The role of human Web assistants in e-commerce: an analysis and a usability study

Electronic commerce has recently shown enormous potential to lake over a si gnificant share of the sales market. There is a need to provide services th at can reach individual computer users with different information profiles and levels of expertise. In this article the concept of Web assistants, hum an assistants working in an electronic Web shop, is presented. This human-c omputer collaboration provides intelligent and adaptive services via an int egrated communication media. A prototype of a Web assistant system has been implemented. While browsing through the system the user can call for human assistance should the need arise. Presents the results of a usability stud y performed on the prototype system. Recent commercial moves in the directi on discussed in this article increase the importance of the usability study . The results are encouraging, especially when it comes to the attitude asp ects of usability. The subjects were extremely enthusiastic about the conce pt of Web assistants and its implications. The human Web assistant who part icipated in the field trial highlighted the importance of user modelling. A lthough the system is mainly in the context of electronic commerce, it can be used in many other contexts. These include home automation, digital libr aries, and technical support, to name a few.