A Framework of Automated Data Collection of Usability in Web Applications

In general, the works on Web Usability have focused on websites where the evaluation process is based on aspects of information architecture (structure, navigation, facility of search, etc.). Web applications require a different analysis, based on interaction patterns complex, similar to desktop applications. In this paper, the characteristic attributes of sites and web applications are distinguished, and a framework is proposed for automatic data collection about usability of web applications, which facilitates the analysis of dimensions such as efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction. The framework proposes a scheme reusability oriented design and implementation aspects with AspectJ, the modules extention and configuration allows the instantiation of specific user tasks as evaluation object of higher level of abstraction. The development of an experience on a web application, named Jforum, is presented. Experience has shown flexibility to extend the application under study, and effectiveness for the capacity and accuracy for data collection associated with metrics and defined tasks.