Usability Evaluation of the Apple Watch Series 4
Author
Macek, Denis
Term
4. term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-05-29
Pages
75
Abstract
Markedet for smartwatches vokser i takt med efterspørgslen efter trådløse og fitnessrelaterede enheder, og Apple er blevet en af branchens ledere. Samtidig findes der relativt få undersøgelser af, hvordan mennesker faktisk bruger disse ure, især på mærkespecifikt niveau. Dette projekt vurderer brugervenligheden af Apple Watch Series 4 ud fra to brugergrupper: personer, der ejer både iPhone og Apple Watch, og personer, der kun ejer en iPhone. Undersøgelsen bestod af tre faser: en selvadministreret online spørgeskemaundersøgelse, brugervenlighedstest i praksis og semistrukturerede interviews. Brugervenligheden blev vurderet ud fra målopfyldelse (om opgaver blev løst korrekt), effektivitet (tidsforbrug og indsats), tilfredshed (brugeroplevelse) og lærbarhed (hvor hurtigt nye brugere lærer systemet). Vi målte opgavesucces og tid pr. opgave, observerede deltagere under testene og anvendte en retrospektiv “tænk-højt”-metode, hvor deltagerne efterfølgende forklarede deres tanker. Resultaterne viste, at det at skulle bruge Apple Watch uden adgang til iPhone forringede brugervenligheden i testene, og at længere ejerskab af Apple Watch og iPhone kan have en positiv effekt. Mange deltagere i begge grupper oplevede problemer med Force Touch (et fast tryk på skærmen for at få frem skjulte menuer) og med at slå strømbesparelsestilstand (Power Reserve) fra, selv om instruktionen var vist i et foregående trin. Målopfyldelsen var samlet set gennemsnitlig og en smule lavere hos deltagere, der ikke ejede et Apple Watch. Effektiviteten varierede afhængigt af den konkrete opgave. Den overordnede tilfredshed var positiv i begge grupper, især med Apple-økosystemet, som giver en ensartet oplevelse på tværs af produkter. Lærbarheden var god, og personer uden Apple Watch kunne lære at bruge uret på relativt kort tid. For at forbedre brugervenligheden yderligere anbefales det at styrke brugerundervisning, så brugere kan udnytte uret mere effektivt, og at gennemgå, hvordan indhold prioriteres og vises efter vigtighed. Fremtidige studier bør omfatte større stikprøver for at undersøge, om effektiviteten forbedres med længere ejerskab.
The smartwatch market is growing as demand for wireless and fitness devices increases, and Apple has become one of the industry leaders. Yet there are relatively few studies on how people actually use these devices, especially at the brand-specific level. This thesis evaluates the usability of the Apple Watch Series 4 from two perspectives: people who own both an iPhone and an Apple Watch, and people who own only an iPhone. The research proceeded in three phases: a self-administered online survey, hands-on usability testing, and semi-structured interviews. Usability was assessed through effectiveness (whether tasks were completed correctly), efficiency (time and effort), satisfaction (user experience), and learnability (how quickly new users can learn). We measured task success and time on task, observed participants during testing, and used a retrospective think-aloud method in which participants described their thoughts after completing tasks. Findings show that relying on the Apple Watch without access to an iPhone reduced usability in the tests, and that longer ownership of an Apple Watch and iPhone may have a positive impact. Participants in both groups commonly struggled with Force Touch (pressing firmly on the screen to reveal hidden options) and with turning off Power Reserve mode, even when instructions had appeared in a previous step. Overall effectiveness was average and slightly lower for participants who did not own an Apple Watch. Efficiency varied by task. Overall satisfaction was positive in both groups, especially with the Apple ecosystem’s consistent experience across products. Learnability was good, with non-owners able to pick up the basics relatively quickly. To further improve usability, users would benefit from education on how to make the most of the watch and from clearer prioritization and display of important content. Future work should test a larger sample to see whether efficiency improves with longer ownership.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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