Time accounting system: Measuring usability for validating the socio-technical fit of E-service exchange solutions in local communities

Abstract

This paper reports the final validation step of the prototype of a Time Accounting System (TAS), which has been designed and developed to investigate the suitability and acceptability of a technology based service exchanges. TAS is able to facilitate service exchanges using local currency (i.e., time) in a developing country, namely in Bangladesh. The paper describes the results of usability tests, at the level of interface and user interaction. Heuristic evaluation was the method adopted for the usability testing. The results suggest addressing the following usability problems that occur in managing services: error prevention, aesthetic and minimalist design, user control and freedom.