Designing effective web sites: How academic research influences practice

Abstract

A consumer has different expectations or goals when visiting different Web sites at different times. Indeed, consumers visit sites not only to search for and purchase products/services, but also to have rich, entertaining experiences. These goals or objectives determine what type of tasks the consumer performs at a site; different tasks and goals require a different human-computer interactive experience. This program of research has demonstrated that rich behavioral theories can provide clear guidance to system designers. Consequently, it is fundamental that system designers understand why a person is at a website and the theoretical factors that drive improved interaction experiences and stronger customer relationships [10].