Background: Usability is one of the most important factors that determine the\nquality of Web applications, which can be verified performing usability inspection.\nThis paper presents the Web Design Usability Evaluation (Web DUE) technique,\nwhich allows the identification of usability problems in low-fidelity prototypes\n(or mockups) of Web applications during the design phases of the development. We\nhave also proposed the Mockup Design Usability Evaluation (Mockup DUE) tool\nwhich is able to assist inspectors using the Web DUE technique.\nMethod: In order to verify the feasibility of these technologies, we have performed\ntwo empirical studies. During the first study, we compared the effectiveness and\nefficiency indicators of the Web DUE technique with the ones of its predecessor, the\nWeb Design Perspective (WDP) based usability inspection technique. Also, during the\nsecond study, experienced inspectors used the Mockup DUE tool and answered a\nquestionnaire aiming at identifying improvement opportunities in its design.\nResults: The analysis of the quantitative data showed that the Web DUE technique\nallowed the identification of more usability problems in lesser time when compared\nto the WDP technique. Moreover, the qualitative data from the second empirical\nstudy provided information on the tool�s perceived ease of use, indicating that\ninspectors were satisfied and that they would use it to perform a usability inspection\nwith the Web DUE technique.\nConclusions: These results showed that the DUE technologies could be applied in\nthe identification of usability problems early in the design of Web applications. Thus,\ntheir use could enable the correction of such problems before the source code of\nthe application is written.
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