Web design using a quality function deployment methodology

This dissertation investigates the issues of quality control and Human Factors in a Web design context. In particular, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is employed to bring a human factors engineering perspective to Web quality design. First, a theoretical framework of quality on Web is proposed. Based on the special features of the Web and comparison with manufacturing, service and software product, quality of Web is defined from two different points of view: the user\u27s information and interaction quality, and the developer\u27s process quality. The process quality is the determining factor for information quality and interaction quality, and in turn is the determining factor for the final quality. This research chose the site of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as the platform. The design started with a users\u27 voice gathering and analysis. Forty college students were recruited to participate the experiments. The users\u27 voice was collected by individual interviews and structured survey. A detailed voice analysis was carried out based on the data collected including Kano Model analysis and card sorting analysis. Consequently, a complete QFD matrix—the House of Quality was constructed. Three quantitative models for deriving critical design features were compared and a site prototype was built based on the critical design features. Finally, a heuristic evaluation was conducted by comparing the old site and new prototype as the validation tool for the design. Results showed that this QFD method is an effective approach for incorporating users\u27 needs into Web design activities. However, due to the limitation of the QFD scope, other methods such as card sorting need to be integrated with the QFD method in order to have a complete user-centered design. A further analysis reveals that developer\u27s personal knowledge and own judgment also play a crucial role for the interpretation and implementation of the user needs in design activities