Evaluating User Experience Across Platforms: Analyzing Complex Task Performance in Academic Desktop-Mobile Platforms

User experience varies widely when using the desktop and mobile versions of an application. This difference is obvious in several aspects, including usability, performance, functionality, user preferences, and accessibility. This study compares the usability outcomes of ResearchGate, a widely used academic collaboration platform, on both desktop and mobile devices. Ten participants made up the sample, and they received a comprehensive scenario. The scenario was divided into five tasks that must be accomplished in a specific order. According to the results of this study, there was a significant variation between the desktop and mobile versions, with the desktop version showing more efficient performance regarding usability and overall experience. These findings highlight critical design considerations for academic platforms aiming to optimize cross-device usability. Additionally, this study contributes to broader usability research by providing empirical evidence on how interface disparities affect user behavior, offering actionable insights for developers prioritizing seamless multi-device experiences.