted design guidelines were followed for the first global navigation system, it was not superior to the simple system. However, the second global navigation system resulted in lower disorientation than the simple system. Based on the study’s results, two design guidelines to govern the development of future Web-based systems are suggested.
Keywords: Disorientation, lost, engagement, flow, World Wide Web, Internet, design, Web-based learning, electronic commerce, electronic shopping, Web navigation, commercial Web site, performance, efficiency, intentions