使用者中心設計取向之網站使用性實踐初探：意義、方法與台灣網路產業現況

Abstract

儘管HCI學者二十多年來在使用性議題上的持續努力已經有了豐碩成果，可是多數商業網站的使用性仍舊明顯缺乏，有研究發現主要原因可能是開發者欠缺使用者中心設計思維，並未警覺到自己的設計需要更好的方法來改善，才能滿足目標族群所致。近幾年國外對於這類以產業UCD (User-Centered Design，使用者中心設計)實踐情形來進行探討的論文日益重視，但反觀國內，至今仍尚未有類似的論述出現，有鑑於此，本研究將嘗試以這樣的UCD觀點，進行第一個以台灣網路產業為研究場域的使用性實踐初探，且期藉由深度訪談網路產業工作者，分享自身詳盡真實的日常開發經驗，來瞭解他們對網站使用性的認知、態度與應用情形，同時再以這些為基礎，達到勾勒出台灣網路產業之使用性實踐樣貌的研究目的。研究發現：雖然多數受訪者都表示他們以及任職的公司很重視使用者，但使用性就大部分人來說仍不是個熟悉議題，在相關知識方面也欠缺完善、系統性的理解；而隨著產業日益成熟，多數公司已發展出相近且完善的設計方法與團隊分工，但距離UCD取向的建議仍有很大差距。在開發上會應用的使用性方法（或使用者研究方法），多半是零星、非正式及併湊式（summative）的施行為主，比較可能會採用的有：焦點團體、訪談、原型法、使用性測式與制訂設計準則等方法；最後在實踐現況方面，則除了各企業組織間的使用性成熟度有明顯落差外，大多數仍在懷疑使用性之必要的階段。

Despite the continuous effort and abundant results achieved by HCI researchers and professionals in the past two decades, poor usability remains a major problem for many commercial Web sites. Some researches suggest that Web developers fail to recognize the importance of user centric design and thus unaware that better methods are needed to improve their design to entertain their targeted audience. While researches on UCD practice in the industries are receiving increasing notice in many western countries recently, no paper examining this topic can be found in Taiwan. Therefore, this paper is intended to be the first study to investigate the actual usability practice in Taiwan Internet industry. By means of in-depth interview with workers in Internet industry, it is possible to share their daily practical experience and understand what is their perception and attitude in usability and how they apply it. Based on these data, usability practice for Internet industry in Taiwan can be outlined. Results of the study show that although interviewees claim they and their companies consider users as important characters, most of them lack sufficient knowledge of usability. Furthermore, they don’t have proper and systematic understanding on related topics, either. As the industry matures, most companies develop complete and similar design methodology, but huge gap remains between their methods and the suggestions of UCD approach. This study also identifies some methods during the study which include Focus group, Interview, Prototype, Usability test and Design guideline. Though commonly applied by these companies, they are used in a fragmental, informal and summative manner. Consequently, this research makes clear that different companies may possess different levels of usability maturity, most of them still doubt the necessity of it.