Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Knowledge and Information Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, National Library and Archives of Iran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: In the digital era, enhancing the visibility and usability of websites is essential, especially for university library websites that serve as critical knowledge-sharing platforms. This study identifies the aesthetic criteria for Iranian academic library websites.
Methodology: A Delphi panel method with snowball sampling was employed, involving 21 experts in the first round and 15 in the second. SPSS software was used for data analysis, with Cronbach's alpha calculated to assess internal consistency.
Findings: A total of 68 aesthetic criteria were identified and grouped into five categories: digital image aesthetics, technical design elements, visual complexity, user-centric aesthetics, and content quality. A checklist with 37 scales was developed, achieving strong reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.9). The study also identified 17 highly significant components prioritized by Delphi experts, such as up-to-date content, ease of navigation, and responsive design.
Conclusion: The findings offer a robust framework for improving the aesthetic quality and usability of academic library websites. While designed for Iranian websites, the results are adaptable to other cultural contexts. The study contributes significantly to the field by providing a comprehensive tool for website evaluation and emphasizing the need for culturally nuanced designs.
Value: This research is the first in Iran to apply a Delphi approach for identifying aesthetic website criteria, contributing significantly to the global understanding of web aesthetics in academic contexts.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Aesthetic Experience. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aesthetic-experience (Accessed 15 November 2023)
Affandy, H. B., Hussain, A., & Nadzir, M. M. (2017). Balancing Usability and Aesthetic Elements in Universities’ Website: A Systematic Review. Malaysian Journal of Communication, 33(4), 190-203. DOI:10.17576/JKMJC-2017-3304-12
Bölte, J., Hösker, T. M., Hirschfeld, G., & Thielsch, M. T. (2017). Electrophysiological correlates of aesthetic processing of webpages: a comparison of experts and laypersons. PeerJ5, e3440.‏ https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3440
Bowen, A. (2018). The visual effect: a literature review of visual design principles as they apply to academic library websites. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 23(3-4), 67-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875301.2019.1702133
Boychuk, E., & Bakaev, M. (2019). Entropy and compression-based analysis of web user interfaces. In Web Engineering: 19th International Conference, ICWE 2019, Daejeon, South Korea, June 11–14, 2019, Proceedings 19 (pp. 253-261). Springer International Publishing.‏https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19274-7_19
Chapman, W. J. (2002). The development, design, and theory of educational interactive multimedia software, Digitization Project. 2330. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2330 (Accessed 4 December 2023)
Chevalier, A., Maury, A. C., & Fouquereau, N. (2014). The influence of the search complexity and the familiarity with the website on the subjective appraisal of aesthetics, mental effort and usability. Behaviour & Information Technology, 33(2), 117-132. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2013.819936
Geissler, G. L., Zinkhan, G. M., & Watson, R. T. (2006). The influence of home page complexity on consumer attention, attitudes, and purchase intent. Advertising, 35(2), 69-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2006.10639232
Jiang, Z., Wang, W., Tan, B. C., & Yu, J. (2016). The determinants and impacts of aesthetics in users’ first interaction with websites. Journal of Management Information Systems33(1), 229-259.‏ https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2016.1172443
Jo, M. H., & Han, J. H. (2006). Metaphor and Typeface based on Children's Sensibilities for e-Learning. Journal of Information Processing Systems2(3), 178-182.‏ Doi:10.3745/jips.2006.2.3.178.
Lavie, T., & Tractinsky, N. (2004). Assessing dimensions of perceived visual aesthetics of web sites. International journal of human-computer studies60(3), 269-298.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2003.09.002
Mbipom, G. E. (2013). The interplay between web aesthetics and accessibility. Doctorate thesis. The University of Manchester (United Kingdom). https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/54534408/FULL_TEXT.PDF
Minyaev, I., Pouke, M., Ylipulli, J., & Ojala, T. (2018, November). Implementation of a virtual reality interface for a public library. In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia (pp. 513-519).‏ https://doi.org/10.1145/3282894.3289718
Montazer, G. A., & Jafari, N. (2008). Application of fuzzy Delphi method in designing tax policy in Iran. The Economic Research8(1), 91-114.‏ dor:20.1001.1.17356768.1387.8.1.2.9] [In Persian]
Nielsen, J. (1994). 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design.
Onaifo, D., & Rasmussen, D. (2013). Increasing libraries' content findability on the web with search engine optimization. Library Hi Tech31(1), 87-108.‏ https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831311303958
Park, S. E., Choi, D., & Kim, J. (2004). Critical factors for the aesthetic fidelity of web pages: empirical studies with professional web designers and users. Interacting with computers16(2), 351-376.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intcom.2003.07.001
Peng, Y. (2022). Athec: A Python library for computational aesthetic analysis of visual media in social science research. Computational Communication Research4(1) ‏, 323-349. https://doi.org/10.5117/CCR2022.1.009.PENG
Rosa. C. D., Cantrell, J. Cellentani, D. Hawk, J. Jenkins, L and Wilson, A. (2005). Perceptions of libraries and information resources: a report to the OCLC Membership.: https://www.scribd.com/document/669176689/Perceptions-of-Libraries-and-Information-Resources-A-Report-to-the-OCLC (Accessed 12 September 2023)
Rosman, M. R. M., Ismail, M. N., Masrek, M. N., Branch, K., & Campus, M. (2019). Investigating the determinant and impact of digital library engagement: a conceptual framework. Journal of Digital Information Management17(4), 215.‏ DOI:10.6025/jdim/2019/17/4/214-226
Rouzbahani, R., Afhami, R., & Abdolvand, N. (2021). The Relation between the Objective Aspects and the Aesthetic Perception of Web Pages Case Study: The Website of Iranian Newspapers in the Year 2019. The Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar, 18(95), 101-114. doi:  10.22034/bagh.2020.235449.4577 [In Persian]
Schaeffer, J.A., Komazec, K., Vaara, E., Strineholm, A., & Tobiasson, H. (2022, 25 June - 3 July) Whose place is it? Enacted territories in the museum. In Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, , Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.797
School of Information and Library Science. (2007). 75th anniversary grand fi nalé of the School of Information and Library Science. Daniel’s community projects focus on libraries. The University Of North Carolina https://sils.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1369/2024/01/2007-Spring.pdf  (Accessed 4 December 2023)
Seale, M., Hicks, A., & Nicholson, K. (2022). Towards a critical turn in library UX. FIMS Publications83(1).‏ https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.83.1.6
Tavosi, M., Naghshineh, N., Zerehsaz, M., & Mahboub, S. (2024). Proposing a conceptual framework for ''aesthetics of one website'' using metasynthesis and Shannon entropy methods based on Leibniz theory. Library and Information Science Research14(1), 29-66. doi: 10.22067/infosci.2024.86766.1195  [In Persian]
Tella, A. (2019). The determinants of library and information science undergraduate students’ first impression of university library websites. Education and Information Technologies24(1), 277-294.‏ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-018-9769-4
Tella, A. (2020). Interactivity, usability and aesthetic as predictors of undergraduates' preference for university library websites. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science86(2), 16-25.‏ https://doi.org/10.7553/86-2-1905
Thangaratinam, S., & Redman, C. W. (2005). The delphi technique. The obstetrician & gynaecologist7(2), 120-125.‏ https://doi.org/10.1576/toag.7.2.120.27071
Tuch, A. N., Bargas-Avila, J. A., & Opwis, K. (2010). Symmetry and aesthetics in website design: It’sa man’s business. Computers in Human Behavior26(6), 1831-1837.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.07.016
Tuch, A. N., Bargas-Avila, J. A., Opwis, K., & Wilhelm, F. H. (2009). Visual complexity of websites: Effects on users’ experience, physiology, performance, and memory. International journal of human-computer studies67(9), 703-715.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2009.04.002
Wang, L., Gao, H., & Zhao, Y. (2023). Research on online shopping contextual cues: refining classification from text mining. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics35(11), 2704-2726.‏  https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-10-2022-0847
Warwick, C. (2017). Beauty is truth: Multi-sensory input and the challenge of designing aesthetically pleasing digital resources. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, 32(2),135-150. https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqx036
Yushiana, M., & Abdul Rani, W. (2007). Heuristic evaluation of interface usability for a web‐based OPAC. Library Hi Tech25(4), 538-549.‏ https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830710840491
Zohrehvandi, m., & Emami Far, N. (2017). Fundamentals of IRIB Channels Websites page layout structure "by Case Study of IRIB TV1 Channel Websites. Negareh Journal, 12(41), 42-53. doi: 10.22070/negareh.2017.486 [In Persian]