Usability and User Experience of Mobile Applications: A Case of Functional Illiterates in Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the challenges faced by functional illiterates (FXI) when using smartphones, usability studies of mobile applications for FXI in Nigeria are still lacking in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. To address this gap, we conducted a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) user study with FXI users to explore their experiences using current mobile applications for banking and shopping. Our study uses a digital skills framework (DLGF) with usability and user experience (UX) metrics to investigate user interaction, providing a novel approach to understanding users' capabilities in HCI research. Triangulating interview data with both applications' user interface (UI) data, we found that FXI users encountered challenges in certain tasks but not all. Our findings revealed below-average UX ratings of the current mobile applications compared to established benchmarks. These findings contribute to an emerging discussion about designing more inclusive and accessible UIs. We propose that using the DLGF in usability studies can provide a more comprehensive view to all stakeholders in accessibility research.