Design research as a framework to evaluate the usability and accessibility of the digital doorway

Abstract

The usability and accessibility of interactive system interfaces, as well as their evaluation constitutes important focus areas of human-computer interaction (HCI). One of the families of evaluation methods that can be used to assess the usability and accessibility of a given interface is the heuristic evaluation method. Heuristic evaluation can be conducted by applying general purpose heuristics or through heuristics that are specifically developed for the given interface. Developing specific heuristics hardly ever involves the use of a sound and recognized research methodology. Design research is increasingly being used as a theoretical and methodological framework for information systems research in general, and HCI research in particular. Design research is a problem-solving approach, involving the creation of artefacts through a rigorous process of design-evaluate-redesign. In a novel approach, the authors utilized the design research paradigm in the development of application-specific heuristics, and then also evaluated the usability and direct accessibility support provided by the Digital Doorway, a non-standard computer system deployed amongst underprivileged communities in South Africa with the aim of promoting computer literacy. This paper discusses the approach they followed.