Ease of use is key to uptake of mobile data services, suggests study

Ease of use determines take-up of mobile data services. This is the most prominent conclusion of the Action Engine Worldwide Mobile Usability Study, a first annual worldwide study on the usability of mobile data services and application delivery, as reported upon by Ann Light in Usability News.

When asked which factor most influenced their purchasing decision, 59% of respondents cited ‘Ease of use/Positive user reviews’ as their most important buying criteria, exceeding ‘Value for Price.’ For respondents based in Europe, this percentage rose to 95%, demonstrating the strong impact that usability has on product sales.

The study included participants located in various countries throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Survey questions were developed from the usability criteria defined in “The 7 Rules of Mobile Data User Experience”, a paper written by wireless industry specialist Elliott Drucker.

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