MOBILE-BASED LIBRARY LOAN SERVICE

(MBLLS)

Submitted by

Your Name

Supervised by

Your Supervisor

University of Palestine

©2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION_________________________________________________________1

1.1 Background___________________________________________________________1

1.2 Motivation for the Research_____________________________________________2

1.3 Problem Statement_____________________________________________________2

1.4 Research Questions____________________________________________________3

1.5 Research Objectives____________________________________________________3

1.6 Significance of the Research_____________________________________________3

1.7 Scope of the Research__________________________________________________4

LITERATURE REVIEW______________________________________________________5

2.1 Introduction__________________________________________________________5

2.2 Mobile Technology_____________________________________________________52.2.1 Mobile Applications_________________________________________________________72.2.2 WAP Concept and Definition_________________________________________________102.2.3 WAP architecture__________________________________________________________122.2.4 WAP Session______________________________________________________________142.2.5 Wireless Mobile Markup Language____________________________________________172.2.6 Image support_____________________________________________________________182.2.7 Mobile Guide Application____________________________________________________19

2.3 Library Loan Service__________________________________________________202.3.1 Conventional Library Loan Service____________________________________________202.3.2 Web-Based Library Loan Service______________________________________________212.3.3 Mobile-Based Library Loan Service____________________________________________21

2.4 Usability Evaluation___________________________________________________24

2.5 Summary____________________________________________________________27

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY____________________________________________28

3.1 Introduction_________________________________________________________28

3.2 Design Research Methodology__________________________________________28

Evaluation__________________________________________________________________29

Prototype Design____________________________________________________________29

Information Gathering design__________________________________________________29

Prototype Development_______________________________________________________293.2.4 Evaluation________________________________________________________________313.2.5 Summary_________________________________________________________________31

REFERENCES_________________________________________________________32

Appendix A: Questionnaire________________________________________________38

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Throughout history, people need to have access to information. Previously, they have to

obtain information from scientists, clergy, libraries and universities. However, today

people can access information without the need for such efforts [1]. The need remains,

but the acquisition ways have changed to suit people’s needs. Mobile technologies are

rapidly growing, and they have played an important role in the management of relations

between people in social, economic and everyday life [2, 3]. With the rapid growth of the

means of communication, the learning and education has adopted technology based

systems such as e-learning [4], distance learning (DL) [5] and mobile learning (M-

Learning) which is an approach of e-learning [6].

Libraries are considered as the most important component of education in all stages,

whether in high level education or at the school level. Some of library services do not

offer electronic loan operations, and others lack complete loan operations. It depends on

the library staff to carry out such operations. However, library systems and e-learning

systems actually need to interact in a variety of ways [7].

Ubiquitous is an important word in mobile-based technology. It means to present

everywhere as well as at same time. However, online teaching and learning has been

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providing great opportunities to increase flexibility in time and location of study, in terms

of availability of information and resources, synchronous and asynchronous

communication and various types of interaction via the World Wide Web (WWW) [8, 9].

Moreover, mobile-based can be used in many fields of work to manipulate and share data

in libraries, museums and homes as well as in the classrooms [10].

Consequently, the needs of library users have increased rapidly. Their needs should be

available everywhere and every time rather than anywhere and anytime. Thus, to

overcome the lack of loan services and to meet users’ needs, this study proposes Mobile-

Based Library Loan Service (MBLLS) which utilizes mobile technology which allows

users to carry out operations everywhere at all time.

1.2 Motivation for the Research

There are demands for library users to access the library facilities anytime and anywhere.

However the existing library system only allows users to access the facilities during

working hours. Mobile technology has been widely used in many areas, for example

education, health, entertainment and etc. Since this technology enables application to be

used anywhere and anytime, this motivates to use this technology for developing an

application for the library system.

1.3 Problem Statement

The conventional library loan services provided by the University Library require the

users to go to the library or through a computer to do any transaction. These services

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have limitations whereby they require users to go to the library themselves. While

through online, users can only access the services via computers connected to the

internet. A new form of technology has to be introduced to overcome the limitations.

Mobile technology has been considered as a viable alternative for developing

applications to be used for renew and reserve of library books anywhere and anytime.

1.4 Research Questions

In relation to the problem statement, this study aims to investigate the following:

i. What are the user requirements towards the use of Mobile-Based Library Loan

Service (MBLLS)?

ii. What are the criteria to be used for usability evaluation of the Mobile-Based Library

Loan Service (MBLLS)?

1.5 Research Objectives

This study utilizes mobile technology for renew and reserve of library books. The

objectives of the study are:

i. To develop a prototype Mobile-Based Library Loan Service (MBLLS).

ii. To conduct user evaluation on the Mobile-Based Library Loan Service (MBLLS).

1.6 Significance of the Research

The significance of this study are as follows:

i. The MBLLS offers numerous opportunities for students and staff to accomplish

their tasks more quickly and efficiently.

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ii. Introduce a new concept in the library renew and reserve services which enables

users to access it anywhere and anytime.

iii. The MBLLS based on effective utilization of WAP technology for library loan

service.

iv. The prototype utilizes the existing mobile interface and database infrastructures,

thus MBLLS does not require extra cost to take advantage of the mobile

technology.

1.7 Scope of the Research

This study focuses only on students and staff of University Utara Malaysia (UUM). It is

intended to provide the facility for users to access online renew and reserve books

operations through mobile devices. A mobile prototype was developed based on Wireless

Application Protocol (WAP) using Microsoft Visual C#.Net as the programming

language and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 as the Relational Database Management

System (RDMS).

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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The background of this study and brief description of the study settings were introduced

in the previous chapter. This chapter will continue on the discussion and ideas in previous

work related to mobile technology, library loan system and usability evaluation. The

discussion will go through some details related to the study.

2.2 Mobile Technology

Mobile technologies potentially create a wide variety of uses and limitations that differ

significantly from desktop and laptop technologies. Figure 2.1 shows the infrastructure

for mobile computing [11]. However, today most people are equipped with mobile

devices and most of them already have good knowledge and experiences in using mobile

devices to access internet applications [12]. As an example, The total number of remote

workers in European Union (EU) has grown from six to thirteen percent in the period

from 1999 to 2002 [13]. The number of subscribers of mobile phones has also increased

in the same period in Norway. Even though, the number of subscribers was already

substantial, it grew approximately 30 percent. In 2001, 3,201,554 people were mobile

phone subscribers. That is 71% of the population .With comparison, only approximately

30% of the population in the USA has mobile subscription [14]. Moreover, China has 206

million subscribers in 2002, which is 16.19% of China’s population [15]. One reason for

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this growth can be the expansion of mobile devices like smart phones, personal digital

assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones in the market.

A smart phone is a mobile device with both PDA and mobile phone capabilities [14, 15,

16]. It is a handheld computing device that contains applications like word processor,

calculation program, calendar and perhaps some communication possibilities [17]. The

number of mobile phones has increased rabidly. In Norway, 78,000 PDAs were sold in

2000 and 60,000 in 2001. In 2002, the sales were much lower [14]. Worldwide in 2001,

13.1 millions units were sold [18], and according to Intel Developer Update Magazine in

2002, there were approximately 1 billion cellular phones used, with 1.8 billion in 2006.

Market penetration is approaching 50 percent in the U.S., and has reached 70 percent in

Western Europe, Japan and Korea [19].

Figure 2.1: Computing Mobile Infrastructure [11]

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2.2.1 Mobile Applications

Mobile applications increasingly affect the diffusion of information as well as business

activity. They gain broad acceptance due to the increased need in supporting the mobile

workforce and the rapid improvement in the devices and wireless technologies for

communication. Many mobile applications provide personal services such as sending and

viewing email, browsing the world wide web (WWW), viewing traffic and weather

reports , watching movies and chatting with others [20].

Mobile services appear to be an obvious choice for travel and tourism as the travelers are

on the move, which is the first criterion for mobile services to be relevant. Nevertheless,

based on a study conducted by [21] in 2003; few users have expressed their desire to use

their mobile phone whenever possible. The travel and tourism industry have been

undergoing many dramatic changes during the last decade, due to the possibilities offered

by Internet technology.

Based on a study by [22] which focuses on the improvement of organizational

infrastructure for campus and student needs, it indicates that there are still many

weaknesses in the current version of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) that require

in-depth investigation, since every new technology arriving on the market has to be

investigated of its benefit for daily use. At present, mobile phones have been popular

worldwide. Mainly it is ubiquitous and customers can make calls anywhere for

transaction. Mobile phone market shares have grown up dramatically. Mobile commerce

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(m-commerce) attracts various relative companies such as mobile handset manufacturers

to develop technologies to generate added values for their mobile sphere [23].

Study [21], investigated mobile services for the hospitality industry. It found that mobile

services is the obvious choice for travel and tourism as they are one of the largest and

most rapidly expanding industry in the world and one of the significant users of ICT. It

seems to be an apparent choice as all travelers are on the move. However, the available

mobile services are not as many and as value adding as expected. The study is done by

contrasting the problems with travelers’ attitude and expectation in order to improve

productivity of some key routines in the hospitality industry.

Mobile learning (M-Learning) can be considered a lifelong activity that can take place in

changing communities and mixed with everyday life situations where people repeatedly

enhance their knowledge and skills [24]. Figure 2.2 shows a mobile framework for

interactions between learners and learning technologies, as well as Figure 2.3 shows a

conversational framework for personal learning.

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Figure 2.2: A mobile framework for interactions between learners and

learning technologies [24]

Figure 2.3: A conversational framework for personal learning [24]

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“M-Learning is an emerging form of distance learning that offers both teachers and

learners the opportunity to interact and gain access to educational material using a

wireless handheld device, independent of time and space” [25]

Research in M-Learning for higher Education is steadily progressing. In a survey of

young adults (16 – 24 years) use of mobile phones in the UK, almost half expressed an

interest in using their mobile phone to improve their reading, spelling, and math’s or

language skills. Although only 50% currently use palmtops, 55% stated that they might

use one under other conditions, especially lower prices [26].

Developments in telecommunication technology provide new facilities and interfaces for

students and staff of universities. In order to improve the organizational infrastructure for

students and staff, every new technology arriving on the market has to be investigated of

its benefit for daily use. In the case of the WAP, the consortium of Mobile Services for

Campus and Student needs “Campus Mobil” was founded in order to investigate

innovative services based on this technology [22].

2.2.2 WAP Concept and Definition

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a collection of wireless application protocol and

specification standard that allows mobiles devices to communicate with the web server

using the WAP browser and display the contents back on the mobile devices screen,

basically, it is the protocol that allow mobile devices to access the internet [27].

International Engineering Consortium (IEC) has introduced another definition: Wireless

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application protocol (WAP) is an application environment and set of communication

protocols for wireless devices designed to enable manufacturer, vendor, and technology

independent access to the Internet and advanced telephony services [28].

In the early day of wireless web, several companies produced their own proprietary

application protocol, this made the wireless web developed that followed one company

communication protocol standard can only be view by mobile phone that use that

standard [29]. Lacks of standardization hinder the growth of wireless web, users were

confused, and developers were screaming for standardization.

One of the most important aspects of wireless communications is standardization. WAP

is intended primarily for Internet enabled digital phones, pagers and other handheld

devices. It is designed to standardize development across different wireless technologies

worldwide. In 1997, the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was developed by Nokia,

Ericsson, Motorola and others to foster the emergence of the wireless Internet. It is

designed to standardize development across different wireless technologies worldwide

[30]. Moreover, in June 2002, 350 member companies –involved WAP forum

companies- joined together and formed the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). They

represent the world’s leading mobile operators, device and network suppliers,

information technology companies, application developers and content providers [31].

According to analysts at Lehman Brothers Inc [32], the number of wireless Internet

access devices being utilized worldwide is expected to double annually from

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approximately 50 million units in the year 2000 to approximately 600 million units in the

year 2004. Based on this data, recognizing the upcoming need to have pricing

information and purchasing opportunities available for users of handled Internet access

devices is essential for companies looking to become the most preferred suppliers of

consumer goods on the Web. Moreover, IEC [28] has believed that the future for WAP

will be bright; based on 75 percent of the world company’s stand behind the mobile

telephone market and the huge development potential of WAP.

2.2.3 WAP architecture

WAP has a client and server approach that compounds wireless network and internet

technology. In fact the motivation for developing WAP was to extend Internet

technologies to wireless networks, bearers and devices [33].

The First specification of WAP (WAP 1.0) released in 1998 by WAP Forum. Followed

by WAP 2.0 which is a next-generation set of specifications that utilized and supported

enhancements in the capabilities of the latest wireless devices and Internet content

technologies, also WAP 2.0 provides managed backwards compatibility to existing WAP

content, applications and services that comply to previous WAP versions.

It was designed to work on any mobile network standard whether Wireless LAN (IEEE

802.11 protocol), Bluetooth, Infrared (IR) or cellular networks such as Global System for

Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) [34, 35, 36].

WAP has a layering concept like the internet; each of the layers of the architecture is

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accessible by the layers above, as well as by other services and applications. Figure 2.4

shows the WAP layer stack (centre) and internet OSI (International Standard

Organization) layer stack (left). WAP stack consist of Wireless Application Environment

(WAE), Wireless Session Protocol (WSP), Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP),

Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) and Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP).

Figure 2.4: WAP Protocol Stack [27]

i. Wireless Application Environment (WAE)

The WAE layer is where the protocol for the user interface resides, WAE interact

with Wireless Markup Language (WML), and WML is equivalent to the HTTP in

the internet, WML Script and Wireless Telephony Application (WTA) to display

content on the screen.

ii. Wireless Session Protocol (WSP): Compose of two protocols:

1. Work with WTP to make connection oriented session.

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2. Allow server to make connectionless oriented session (PUSH

technology).

iii. Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP)

WTP layer responsible to manage a transaction, WTP employed the User

Datagram Protocol (UDP) on the internet OSI (International Standard

Organization) model; WTP offers three classes of transaction service: unreliable

one way request, reliable one way request and reliable two way request respond.

iv. Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS)

WTLS layer deal with security, data integrity and authentication protocol. 

v. Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP)

WDP is data transport protocol that manages the transmission; WDP allows WAP

protocol to adapt any data communication protocol from network standard, thus

allowing WAP to communicate with any network standards.

2.2.4 WAP Session

WAP session consists of interaction between mobile phone, Telco, WAP gateway and

web server. WAP gateway is a software that acts as an intermediary between mobile

phone and internet, it process request from micro browser, forward the request to the

corresponding web server, encode the content in WML if the content not in WML format

and divided the content into smaller chunk to be transmitted back to the micro browser.

The WAP gateway performs two main functions [27]:

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i. Protocol Gateway: Translates WAP protocol request to the WWW protocol request

(HTTP and TCP/IP) and vice versa.

ii. Content Encoders and Decoders: Translate Web content into compact encoded

formats to reduce the size and number of packets traveling over the wireless data

network.

WAP phone cannot communicate directly with the web server due to the different mark

up language and protocol used; web server normally uses HyperText Markup Language

(HTML) while WAP phone uses WML. One of the reasons why WAP phone cannot use

the available internet protocol such as TCP/IP and HTML was the limited amount of

information that can be transfer by the wireless network, WAP was primarily design to

minimize bandwidth use [37], therefore WAP phone require WAP gateway to perform all

the conversion and synchronization. Figure 2.5 shown process flow, it assumed that the

user is already connected to the internet [38].

Figure 2.5: The WAP Process Flow [39]

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5. Respond

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3

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WAP Protocol

1. Request

WAP process flow described briefly in the following points:

1. An Uniform Resource Locator (URL) request for a WAP site is send out by micro

browser reside in user’s mobile phone to a WAP gateway.

2. The request will be processed by the WAP gateway, WAP gateway will query the

requested URL for the content, the requested URL (web server) will reply back by

sending the content to the WAP gateway.

3. If the requested content is WML format, the requested content is directly send back to

the micro browser, but if the requested content is written in HTML language, WAP

gateway will translate the content to WML format before transmitting it to the micro

browser.

4. The requested content is send back to the micro browser.

5. Micro browser will display the content on the mobile phone screen.

Despite TCP/IP might be the efficient method to transfer data between internet and

computer, large amount of data can be transmit by the network and displayed back on the

computer monitor screen. However unlike the computer, mobile phone has many

limitation such as small display, low storage capacity and processing power and limited

input capabilities, furthermore the amount of data that can be transmit by wireless

network is limited, due to the limited bandwidth. The WAP protocols were specifically

design to address all of these limitations [38].

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2.2.5 Wireless Mobile Markup Language

WML is an official markup language endorsed by the WAP forum [27]. It is An XML

based scripting language for creating content for wireless system [11]. As mentioned in

WAP session section the relation between WAP and WML is: The Wireless Application

Protocol (WAP) enables different kinds of wireless devices to communicate and access

the Internet using the Wireless Markup Language (WML) [40].

The page written in the WML language can be displayed back on any WAP phone using

a micro browser, WML language is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML), a

markup language that conform to the stricter standard, can be shared across different

systems, and also the language that recommended by the World Wide Web

Consortium(W3C).

A WML document is called a deck and contains one or more sections called cards. Each

card consists of text content and/or navigational controls for user interaction. Only one

card can be viewed at a time, but navigation between cards is rapid because the entire

deck is stored by the micro browser [40].

A Deck is the smallest unit of WML that can be transmitted by a WAP gateway, when

user request for URL, WAP gateway will send deck to the mobile phone, micro browser

will the display the first card as defined by the deck. However due to limitation of mobile

phone, WAP gateway will not send compiled WML deck larger than 1,429 bytes to the

mobile phone to avoid data overwhelming [37].

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WML like HyperText Markup Language (HTML) supports several basic features [40]:

1. Formatted text such as bold, italic, larger or smaller and other tags.

2. Hyperlink, just like HTML hyperlink, can be linked to a card on the same deck or

a card on another deck.

3. Selection, user can select from series of option.

4. Input, user can be requested to enter data.

5. Soft button, soft button can be programmed to execute specific command.

6. Wireless bitmap (wbmp) images.

7. Flash screen, this function will display a card for period of 1 to 5 seconds, then a

new card is displayed.

8. Event handling, can handle interrupt from other application, for example accepting

incoming call while browsing the internet.

2.2.6 Image support

WML only support images in the wbmp format [37, 41, 42] with the following

characteristics: i) no compression. ii) one bit color (white=1, black=0). iii) Depth: I bit

deep (monochrome)

While the XHTML MP has greater support for image format such as: GIF (Graphic

Interchange Format), Animated GIF, JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), PNG

(Portable Network Graphics) and Wbmp [43]

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However, the support is depend primarily on the wireless devices that displaying it, if the

wireless device (e.g. mobile phone) does not support the image format, then the WAP

browser will replaced the image with the supplied text, For example the XHTML MP

syntax to display an image is

<img src=”logo.png” alt=” logo “height=”62” width=”60” />

If the mobile phone does not support the image format, then the text logo will be

displayed instead of the image.

2.2.7 Mobile Guide Application

The Mobile Guide application is a system for mobile devices that is able to answer

spatially related queries from mobile users, help them use public transportation, find a

point of interest - hotel, restaurant, sightseeing, and finally work as a personal navigation

system [44].

The goal of Mobile Guide application was to develop a brand new type of application for

mobile users. The interface is easy to understand and context sensitive. After you locate

the mobile device you will be able to utilize following functionalities:

i. Search for the nearest point of interest to your location: restaurant, hotel, castle,

sporting area, tennis court, museum, bus stop, railway station.

ii. Find a way: using public transportation, going by car or walking from one place to

another. The start and destination points can also be defined using a point of interest.

The user gets navigation instructions.

iii. Mobile compass: unique functionality, the mobile device serves as a compass for

determining the direction in which a point of interest is.

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iv. Tourist information about a place.

v. Support information for people traveling by car: gas stations, car services, car rentals.

2.3 Library Loan Service

Throughout history, people need access to information, whereas previously they were

going to the stores where the information was to scientists, clergy, libraries and

universities, today people have access to information without the need for such a lot of

effort [1], therefore, the need remains, but access ways differed varied to suit their life.

With the rapidly growing of the means of communication, the evolution of the means of

learning and education has evolved systems that are using technology in education (E-

learning) [4], distance learning (DL) [5] and mobile learning (M-Learning) that is an

approach of E-learning [6]. As the library of the most important component of education

at all stages, whether high level education or even school level.

Therefore, in libraries system we have a concept called “Bibliography”. It focuses on

describe the aspects of the books and other types of library materials [45]. Hence,

Enumerative bibliography: the listing of books according to some system or reference

plan, for example, by author, by subject, or by date. Thus, usually the list providing only

the author's name, the book's title, and date and place of publication [46].

2.3.1 Conventional Library Loan Service

Many libraries have applications to manage their contents such as bibliographies,

electronic list of resources and patrons loan service [47]. Moreover, the loan service

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comprises of four basic operations which include; borrowing, returning, renewal, and

reservation of books or other materials. Moreover, the library is one of the most

important fundamental components of the educational process. It is extremely important

for the learner to access required books and references. It is also primarily designed to

enhance the educational opportunities available in schools and institutions of higher

learning [48]. Consequently, almost every organization or library comes to realize,

sooner or later, that it needs a system to manage its content by new publication forms like

Web, WAP or other forms [47].

2.3.2 Web-Based Library Loan Service

One of the publication ways is Web which had dramatically changed the way contents are

published [47]. Moreover, the needs of users and a variety of libraries increased with the

proliferation of these techniques to be available every where and every time rather than

anywhere and any anytime. Consequently, some of the library services do not involve

electronic loan operations, and others lack for complete loan operations, or it depends on

library staff to make operations. While library systems and e-learning systems actually

need to interact in a rich variety of ways [7].

2.3.3 Mobile-Based Library Loan Service

Ubiquitous is an important factor in mobile-based which means present everywhere as

well as at same time. However, online teaching and learning has been providing great

opportunities to increase flexibility in time and location of study, in terms of availability

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of information and resources, synchronous and asynchronous communication and various

types of interaction via the WWW. Moreover, M-Learning is enabled by the use of

portable devices, such as notebooks, smart phones, PDAs over wireless networks. A key

benefit of M-Learning is its potential for increasing productivity by making learning

available anywhere regardless the time [49].

Moreover, mobile-based can be used in many fields of work to manipulate and share

data, in libraries [50], clinics [51], museums [52] and home as well as in the classroom

[10]. A study [52] designed and implemented a prototype that uses mobile devices to

help patrons to museum or zoo to obtain information about places where they viewed. In

particular, the system provides services for people with special needs (limited hearing,

vision and mobility) and introduces these solutions to help them, each and everyone

according to the need and suitable manner. Images with high contrast of artifacts allow

personal viewing, audio descriptions with adjustable audio delivered via headphones, text

in bold san serif font with user adjustable font size. The system identified the place where

patron stand and thus determines the artifacts closest to him and introduce historical

information and image about this patron.

Several articles in the medical and nursing literature espouse and support the possibilities

and realities of mobile devices in the clinical setting for improving the quality of patient

care [50, 52]. Another study [51] introduced a field study on the use and support of PDAs

medical libraries. The study considers that PDAs a new technology provided healthcare

professionals with an innovative new platform from which clinical information can be

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provided at the point of care such it can used by doctors, nurses and staff. However, it has

helped to improve the quality of patient care. The researcher investigated the use of PDA

in loan service of e-books using electronic expansion cards.

A study conducted by [53] outlines four models of library PDA support that are familiar

in library terms. These provide opportunity for libraries to use one or all of these models

to enhance their services through mobile-based technology. The models include:

i) Collection Development Model: This is the process of evaluating, selecting, procuring

and managing the licenses for PDA resources.

ii) Instruction/Advisory Model: This is providing formal training sessions, individualized

one-on-one consultations and being an informal advisor of PDA hardware, software

and content.

iii) Technical Support Model: This involves the provision and support of synching cradles

and Infrared (IR) beaming stations for clients. This role may or may not overlap with

the IT department’s role.

iv) Facilitator/Communication Model: This involves developing web pages with links to

PDA content, facilitating face to face PDA User Groups or online PDA mailing list

server.

Another study [54] has investigated the ways that enhance the library experience and

improve the communications among patrons and researchers in libraries community. This

allowed for users to get updated information on their current books charged out to them,

search histories, navigate through on-line library catalogue, bookmarks to library and

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other Web resources. The study evaluated the human computer interaction (HCI) and

appropriate method for mobile library systems.

2.4 Usability Evaluation

The usability considers an important attribute of software quality. It is concerned with

making systems easy to learn and easy to use. The term is used to describe the quality of

a user's experience when interacting with a system whether a website, a software

application, mobile technology, or any other human operated device. A usable system is

one which enables users to perform their job effectively and efficiently.

Usability can defined as a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a

particular tool or other human-made object in order to achieve a particular goal. Usability

can also refer to the methods of measuring usability and the study of the principles

behind an object's perceived efficiency or elegance [55]. International Organization for

Standardization (ISO) 9126, defined usability as: the set of attributes that bear on the

effort needed for use, and on the individual assessment of such use, by a stated or implied

set of users [56].

The importance of usability studies in information technology is not new. GOMS (goals,

operators, methods, selection rules) models, for example, has been in place since the

early 1980s and has gone through many successive iterations in the meantime [57].This

model provides software engineers with quantifiable data and computationally relevant

models of user information processing that can be used to pinpoint inefficiencies in

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existing systems and provide baseline measures to compare alternate iterations of a

product [58].

GOMS tends to focus on formal derivations of user mental models and measurements of

individual user performance in discrete, bounded tasks. While GOMS-based models are

effective tools to create abstract models of user behavior and predict potential future

behavior.

Researchers in the digital library community have indicated the need for development

such multifaceted, user-centered approaches [59, 60] and have begun to integrate user

feedback into the design process [61, 62] . Moreover, researchers in a study [58] argue

that such a focus on user context and activity is especially relevant when mobile

computing technologies are the focus of attention.

Mobile computing challenges the status quo by forcing designers to make moderation of

a new set of abilities and limitations brought forth by small and lower-fidelity screens,

small amounts of memory and storage, slow network connectivity, and alternative forms

of input. Successful designs tend to be simple, elegant, stable and functional, albeit

within a tightly constrained range of potential usage contexts. Designing within the

limitations of these "information appliances" requires a solid and broad understanding of

user behaviors and tasks in order to be effective in practice [63].

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In the literature, there have been thus far few studies addressing the usability problem of

WAP applications. One study [64] about use of WAP in Europe. They conclude with the

observation that in much of case the services are badly conceived for the mobile devices

and the use of the services is slow. Therefore, two studies [65] and [66] have introduced

a framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of "usefulness", they list

five attributes of usability: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors and Subjective

satisfaction.

A lot of usability research is documented about user interface issues with mobile devices.

Some research is published about using services with mobile devices. One study [67]

reported about user experiences with mobile banking services. It concludes with the

observation that the critical aspect in service development is that, the usability issues are

taken seriously in consideration during the design process. This means that a good mobile

service provides the content in the right form.

Many WAP usability problems appear during the early stages of Web site development

for PC computers [64] and usability issue is critical to the adoption of mobile

applications [68]. However, good user interface design can reduce some of the usability

problems for WAP phone users. One study [69] recommends several design guidelines

for WAP applications, including: use short links, include backward navigation on every

card, minimize the level of menu hierarchy, reduce the amount of vertical scrolling and

include headlines for each card.

26

Usability evaluation includes two types: Formative Evaluation and summative evaluation.

A summative evaluation is a test that occurs at the end of a mission such lesson or

schooling semester. Formative evaluation is a method of judging the worth of a program

while the program activities are forming or happening [70]. It can be used to assess

training course or workshop as it progresses, to find out the extent of program

implementation or to determine improvements and adjustments needed to attain the

educational objectives. Summative evaluation is a method of judging the worth of a

program at the end of the program activities [70]. It can be used to find out the extent to

which educational objectives were achieved or to help you decide whether an educational

activity or any of its parts should be revised, continued, or terminated.

While formative evaluation focuses on the process, the summative evaluation focuses on

the outcome. Formative evaluation can use focus group testing, interviews or Small

group testing. And summative evaluation can use testing, full-field studies. However,

both of them can use surveys as a tool to acquire and evaluate the user perspective

towards the system or prototype.

2.5 Summary

This chapter discussed a background of the research that did about mobile web

applications are a successful example in loan library service. That has identified the

approaches to be used for developing a Mobile web interface to help user to do his work

everywhere and every time rather than anywhere and anytime.

27

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter elaborates the research methodology which is adapted from System

Development Research Methodology (SDRM).

3.2 Design Research Methodology

Scholars today believe that without system development, research has no used and

without research, development has no base [71]. However, there are numerous

methodologies available today that can be used as a guide to develop various types of

systems. As [72], methodology is used to ensure a consistent approach is applied to all

phases of a project. Methodology also facilitates project accomplishment by structuring

the related processes according to the phase defined.

The methodology for this study was adapted from the System Development Research

Methodology (SDRM) [73]. The prototype MBLLS was developed with .NET

Framework using ASP.NET 2.0 as the Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 was used as Database to store and retrieve all information.

The design of the prototype took into account the status quo to make moderation of a new

set of abilities and limitations brought forth by small and lower-fidelity screens, small

amounts of memory and storage, slow network connectivity, and alternative forms of

28

input. The adapted methodology as shown in Figure 3.1 consists of four phases:

Information Gathering, Prototype design, Prototype Development and Evaluation. Details

of these phases are following:

Figure 3.1: System Development Research Methodology (SDRM)

3.2.1 Information Gathering

The first phase of the methodology involves information gathering through interviews

with librarian and some of library users. According to [72], gathering of information

could be done through direct interview. Besides that, literature survey from the available

sources such as books, proceedings, journals, white papers, reports and news are

reviewed in order to gather and collect the relevant information. Focus was given on

studies related to mobile based library loan service.

3.2.2 Prototype Design

29

Prototype Development

Information Gathering

design

Prototype Design

Evaluation

3.2.3 Prototype Development

The third phase involves the development of the prototype MBLLS. The design was

translated into program code. Microsoft Visual C#.NET was used for coding. It was

completely developed with .NET Framework using ASP.NET 2.0 as Integrated

Development Environment (IDE). Microsoft SQL Server 2005 was used as the

Database to store and retrieve all information. The development of the prototype

follows the Prototyping Approach methodology.

The prototyping process comprises of three steps which are adapted from Prototyping

Process [74], as shown in Figure 3.2. Prototyping provides end users with artifacts

that allow them to gain insight into the behavior of the system before the final

delivery.

Figure 3.2: Prototyping Process

30

Using Prototype

Revising & Enhancing Prototype

Developing Initial Prototype

3.2.4 Evaluation

The last phase of the methodology is user evaluation. It was conducted to determine

users’ perception on the usability aspect of the MBLLS prototype. The instrument was

adapted from [75] and [76]. The instrument covers three dimensions: Usefulness, Ease of

Use and Outcome/Future Use. Study [75] concluded that the Perceived Usefulness and

Ease of Use (PUEU) is a strong correlate of user acceptance and should not be ignored by

those attempting to design or implement successful systems. All questions in the

Questionnaire are measured using the Likert Scale format ranging from 1 to 5 as in Table

3.1[77].

Table 3.1: Likert Scale Classification

Strongly

disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

agreeScore 1 2 3 4 5Categor Disagree Neutral Agree

3.2.5 Summary

This chapter discussed the methodology of the research. It was guided to develop and

evaluate the prototype. The methodology was adapted from SDRM and it includes four

steps: Information Gathering, Prototype design, Prototype Development, and Evaluation.

31

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Appendix A: Questionnaire

38