Mapping the Perception of Users as the Usability of Smartphones: Benchmarking Features Through the Borda Count Method

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to achieve the benchmark usability across major operating systems (OS) on the market, identifying the improvements that can be made in the OS customizations in order to make more fluid and intuitive experience for Brazilian’s consumers. Methods: A questionnaire was made to identify and rank the main features used in user’s day-to-day of the three large circulation operating systems of the smartphone market. For this, was used the Borda Count Method that listed all the features on their priority orders. Although the study was conducted in Brazil, this methodology can be applied within the reality of other countries, since to be mapped the consumer perception in each context. Contribution to society: The smartphone handsets are the high tech products most wanted by consumers and, according to market researcher IDC, global vendors shipped 1.43 billions units in 2015. Show the difference of the device in the sale may not be the only commendable point, but it is also necessary to be able to keep the device being intuitive in its functions over time, in order to retain the consumer to the brand. Currently both the software and the hardware of the devices are becoming more equal, as both market companies are using the same manufacturers in their products. In this trend, usability is a factor that will contribute to customer satisfaction. For businesses, access to information on which features are most used and what deserve more prominence is essential to create new interfaces of the OS.