Designing A Model For User Interaction With E-reader Applications

The purpose of this study was to investigate how users interact with e-reader applications and try to draw an appropriate model of interaction.

The study population included of active users of Fidibo, Taghche, Ketabrah, and Ketabsabz, and data collection tools included checklists and questionnaires. First, through systematic review, the features, capabilities, and facilities of e-reader applications were extracted and adapted to the Norman model. The items that were used when users interacted with the reader applications were identified and based on them, the Delphi Expert Panel questionnaire and the user questionnaire were designed. Finally, the user interaction model was drawn using SmartPLS2.0.3 software.

The model presented in this study was a quantitative model consisting of forty-nine indicators and seven hidden variables that refer to the seven stages of the Norman cycle, including goal, plan, determine a specific path, perform, perceive, interpret, and compare. This model shows how much each of the hidden variables and their indicators affect each of the other hidden variables. In this model changes of the planning variable were affected by the changes of the goal variable by 0.588. Also, changes in the determine variable by 0.411 are affected by changes in the plan variable; Changes in the perform variable by 0.433 affected by the determine variable; Changes in the perceive variable of 0.739 affected by changes in the perform variable; Changes in the interpret variable by 0.626 affected by the perceive variable; Finally, changes in the compare variable by 0.602 were affected by changes in the interpret variable. In this study, the value of t-statistic was greater than 1.96 and therefore all of six relationships were confirmed. That is, the goal variables had a significant effect on plan, plan on determination, determination on perform, perform on perceive, perceive on interpretation, and interpretation on comparison.

Norman model is a suitable model to show users' interaction with e-reader applications and can be used in designing e-reader applications. Considering the answers given by users to the questionnaire questions, "perceive" component which indicates the content provided in the reader programs, is more important in user interaction and it is necessary that the designers and producers of the reader applications pay more attention to it. Paying attention to the content of information resources in the reader applications is important as it is effective in determining the purpose of users to interact with the reader applications and also the extent of their reception and use.