USING EYE TRACKING TECHNOLOGY FOR WEB SITE USABILITY ANALYSIS: THE APPLICATION OF ERICA TO GEFANUC.COM

Given its role as a tool for business and information sharing, efficient navigation of the Web has become imperative. In order to evaluate and improve a Web site, usability has emerged as an important field of study. In the business world, an intuitive Web interface mitigates the frustration of customers and arguably relates directly to increased sales. Despite this fact, many contemporary usability techniques remain subjective. Our team conducted an innovative analysis of the GE Fanuc Web Site. Using ERICA (Eye-Gaze Response Interface Computer Aid), we examined the paths test subjects used to accomplish tasks outlined in a testing protocol. GazeTracker™, ERICA’s associated software, allowed the team to record and quantify user behavior patterns. Analysis of this data enabled us to make recommendations for design improvements to the content owners of gefanuc.com. GE Fanuc’s relies on the Six Sigma design process, which requires quantitative data to ensure the quality of their products and services. Traditional usability techniques could not provide GE Fanuc with adequate quantitative data. Through this project, we used ERICA to collect this previously unavailable data. Our study found that the addition of ERICA to a usability study makes testing more precise and quantitative. We found it to be a valuable complement to traditional, qualitative usability analysis.