Not Getting Work Done on your Mobile Device?

Apparently not getting work done as much on your mobile device is considered as a norm, following the release of a research study by Nielsen Norman. The research focused on mobile usability by comparing the experience of a mobile user to that of a desktop user. The numbers? 59%.

Yes, 59% is the percentage of users who were able to complete tasks using their mobile device. The other side stands the relatively higher, 80% completion rate by desktop users. Here is what the usability expert Jakob Nielsen, principal of Nielsen Norman Group said after the study:

“Observing users suffer during our user sessions reminded us of the very first usability studies we did with traditional websites in 1994. It was that bad.”

Since the latest mobile boom, smartphones and PocketPCs seem to be springing up everywhere. And while many institutions are starting to focus on mobile development, it has yet to prove itself fruitful in getting work done. Below is some of the points taken during the study that seems to affect the mobile work efficiency:

• Small screen
• Awkward input
• Download delays
• Websites not optimized for mobile access

The first 2 problems are understandable, considering it is a mobile device after all. But when it comes to the download delays, it does seem like time and technology development are the obstacles to the problem. And finally, despite many websites going mobile, even more is staying put, reducing the productivity of mobile access.

To sum it all up, while 59% is not too lousy of a number, it does indicate that much work needs to be done for us to transit to true mobility. It could be working on the go, or shopping on the fly, mobility usability needs to improve for mobile access to become intuitive and productive.

(Source: FierceWireless)