A Survey of Users Interaction with the Web Hyperlink Environment and their Performance on Web Browsing

To access Web pages that provide relevant information, users have to continuously make decision about how to follow links on and at the same time use signs and clues that web page elements provide them for orientation and path finding. In this research, elements related to information systems (the Web) on the one hand, and users’ characteristics on the other hand have been taken into consideration. Also users’ interaction, i.e, the process of selecting of links and following them and their performance are explored in the context of hyperlink environment. A mixed (quantitative & qualitative) method was used and data were collected in two ways, namely through a "questionnaire" and "log files" during the user's browsing sessions. Sixty graduate students of Ferdowsi University participated in the study and their browsing behaviors were observed and documented. Findings indicate that there are significant differences between users with different educational background and levels in their perception of the webpage elements. Also there are significant correlations between user's computer and search experiences and skills and their perception of the Webpage elements and performance. Another finding shows that male and female web users do not significantly differ in their perception of the webpage elements and performance.