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World Wide Web Interface Study: Final Report University of Central Florida STARS Institute for Simulation and Training Digital Collections 1-1-1997 World Wide Web Interface Study: Final Report Robert Reed Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/istlibrary University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Research Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Digital Collections at STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Institute for Simulation and Training by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Reed, Robert, "World Wide Web Interface Study: Final Report" (1997). Institute for Simulation and Training. 211. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/istlibrary/211 I I I INSTITUTE FOR SIMULATION AND TRAINING I I ,I Contract Number: 64-12-323F I Defense Modeling & Simulation Office 31 March 1997 I I World Wide Web I Interface Study Final Report I Authors: Robert Reed, Tammie McClellan, I Dr. John Jacobs, Tim Barto, Kevin Kearns, I Matthew Tarr, Lisa Kinley and Jennifer Branson I I 'I Institute for Simulation and Training I 3280 Progress Drive Orlando FL 32826 University of Central Florida I Division of Sponsored Research IST-CR-97-16 ~......... I I I I INSTITUTE FOR SIMULATION & TRAINING I World Wide Web I Interface Study I Final Report I I IST-CR-97-16 I 31 March 1997 Prepared For: I Defense Modeling & Simulation Office Contract Number: 64-12-323F I I Prepared by: I Robert Reed Tammie McClellan Dr. John Jacobs I Tim Barto Kevin Kearns I Matthew Tarr Lisa Kinley I Jennifer Bransin I I Institute for Simulation and Training • 3280 Progress Drive • Orlando, Florida 32826 University of Central Florida • Division of Sponsored Research I TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 1 II. PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................................................... 1 m. METHODOLOGy................................................................................................................................................ 1 IV. RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 TRADITIONAIlONUNE LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................. 3 Use ofHTMLforms............................................................... ............................................................................... 3 Use. placement. and format of graphic images .................................................................................................... 3 Organization and structuring of information ....................................................................................................... 4 Use of web design languages and tools ............................................................................................................... 5 Use of navigational features ................................................................................................................................ 6 .1 Overall aesthetics and appearance ...................................................................................................................... 6 Factors influencing delivery and functional performance ................................................................................... 7 HUMAN FACTORS LITERATURE .................................................................. , .............................................................. 8 ;'1 Brevity .................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Consistency .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Compatibility............................. ......................................................................................................................... 10 Flexibility ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 ::1 Responsiveness ................................................................................................................................................... 10 WEB USERS SURVEY - PAPER-BASED AND ONUNEFoRMATS ................................................................................. 12 ~ REVIEW OF FORTUNE 100 ORGANIZATION WEB SITES ............................................................................................ 16 'I WEB BROWSER REVIEW .......................................................................................................................................... 18 GRAPHIC IMAGE EXPERIMENT ................................................................................................................................. 19 -::'. Literature Search ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Method ............................................................................................................................................................... 20 II Results ................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Summary ......................................................................: ..................................................................................... 22 I V. STUDy CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 22 GENERAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 PERFORMANCE ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 I. LAyOUT ................................................................................................................................................................... 23 SUPPORTABn..ITY ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 ~I' VI. STUDy RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 24 ~.: REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 I APPENDIX A - USER SURVEYS ........................................................................................................................... 26 ISTIl DIS STANDARDS WORKSHOP ........................................................................................................................... 26 ONLINE USER SURVEY ............................................................................................................................................ 27 I APPENDIX B - FORTUNE 100 WEB SITES ......................................................................................................... 28 I APPENDIX C - DIS MSRR NODE DESIGN ......................................................................................................... 30 APPENDIX D - COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW (DATA) ........................................................... 40 I I ii I I I. Introduction I Numerous organizations across the Department of Defense (DoD) are involved in modeling and simulation (M&S). Many of these have developed a World Wide Web (WWW) presence in order to share information and ideas related to programs that are of interest to their organizations and I supported communities. The Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) has established the Distributed Interactive Simulation Modeling and Simulation Resource Repository (DIS MSRR) to capitalize upon the existence of this information by creating a network of related, though unique, I nodes which will register items of interest to the general and specific modeling and simulation communities. The nodes will "register" existing information as a "resource" allowing community I members to quickly determine if information is available as well as to view and/or retrieve the actual information. One of the principles of the DIS MSRR construction is to "point" to resources where possible. By so doing, the original information is maintained by its owner on the owner's I server. Using a WWW system design, the DIS MSRR allows for community users to access this central source of resources while preserving owner control of the information/resources. I The complexity of the information and the breadth of its scope pose unique challenges to the DIS MSRR design; multiple nodes under individual Information Domain Coordinator (IDC) and Node
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