In the modern climate of software development and user engagement with technology, where new applications are being regularly developed, there is a high degree of competition between those delivering similar functionality. This challenge creates a need for innovation outside of an application’s primary purpose, where software is expected to perform above and beyond user expectations to create an “experience.” The user experience requires the consideration of human interaction with the software during the design process; designers are expected to think about the effect the software is having on the user aside from the functional benefits. These considerations can manifest into nonfunctional requirements such as usability, security, performance metrics, and even more innocuous factors such as gamification. This capstone research covers a case study in which a service provider’s website design is evaluated and edited to improve usability, specifically in information architecture. Improvements in business performance will be measured through user studies in which key tasks are performed and the experience is evaluated using quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback. The desired goal of the research experiment is to deliver design suggestions to the client that will improve business performance through increased traffic and engagement with the company website.

Recommended Citation: Segda B., Ebrahimi E., Grooms J., Cummings J., Sibona C., (2023). Bourelle Martial Arts: A Case Study in Improving Web Usability. UNCW MS CSIS Proceedings. V. 17 , N. 8 .