Enhancing the Front-End of a Decision Support System : Designing a User-Centred Web Interface for a Broad and Diverse Audience

This study investigates how user-centred design principles can enhance the usability of online decision support systems for a diverse target audience. There search focuses on redesigning the eCOmpass platform. Although functional, the original eCOmpass interface lacked visual design, limiting accessibility and ease of use. The study applied a Design and Creation methodology and a mixed methods process including heuristic evaluations, usability tests, and questionnaires using the System Usability Scale. Initially, the existing interface was evaluated using Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics and user feedback gathered from a sample of researchers and lay people. This revealed significant issues related to navigation, terminology, visual aesthetics, and cognitive load, with users reporting confusion and exclusion. Informed by the findings and previous literature, including Cognitive Load Theory and Gestalt principles, a new front-end was developed. The redesign emphasised clear language, simplified structure and visual clarity. A second round of usability tests demonstrated marked improvements in user satisfaction, indicating enhanced usability and understandability across different user groups. This thesis underscores the importance of integrating user-centred design into decision support system interfaces, particularly when addressing a broad and diverse audience. Furthermore, it demonstrates how the used design process can significantly improve user experience and system effectiveness.