A QUALITATIVE REVIEW OF USABILITY STUDIES IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN DIGITAL MEDIA IN BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS

This study reviews the experiences on mobile usability of senior students in higher educational programs in digital media in Belgium and the Netherlands, with special focus on the field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The outcomes of this paper offers practitioners the needed insight to be succesful in delivering usable mobile products and services and hereby contributing to a expanding industry. Students of educational programs in digital media also benefit by identifying new questions that need to be addressed, thereby enriching our understanding of this dynamic domain of HCI. A challenge for a lot of researchers is that many senior students define and operationalize usability differently. In consequence this paper presents a roadmap for future usability research in two steps. First, offering a framework for the taxonomy of mobile usability studies. Second, summarizing the results of the qualitative review of more than ten mobile usability studies in higher educational programs in digital media which include: i) the contextual factors studied; ii) the core and peripheral usability dimensions measured; and iii) key findings. Expected contributions of the completed research are also outlined.