Web-site Quality Evaluation Method: a Case Study on Museums

In this work, we present a methodology for the quantitative evaluation and comparison of Web site quality called Web-site Quality Evaluation Method (QEM). The core models and procedures for artifact evaluation are supported by the Logic Scoring of Preference (LSP) model and continuous preference logic as mathematical background. We discuss the process steps that the evaluators should follow by applying the Web-site QEM, namely: (a) Selecting a site or a set of competitive sites specific to a domain, (b) Specifying goals and the user view, (c) Specifying in a standard-compliant way, Web-site quality characteristics and attributes, (d) Defining the evaluation criterion for each attribute, and applying attribute measurement, (f) Aggregating elementary attributes to yield the global quality preference, and (g) Analyzing, assessing, and comparing partial and global outcomes. In order to illustrate the methodology we focus on a case study on typical museum sites where more than ninety components were involved regarding the general visitor view. The process results may be useful to understand, control, and improve the Web artifacts quality in small, medium and large-scale projects.