Users' expectation of web objects location: Case study of ASEAN countries

Abstract

A study conducted in 2006 had successfully determined that users could form a schema for the location of web objects on informational websites. This study investigates whether users' expectation has not changed since the previous study. Among the objects being examined include 'Logo'; 'Internal links'; 'Search'; 'Advertisement'; 'External links'; 'Site title'; 'Login'; 'Language'; 'Content' and 'Calendar'. Ninety-four participants from ten ASEAN countries were presented with a demographic questionnaire followed by a mock browser window consisted of six horizontal and seven vertical grid squares. They completed the survey on the expected location of each of the ten web objects. The study found that there were significant changes in user expectations in web object locations. The result supported the findings of the previous study that predicted the advances of technology significantly affect user's schema of the web objects' layout within a four-years minimum. © 2013 Springer International Publishing.