Analysis of causal relationships between blog design criteria

Abstract

There are numerous excellent studies devoted to blog design; however few of these can explain the interaction between evaluation criteria in a systematic way. The purpose of this study is to explore the causal relationships between the criteria for blog design. Since design is a multiple criteria decision-making problem, this study uses the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory method (DEMATEL). The DEMATEL method is used to simplify and visualize the interrelationships between criteria in making a decision. This study adopted seven important criteria that influence blog design: Aesthetic Layout, Multiple Layout Style Choice, Ease of Management, Ease of Registration, Storage Capacity, System Stability, Friendliness to Beginners. According to the results of DEMATEL analysis, the impact-relations map was obtained. The author hopes that this study will make a useful contribution to better understanding blog design. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.