M-Commerce Apps Usability: The Case of Mobile Hotel Booking Apps

Abstract

Today, mobile users have a powerful portal to the web in their pockets. They use their mobile to book a hotel room, open bank account, buy a new pair of shoes and search for entertainment events nearby. Unsparingly, software engineering now integrate usability testing in the development cycle of mobile apps. About one third of people use their mobile devices to book a hotel room. However, a study by Google found that 54% of travelers indicate that usability and limitations on mobile apps are the biggest reason to abandon hotel mobile apps. This paper presents a study to identify the usability heuristics to use when evaluating the usability of hotel booking mobile apps. An integrated approach is used considering the general usability heuristics of Nielsen, and the industry guidelines developed by Google Android and Apple. Based on empirical experimentation the study resulted in 13 heuristics: "Status", "Matching-Real-World", "Control", "Error-Prevention", "Recognition", "Flexibility-and-Efficient Use ", "Design ", "Diagnose-and-Recover","Help", "Performance", "Information-and-Visual-Hierarchy", "Natural-Interaction", and "Dynamic-Engagement". Four usability experts tested the usability of VirginHotels, and ExtendedStay mobile apps using the developed heuristics . The study highlights usability deficiencies and provides recommendations to improve usability of hotel booking mobile apps.