http://www.revistalatinacs.org/10/art/884_UA/06_Martinez_y_MonserratEN.html
DOI: 10.4185/RLCS-65-2010-884-071-088-EN

<title>RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social</title>
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<meta name="DC.title" content=" Heuristic evaluation of websites from Optic & Optometrist Franchises”/>
<meta name="DC.creator.personalName" content="Ddo. Luis Enrique Martínez Martínez"/>
<meta name="DC.creator.address" content="enrique.martinez@ua.es"/>
<meta name="DC.creator.personalName" content="Dr. Juan M. Monserrat Gauchi"/>
<meta name="DC.creator.address" content="juan.monserrat@ua.es "/>
<meta name="DC.contributor.editor" content="Dr. José Manuel de Pablos Coello (De Pablos Coello, J.M.)"/>
<meta name="DC.contributor.address" content="jpablos@ull.es"/>
<meta name="DC.Date.availableated"lang="en" scheme="iso8601" content="2010"/>
<meta name="resource-type" content="scientific paper"/>
<meta name="distribution" content="Global"/>
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<meta name="rating" content="General"/>
<meta name="digital objet identifier, DOI" content="DOI: 10.4185/RLCS-65-2010-884-071-088-EN"/>
<meta name="DC.Description" lang="en" content=“Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, RLCS, is a scientific journal edited at the University of La Laguna, ULL (Tenerife, Canary Islands) in the Laboratory of Information Technologies and New Analysis of Communication, LATINA according to its initials in Spanish, founded in 1987 by Dr. José Manuel de Pablos Coello, under the protection of special doctorate programmes for Latin American professors. The journal publishes under the main summary almost exclusively research papers written following the formula IMR&DC+B: introduction, methodology, results and discussion plus conclusion, with a updated bibliography: at least 70% of the bibliographic entries must be from the past 10 years and half of them from scientific journals in Spanish and English languages. Reviewers make a double blind peer examination. This is a collective and inter-university project, including many professors and researchers from almost all Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. The journal is the following databases: EBSCO (USA), DOAJ (Lund University, Sweden), Redalyc (Mexico), Dialnet (Spain); and is indexed by the CINDOC-CSIC in DICE, ISOC, RESH, Office of Latin American Education, OEI according to its initials in Spanish; Dulcinea, etc. In Spain the journal is a reference in the Directory of Index of Spanish Periodicals of Social and Communication Sciences, IN-RECS, of the University of Granada, UGR. RLCS occupies the first position in the cumulative index for the periods 2003-2007; 2004-2008 and the year 2008”/>
<meta name="DC.Description.tableOfContents" lang="en"/>
<meta name="DC.contributor.referee I" content=Revision Report - Article: 03 (2010) “Heuristic Evaluation of Optical and Optometry Franchise Websites”. The article shows the results of a research carried out to analyze franchise websites in the Optics and Optometry sector, one of the so-called “grown-up” sectors in the market because of its stability in terms of time and its contribution to Economy. By means of heuristic evaluation, the authors perform the diagnosis of usability in the studied websites and their usefulness for the users. The article introduces the relationship between the franchise sector and Communication and Information Technologies, highlighting the importance of the Internet in the contact with the different publics. Apart from taking into account the communicative concepts, the article sets the economical aspect of the franchise. It presents the concept of communication that can be applied as a model of reference in a system of franchise and it explains clearly what heuristic evaluation is, its purpose and use in this kind of study. We are dealing with a descriptive research which analyzes seven of the main web pages in the sector in Spain. Through the application of a series of indicators, the authors come to the conclusion that the web resource potential is totally misused and that it does not fulfill the requirements to reach the public and make it participate in a more direct way with the franchises. In fact, it is a study which brings a useful and update vision to this type of entities in a traditionally very conservative sector when addressing the public. The bibliography is complete and rich as far as the different topics of study the research focuses, namely franchises and heuristic evaluation. Charts make the reading easier and the writing is clear in all its sections. Its publication is therefore recommended.-- PhD Patricia Castellanos Pineda - Science Diffusion Observatory (ODC) - University Autonoma of Barcelona."/>
<meta name="DC.contributor.referee II" content=" The main aim in the analyzed article is to determine the degree of quality in the websites of Optical and Optometry franchises from the point of view of their interactivity and usability. To get this, the heuristic evaluation is applied in which a group of experts analyze and assess each one of the elements of an interface from a series of preestablished principles commonly accepted. Bearing this goal in mind and applying a coherent and organized methodology, different concepts are explained in the research which have been based on an important bibliographical reference. The analysis definition used in the study also relies upon important documental sources. The used methodology is clearly specified and the different steps and indicators present in the study are subsequently described in full detail. In this research, the heuristic principles used arise from Jacob Nielsen’s proposal, an approach which let us reduce the long lists by former studies to this method which provides ten general agreements later developed by authors such as Keith Instone, who adapts the specific analysis to the world wide web. After the analysis provided by the research team, most of the study refers to a chart in which the total scores obtained by the different websites are gathered and which shows the achievement of the main purpose of the study, being the starting hypothesis therefore proved: the bad quality of the websites in the Optical and Optometry sector as far as contents, design and services offered. Consequently, the publication of this article is highly recommended. Besides, several aspects must be highlighted in reference to the authors of the article: since the research stresses the measure of quality in websites, which is based on the needs and levels of interaction of their users, this type of expert analysis should be complemented with tests from the users in their objective publics; in this case, customers and franchisees should offer their own evaluation. Furthermore, I would suggest the specification of the characteristics from expert evaluators since, as it is shown in some studies, this aspect must be taken into account when selecting a team and it affects the final results of the research. A final suggestion: without forgetting the users as the main determining factor of the analysis and under the premise of going further from simple corporate catalogues, the users’ queries and needs should be crucial when evaluating web portals from companies.-- Zulima Iglesias PhD - Pontifical University of Salamanca."/>
<meta name="DC.description.abstract" content="Abstract: The aim of this research is to determine the degree in quality, stated in terms of interactivity and usability, of websites from Spanish franchises in the field of Optics & Optometrics. For this purpose, all the existing bibliography was checked and the concept of interactivity and usability in websites was also defined. Besides, a series of indicators to set up parameters which could measure the level of interactivity were established. The objective public for the franchise firm was outlined and hence the analysis of websites of firms from the Optic & Optometrist sector carried out. The techniques of analysis used were those which limit observation to a single moment in time with the aim of describing the present situation. The objective was to determine whether the websites are being designed, and therefore used, as corporate catalogues or else, they favour the participation of possible users (customers, current franchisers and potential franchise-holders) thus establishing a feed-back process by means of which the addressees play an active role. As a final conclusion, the hypothesis of the research is corroborated and it can be stated that websites of franchises from the sector Optics & Optometrics are not designed offering a high degree in interactivity and accesibility in communication through Internet with their different objective publics. The possible advantages of the Internet are wasted by a low level of interaction. Our research team is in favour of a higher interactivity level which corresponds to that in which a marketing and communication strategy of the franchise may offer added value of the brand and could let the contributions of customers, franchisers and potential franchise holders be taken into account. "/>
<meta name="DC.keywords" content=Keywords:"usability; accesibility; interactivity; franchise; communication."/>
<meta name="DC.identifier" LANG="en" SCHEME="URI"/>
<meta name="DC.publisher.corporateName" content="Universidad de La Laguna (Tenerife, Islas Canarias). LAboratorio de Tecnologías de la Información y Nuevos Análisis de Comunicación, LATINA"/>
<meta name="DC.date.issued" content="2009"/>
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<meta name="DC.identifier content="URL:http://www.revistalatinacs.org/10/art/884_UA/06_Martinez_y_MonserratEN.html"/>
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<meta name="DC.identifier" content="http://www.revistalatinacs.org/09/art//884_UA/RLCS_art884EN.pdf"/>
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<meta name="DC.language" content="en"/>
<meta name="DC.relation.isPartOf" content="1138-5820" scheme="ISSN"/>
<meta name="DC.rights"content="Universidad de La Laguna (Tenerife, Islas Canarias). LAboratorio de Tecnologías de la Información y Nuevos Análisis de Comunicación, LATINA"/>
<meta name="DC.TERMS.bibliographicCitation" content="Martínez, L.M. & Monserrat, J. (2010): "Heuristic Evaluation of Optical and Optometry Franchise Websites". Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 65, pages 71 to 88. La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands): La Laguna University, retrieved on ___th of ____ of 2_______, from
http://www.revistalatinacs.org/10/art/884_UA/06_Martinez_y_MonserratEN.html
DOI: 10.4185/RLCS-65-2010-884-071-088-EN"/>