merce poses new challenges and questions. While the Web and wireless sites. Ease of use was significantly mobile phones and PDAs can provide access to an array more important in wireless contexts, largely due to the of new applications, they impose limitations such as subcategory structure. Similar to ease of use, and except small screen size, limited screen resolution, and cum- for the news industry, made-for-the-medium was sig bersome input mechanisms. Surveys of mobile Internet nificantly more important in the wireless context. Its users indicate usability is the biggest source of frustra- importance was due to the personalization subcategory. tion [5, 9]. Before wireless site designers can address the Even in the news industry significantly greater weights usability challenge, and before organizations can lever- were assigned to personalization in the wireless context. che commercial benefits of m-commerce, a deeper Overall, the greater weights assigned to content, ease of understanding of what aspects of usability are impor- use, and made-for-the-medium resulted in lower tant to users and how they may differ in a wireless con- weights being assigned to promotion and emotion for text is require Web site usability has received a Context of Mobile User Mobile Services ot of attention in both academic literature as well as trade [8, 9]. What have primarily emerged melling value Needs and Desires are sets of guidelines that provide Convenience pointers for improving various components of a Web page, such as the layout of a single Web page or Personalization for Design Devic the design of the structure for the egscreen size/input enue Sources for ntire Web site. However, these uidelines do not prescribe which L- specific aspects of usability are more users in different contexts. Furthermore, there is limited Both these categories were signif- dony, and railer critical or whether criticality may differ for different both Web and wireless Web sites uidance about which guidelines to implement in spe- icantly less important in the wireless context cific situations(for example, a primarily informational When we turn our attention to the usability ratings news site vs. a more transactional shopping site)or rela- of the Web and wireless Web sites in the four industries, tive to different mobile business models, such as mobile our results indicated sharp differences when comparing dvertising or marketing. Thus, understanding what is an organizations Web presence to its wireless presence, important to users is central to creating a more com- with the wireless sites being rated significantly lower in elling m-commerce experience and driving revenue all cases. The results clearly suggest that a successful sources. We pose the following questions: Are certain Web presence does not automatically lead to a success- aspects of usability more(or less)important to users of ful wireless Web presence. There was also considerable wireless Web sites than to users of traditional Web sites? variability in ratings between the wireless sites within an Does importance differ by type of industry? Finally, how industry, such as news, suggesting a lack of standard can organizations leverage this understanding in order industry-specific design guidelines to provide compelling value for consumers and drive revenues? Answers to these questions should provide Ramifications for Wireless Design insights to firms(re)designing wireless Web sites At a higher level, it is important for wireless to realize the mobile experience is fundamentally a dif- Results ferent use context. The experience is largely about sav- H the results of the sidebar for background information on our study for full details of the analyses and results see [11]). With personalization are essential to creating a positive wire regard to the usability weights, the overall pattern of less interface experience. At the same time, designers results suggested content was important regardless of must understand the value consumers derive from sav- whether a site was Web-based or wireless. However, ing time, location options, and convenience, and how when we delved into the subcategory weights for con- aspects of relevance, structure, and personalization can tent we found that for all four industries relevance was be leveraged in designing wireless sites to provide that significantly more important in the wireless context value. Given the small keypads and limited displa than in the Web context. Unlike content, in most of the interfaces of cell phones and PDAs, wireless site design- other categories there was a shift in the weights between ers should offer a small number of relevant features COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM December 2003/Vol 46, No 12 55merce poses new challenges and questions. While mobile phones and PDAs can provide access to an array of new applications, they impose limitations such as small screen size, limited screen resolution, and cum￾bersome input mechanisms. Surveys of mobile Internet users indicate usability is the biggest source of frustra￾tion [5, 9]. Before wireless site designers can address the usability challenge, and before organizations can lever￾age the commercial benefits of m-commerce, a deeper understanding of what aspects of usability are impor￾tant to users and how they may differ in a wireless con￾text is required. Web site usability has received a lot of attention in both academic literature as well as trade press [8, 9]. What have primarily emerged are sets of guidelines that provide pointers for improving various components of a Web page, such as the layout of a single Web page or the design of the structure for the entire Web site. However, these guidelines do not prescribe which specific aspects of usability are more critical or whether criticality may differ for different users in different contexts. Furthermore, there is limited guidance about which guidelines to implement in spe￾cific situations (for example, a primarily informational news site vs. a more transactional shopping site) or rela￾tive to different mobile business models, such as mobile advertising or marketing. Thus, understanding what is important to users is central to creating a more com￾pelling m-commerce experience and driving revenue sources. We pose the following questions: Are certain aspects of usability more (or less) important to users of wireless Web sites than to users of traditional Web sites? Does importance differ by type of industry? Finally, how can organizations leverage this understanding in order to provide compelling value for consumers and drive revenues? Answers to these questions should provide insights to firms (re)designing wireless Web sites. Results Here, we summarize the results of our assessments (see the sidebar for background information on our study; for full details of the analyses and results see [11]). With regard to the usability weights, the overall pattern of results suggested content was important regardless of whether a site was Web-based or wireless. However, when we delved into the subcategory weights for con￾tent we found that for all four industries relevance was significantly more important in the wireless context than in the Web context. Unlike content, in most of the other categories there was a shift in the weights between the Web and wireless sites. Ease of use was significantly more important in wireless contexts, largely due to the subcategory structure. Similar to ease of use, and except for the news industry, made-for-the-medium was sig￾nificantly more important in the wireless context. Its importance was due to the personalization subcategory. Even in the news industry significantly greater weights were assigned to personalization in the wireless context. Overall, the greater weights assigned to content, ease of use, and made-for-the-medium resulted in lower weights being assigned to promotion and emotion for both Web and wireless Web sites. Both these categories were signif￾icantly less important in the wireless context. When we turn our attention to the usability ratings of the Web and wireless Web sites in the four industries, our results indicated sharp differences when comparing an organization’s Web presence to its wireless presence, with the wireless sites being rated significantly lower in all cases. The results clearly suggest that a successful Web presence does not automatically lead to a success￾ful wireless Web presence. There was also considerable variability in ratings between the wireless sites within an industry, such as news, suggesting a lack of standard industry-specific design guidelines. Ramifications for Wireless Design At a higher level, it is important for wireless designers to realize the mobile experience is fundamentally a dif￾ferent use context. The experience is largely about sav￾ing time, varying locations, and convenience. Our results strongly suggest that relevance, structure, and personalization are essential to creating a positive wire￾less interface experience. At the same time, designers must understand the value consumers derive from sav￾ing time, location options, and convenience, and how aspects of relevance, structure, and personalization can be leveraged in designing wireless sites to provide that value. Given the small keypads and limited display interfaces of cell phones and PDAs, wireless site design￾ers should offer a small number of relevant features COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM December 2003/Vol. 46, No. 12 55 Context of Mobile User Experience Usability Needs and Desires Relevance Structure Personalization Leverage for Design Time Pressure Location Convenience Device Limitations, e.g. screen size/input Mobile Services Compelling Value to Consumers Revenue Sources for Providers Linking context, usability, and value