Thesis Title: Usability Analysis of Mobile Money Transfer Systems Based on Heuristics Evaluation

Student Name:            Myra Ohaga

Supervisors Names:

1. Dr. Anselemo Ikoha Peters
2. Prof. Elyjoy M. Micheni

Abstract:

The widespread use of mobile technology has enabled the introduction of various mobile money services.  Effective use of mobile money technologies contributes to economic improvement and the overall well-being of people and a country.   Many factors contribute to the success of mobile money transfer systems and usability is a measure of the level of success.  Usability heuristics principles developed by Nielsen, a pioneer in usability engineering, have existed and are popularly used to assess the usability of computer systems.  However, in the wake of emerging new technologies such as mobile applications and further to mobile money transfer systems there is a need for domain specific heuristics.    The purpose of the study was to investigate the usability of mobile money transfer systems based on heuristics evaluation.  The specific objectives of the study were to: assess the current Mobile Money Transfer Systems usability; determine the heuristics required to enhance usability of mobile money transfer systems; and develop a usability heuristics framework for Mobile Money Transfer Systems that enhances usability. The study covered two major mobile money transfer service providers’ mobile money systems.  The research adapted a mixed method design that included the Design Science Research methodology and survey design. The Design Science Research process provided the structure for the study and survey design guided the questionnaire design and administration. Data were obtained using questionnaires.  The target population was mobile money transfer consumers in Nairobi County, Langata sub-county, Nairobi West, a community that has different levels of income holders. A sample of 396 was used with a response rate of 81.1%.  The reliability of the research tool was arrived at using the Cronbach’s Alpha test.  The data collected was analyzed using both descriptive and factor analysis.  A Mobile Money Transfer System usability heuristics framework was developed.  The framework parameters were established using the findings in the usability heuristics components using factor analysis.  The  framework was validated by mobile money transfer systems experts that included consumer expert users, mobile money transfer systems developers and Human Computer Interaction trainers.  The experts agreed that the developed framework can be applied in the real world with an average weighted mean of 4.55.  This study contributes to knowledge on usability heuristics required to evaluate mobile money transfer systems, reducing the development time and cost, as well as contributing to the limited knowledge in usability heuristics development and evaluation for emerging technologies.   Ethical issues arising from the research such as informed and voluntary consent, the confidentiality of information, and data integrity were considered.