Interactive web applications: continuous evaluations for promoting internet access and use for all

Abstract

More than 50% of Brazilian homes already have Internet access. Recent researches showed that smartphones are already the second device that users most use to access Internet inside their homes. Additionally, new touchscreen technologies have received more preference from users. Many studies have approached improvements in usability and accessibility for these kinds of interfaces. These studies consider the design of different characteristics of interfaces that can improve the usability of touchscreen devices, considering the large number of errors of interaction. The low accuracy of this kind of interaction remains as a challenge. Among the inherent limitations of these interfaces, one can find the fat finger problem, the low perception of pointing mechanisms, the difficulty on the selection of small targets, and others. Additionally, the development of Web interactive applications that are usable and accessible for mobile devices requires specific criteria of evaluation. In this context, this project will investigate the usability and accessibility issues, with special attention to older users (people with 60 years or more) interacting with Web applications from mobile devices. Mainly, this project will research about the strategies for presenting Web applications on the Internet in order to enhance their quality of interaction on touchscreen devices. Studies with older users will be conducted for the elicitation of their demands to obtain general guidelines for design of web applications for touchscreen devices. These guidelines will also be considered for the implementation of a collaborative environment of evaluation, which will be about usability and accessibility of Web interactive applications. This is aimed to promote the knowledge and involvement of all the people interested. (AU)