a Framework for Quality Function Deployment of the User Interface of a University Website with a QFD Approach (Case Study: Art University of Isfahan)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Bahareh Jahanmard Hosseinabadi ¹
• Majid Ziaee ²
• Shahriyar Shokrpour ²
• Yoones Sekhavat ³
• Babak Amraei ²

¹ Ph.D Student in Islamic arts, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran.

³ Associate Professor, Tabriz Islamic art university, Tabriz,, Iran.

10.22067/infosci.2025.93868.1241

Abstract

Introduction: This research examines the enhancement of user interface quality and performance on the Isfahan University of Art website, with a particular emphasis on user satisfaction. Employing appropriate, user-centered approaches in website development improves individual usability, facilitates seamless interaction, and provides a superior experience for university users. In the contemporary digital era, websites serve as a critical medium for engagement between universities and their users, enabling them to attract audiences and provide access to essential educational and research information and services. Consequently, the continuous optimization of university websites is of significant importance, allowing institutions to compete effectively by fostering interaction, increasing awareness, disseminating information, and serving as a comprehensive reference to meet the diverse needs of their user. Initial studies indicate that some websites encounter challenges in delivering satisfactory services and meeting the needs of academic users. With the ongoing development of university websites and systems, it is essential to examine “user satisfaction” as a key objective for addressing these challenges. However, in the case of the Isfahan University of Art website, limited efforts have been made in its design, updating, and optimization to adequately meet the diverse needs of its wide range of users—including students, alumni, faculty, staff, and other visitors—and to enhance their overall satisfaction. The website appears to face several issues related to user experience and interface design. Consequently, researchers aim to improve its quality by employing a user-centered research approach alongside the Quality Function Deployment method for user experience (UX-QFD), which involves systematically gathering user requirements and translating them into desirable design features.
Methodology: This research is of a mixed-methods nature, employing qualitative approaches for data collection and quantitative approaches to derive the final results. In terms of purpose, it is applied research, and in terms of data collection, it follows a descriptive-analytical approach. Initially, library-based studies—including articles, books, and theses—were consulted to gather supplementary information. Subsequently, user research data were collected through direct observations (competitor analysis), user interviews, and usability testing. The first step in the research process involved identifying the users affected by the university website to determine the appropriate tools and methods for capturing the “voice of the customer.” Accordingly, the statistical population was categorized into three main groups: (1) undergraduate and graduate students of Isfahan University of Art, (2) professors and faculty members, and (3) employees, experts, and managers. For this study, a sample of 100 students was selected, over 80% of whom are active users of the university website. The user research methods employed to gather user requirements were generally divided into two complementary groups: methods that assess attitudes (direct interviews) and methods that assess user behavior (indirect usability testing)
.
Findings: At first glance, the website of Isfahan University of Art appears to lack an updated and modern design, as no significant changes in its user interface have been observed over the past few years. In this study, the QFD (Quality Function Deployment) method serves as a systematic tool for translating university users’ needs into technical requirements, enabling a comprehensive identification of students’ expectations and preferences. A fundamental principle in implementing this approach is the use of the initial matrix, known as the “House of Quality,” which is employed during the product development and planning phase. This stage provides crucial insights regarding the website and, given the breadth and diversity of output concepts, often represents the culmination of numerous projects, particularly digital products, as exemplified in the present study. Data generated through user research methods conducted in the earlier stages are utilized to construct the House of Quality, thereby transforming users’ ambiguous needs into concrete design requirements. In general, the Quality House establishes a matrix that maps the relationship between “what” and “how.” The “what” encompasses the users’ demands and needs for the product or service, representing the voice of the users. The “how,” on the other hand, describes how these customer requirements are addressed through the organization’s technical responses in the product. Each technical requirement must satisfy at least one user requirement on the web pages. Introducing technical characteristics not specified by users can, at times, have the opposite effect, increasing website complexity and reducing user satisfaction. Finally, the Quality House matrix identifies characteristics across five dimensions—UI usability, reliability, UX usability, accessibility, and content quality—each with twenty associated subsets of user needs, for which twenty corresponding technical characteristics have been proposed.
Discussion & Conclusion: The three components with the highest average weights and the most critical user demands identified in this study are: 1) usability in the UX dimension, with a relative weight of 27.2%; 2) reliability, with a relative weight of 24.9%; and 3) accessibility, with a relative weight of 24.3%. Additionally, usability in the UI dimension, with a relative weight of 17.5%, represents another key feature of considerable importance to students in art universities. The feature least prioritized by users is the content aspect, with a weight of 15%. This does not imply that it is unimportant; rather, users perceive these elements as fundamental website features whose presence is expected.
The results indicate that by integrating these approaches, organizations such as universities can strategically deliver higher-quality website services within limited time and budget, while minimizing cost, effort, and turnaround time. This is particularly beneficial when direct access to the system is restricted, as it reduces the frequency of design changes and design cycles, thereby lowering costs and enhancing user satisfaction. Ultimately, it is evident that the majority of the twenty identified requirements pertain to functional (user experience) and stable (technical) features, whereas a smaller portion relates to aesthetic (user interface) aspects and supplementary functionalities.

Keywords

• Quality Function Deployment
• interface design
• user experience design
• website
• Art University of Isfahan

Main Subjects

• Human and Information interaction

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