User Analysis Framework: Thoughts on User’s Cognitive Factors for Information Design on Web-based Me

Abstract

Websites have passed through several developmental progressions, from simple textual information to more sophisticated interactive communication that engages a larger and more diverse audience. As an alternative channel to communicate, access information, perform a task or fulfill personal interest, more usability problems become apparent. Studying and solving these problems is increasingly essential. This study attempts to analyze and understand search problems based on user search behavior. To understand this behavior more profoundly, focus shifts to the user’s cognitive factors that underlie and regulate searching through a website. These cognitive factors include generic goals, user modes of searching, user search strategies and methods, as well as different types of models to identify user characteristics. The study discusses classification of these cognitive factors and provides an analytic framework that helps systematically analyze and synthesize these factors in order to better anticipate user search behavior with the goal to eventually be able to determine the kinds of information and functions needed to include in different types of website design.