Websites that satisfy users: a theoretical framework for Web user interface design and evaluation

Abstract

With the fast development and increasing use of the World Wide Web as both an information seeking and an electronic commerce tool, Web usability studies are growing in importance. While Web designers have largely focused on the functional aspects of Web sites, there has been little systematic attention to (1) the motivational issues of Web user interface design or (2) a theoretically-driven approach to Web user satisfaction studies. The objective of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework and foundation for systematically investigating features in the Web environment that contribute to user satisfaction with a Web interface. This research uses F. Herzberg's (1966) motivation-hygiene theory to guide the identification of these features. Among the implications and contributions of this research are the identification of Web design features that may maximize the likelihood of user satisfaction and return visits to the Web site.