Framework of effective web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce

INFOR, Feb 2002 by Pairin Katerattanakul

ABSTRACT

Based on the concept "fitness for use," this study defines the term "quality or effective Web site" as the Web site that is designed to he fit for use by Web users or consumers. Additionally, results from the use and gratification studies in communication research show that, when using the Web, consumers seek three main gratifications: consumer information search, consumer transactions, and enjoyment. Thus, based on these results and the proposed definition of quality or effective Web site, this study proposes three effective design concepts as a framework of effective Web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce. These three effective Web site design concepts are Design to Support Consumer Information Search, Design to Support Consumer Transactions, and Design to Support Enjoyment.

Keywords: Effective Web Site; Web Site Design; Business-to-Consumer Internet Commerce

RESUME

Fondle sur le concept d'o aptitude A l'usage >>, cette etude d6finit par I'expression tout site Web concu pour repondre aux exigences des utilisateurs du Web ou des consommateurs. En outre, les resultats de certaines etudes menses dans le secteur de la recherche en communication sur l'utilisation et sur la satisfaction demontrent que lorsque les consommateurs utilisent le Web, ils cherchent a satisfaire trois besoins principaux : la recherche d'information A l'intention des consommateurs, les transactions de consommation et le divertissement. Par consequent, en s'appuyant sur ces resultats et sur la definition proposee d'un site Web efficace ou de qualite, cette etude presente trois concepts efficaces qui peuvent servir de cadre de conception d'un site Web efficace pour le commerce grand public sur Internet. Ces trois concepts prennent en charge respectivement les trois besoins principaux des consommateurs : recherche d'information a l'intention des consommateurs, transactions de consommation et divertissement.

Mots-else : site web efficace; conception de sites Web; commerce grand public sur Internet

1. INTRODUCTION

A company's Web site is another form of the company's information systems (IS). However, Isakowitz, Bieber, and Vitali (1998) argued that the development of Web information or application systems requires a rather different approach from that of traditional IS development methodologies because of the much wider audience addressed by these Web-based systems. Unfortunately, researchers criticized that many companies have based their Web design for Internet commerce on trial-and-error, or gut-instinct (Loiacono and Taylor 1999). Lynch and Horton (1999) noted that, Web-based system development teams rarely include members of the target audience for the Web site.

In the following sections, based on the view of quality focusing on "fitness for use," we define the concept of "quality or effective Web site." Then, the reasons that consumers use the Web are presented and the premise that "an effective Web site is designed to provide the gratifications sought by Web users" is adopted. After examining the detailed gratifications sought by Web users, we propose a framework of effective Web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce that consists of three main design concepts: Design to Support Consumer Information Search, Design to Support Consumer Transactions, and Design to Support Enjoyment. We review various literatures and theoretical foundations to identify effective Web design guidelines and specific contents and/or features for each design concept in the proposed framework. These literatures and theoretical foundations include Consumer Information Search Model, Information Quality Framework, Flow Theory, Computer Playfulness, Consumer Trust, Virtual Community, and System Quality.

2. EFFECTIVE WEB SITE: THE THREE DESIGN CONCEPTS

2.1 Quality or Effective Web Site

Juran and Gryna (1970) noted that the phrase "fitness for use" is the basic meaning of the word 11 quality." That is, an essential aspect of products or services is that they be fit for use. This concept of "fitness for use" emphasizes the importance of consumer's perception of quality since ultimately consumers will judge whether or not the product or service is fit for their use. Similarly, Deming (1986) posited that consumer is the most important part in determining quality of product thus product quality should be aimed at the consumer's needs.

Juran and Gryna (1970) also proposed that the term "fitness for use" could be applied to all products and services; however, for long-lived and/or complex products, fitness for use is often called "system effectiveness." System effectiveness is a measure of the extent to which a system may be expected to achieve a set of specific mission requirements.

The concept of "fitness for use" has been adopted in IS research as well. In conceptualizing the underlying aspects of data quality, Wang and Strong (1996, p.6) defined the term "data quality" as "the data that are fit for use by data consumers." Similarly, Huang, Lee, and Wang (1999, p.43) defined the term "information quality" as "the information that is fit for use by information consumers." Therefore, in this study, we define the concept "quality or effective Web site" as "the Web site that is designed to be fit for use by Web users or consumers."