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The Plight of the Mobile Navigator
Posted by WDN, October 01, 2002
Malmo, Sweden and Dublin, Ireland -- An analysis by ChangingWorlds (Ireland) and Mobile Metrix (Sweden) finds that the majority of current Mobile Portals are designed in such a way as to inhibit users from finding and using mobile data services. The analysis published in a report entitled The Plight of the Mobile Navigator and available from Mobile Metrix is based on data collected from 20 European mobile portals. For the first time we are able to provide usability benchmarks for mobile portals. While the future of mobile Internet success depends on portal usability, the findings in the analysis published today should act as a wake-up call for the industry.
According to the author Professor Barry Smyth, “The situation is rather acute with the average portal click-distance (number of clicks/menus to arrive at the desired content) in excess of 16 and often greater than 20. Moreover the number of mobile data services that are within the critical click-distance of 12 (believed to be the point at which users loose interest) is, on average, less than 36%!”
However there is some good news and best performing portals were found to be:
Sonera (Finland)
T-Motion (UK)
O2 (UK)
Vodafone (Ireland)
Genion Germany)
Upon reviewing the amount of content available within 12 clicks it was found that on average, just over 35% of portal content services falls within this limit. In other words, among the portals analysed, approximately 65% of content services are positioned too far from the portal home page to encourage user access. According to Smyth, “this is a critical issue for all portals wishing to encourage consumption of services.” He went on to say that “the three leading portals – Sonera (Finland), O2 (UK) and T-Motion (UK) – stand out in this analysis because of their consistency across the various analysis elements including portal width, depth, average number of clicks and percentage of services available at the critical click-distances of 6 and 12. Each of these portals is placed in the top 3 in 4 out of the 5 of these categories. This consistency that exists among the three leading portals suggest that their developers have taken particular care in the design and implementation of these portals from a structural standpoint.”
When analysing the results of the study by region we find that the region with the best overall usability is that of the UK and Ireland. While Scandinavia is home to the leading portal in terms of usability the overall average for Scandinavia is below that of the UK. This further underlies the fact that while Scandinavia may be the leading region in terms of infrastructure development and supply it is not at the forefront of mobile service provisioning with of course the exception of the Sonera mobile portal.
The report provides a unique and fresh perspective on the situation with regards to mobile portal usability and provides unique analysis never before available.
The Plight of the Mobile Navigator makes it clear that the success of the mobile Internet is at a critical juncture. Smyth argues “Unless usability is treated as a priority it is very hard to see how the usage of mobile data services will increase – an issue the industry at large requires to happen.”
About The Plight of the Mobile Navigator
The Plight of the Mobile Navigator, contains detailed analysis of mobile portal usability. Firstly the methodology to measure usability based on click-distance and depth and width of a portal is presented. Then it is applied to the actual data collected from 20 mobile portal throughout Europe. You will not find a more comprehensive, well-researched, in-depth study on mobile portal usability and it provides information otherwise impossible to collect. For further information on this report please contact Mobile Metrix who have published the report by e-mail PortalUsabilityStudy@mobile-metrix.com or visit our website at http://www.mobile-metrix.com.
Abo About Mobile Metrix
Mobile Metrix is a specialist research and consulting company focusing on the mobile telephony industry. Mobile Metrix works primarily with network operators, MVNOs and the mobile internet industry. Mobile Metrix publishes reports as well as undertakes consulting within its areas of specialisation, mobile Internet and MVNOs. Clients are either companies belonging to these categories or others with a vested interest in working with or better understanding these issues. If you would like to know more about how we can be of assistance with your business, please contact us. For more information on Mobile Metrix, see http://www.mobile-metrix.com/.
About ChangingWorlds
ChangingWorlds is a pioneer in the development and deployment of advanced personalization technologies with a strategic focus in the mobile/wireless and digital TV markets. ChangingWorlds was founded in 1999 in order to commercialise its innovative and award-winning personalization technology, ClixSmart. It is headquartered in Leopardstown’s South County Business Park, Dublin. The flagship technology, ClixSmart Navigator, allows mobile portals to intelligently adapt to the unique preferences of individual users. This results in dramatic improvements in portal usability and significant increases in mobile portal usage levels. ClixSmart Navigator has been re-branded as SmartMenu by Vodafone and has been successfully deployed since before Christmas.
The flagship technology, ClixSmart Navigator, allows mobile portals to intelligently adapt to the unique preferences of individual users. This results in dramatic improvements in portal usability and significant increases in mobile portal usage levels. ClixSmart Navigator has been re-branded as SmartMenu by Vodafone and has been successfully deployed since before Christmas.
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