The effects of simplicity and interactivity on the mobile device

Abstract

Continual growth of the mobile terminal market is anticipated due to the expansion of mobile terminal functionality and the wide spreading of 3G services. Because the increasing complexity of mobile services raises the importance of user interface (UI), the usability of mobile phones is a critical factor for its usage and sales. The main goal of this research is to investigate the effects of simplicity and interactivity on mobile devices. Here this research suggests and empirically examines a model of simplicity and interactivity which consists of two parts; antecedents of usability and consequences of usability. The proposed model was examined by using a structural equation model. The validated model showed why users perceive usability from the simplicity of mobile phone UI and why they show brand loyalty based on the usability. Simplicity and interactivity of mobile phone UI accounted for more than 60% of the variance of usability. Also, satisfaction and brand trust based on the usability of mobile phone UI accounted for more than 40% of the variance of brand loyalty. Thus, the role of simplicity and interactivity turned out to be critical in building usability in mobile phones. Also, the usability of mobile phones was shown to be the driving factor for building brand loyalty of mobile phones. This research is one of the first empirical investigations dealing with simplicity and interactivity. Furthermore, it provided new theories in the area of IS (Information Systems) and mobile HCI (Human Computer Interaction), including the simplicity theory and the interactivity theory on mobile devices. The results of this research can be used for building brand loyalty from the UI of mobile devices. Also, the proposed framework can be a practical reference for not only UI design but also for holistic UX (User eXperience) design.