Affiliations: Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, PO Box 888 - 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece, e-mail: karoulis@csd.auth.gr | Rural and Surveying Engineering Deparment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece, e-mail: sylaiou@photo.topo.auth.gr | Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK, e-mail: m.white@sussex.ac.uk
Abstract: The Augmented Representation of Cultural Objects (ARCO) system provides software and interface tools to museum curators to develop virtual museum exhibitions, as well as a virtual environment for museum visitors over the World Wide Web or in informative kiosks. The main purpose of the system is to offer an enhanced educative and entertaining experience to virtual museum visitors. In order to assess the usability of the system, two approaches have been employed: a questionnaire based survey and a Cognitive Walkthrough session. Both approaches employed expert evaluators, such as domain experts and usability experts. The result of this study shows a fair performance of the followed approach, as regards the consumed time, financial and other resources, as a great deal of usability problems has been uncovered and many aspects of the system have been investigated. The knowledge gathered aims at creating a conceptual framework for diagnose usability problems in systems in the area of Virtual Cultural Heritage.
Keywords: usability evaluation, museum interface, augmented reality, cognitive walkthrough
Journal: Informatica, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 363-380, 2006
