A Survey on Ergonomic Usability of a Website of Educational Management System and an Examination of the Influential Factors of a University from Students’ Viewpoint

Introduction: Usability is a criterion that indicates a product’s applicability and ease of use. A usable product allows the user to perform a task correctly and quickly, preventing errors and fatigue. The present study aimed to determine the ergonomic usability of the Zanjan University of Medical Sciences website of educational management system from the students’ viewpoint in 2019 and 2020. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the usability of one of the websites for educational management systems using a standard questionnaire. The study examined the utility of web-based applications in the research processes automation field. The questionnaire was embedded in Google Forms and emailed to Zanjan University of Medical Sciences students, 404 of which returned. The data were analyzed with a 0.05 confidence level using SPSS software version 16. Results: The 404 participants’ data showed that among the questionnaire nine factors, the highest and intermediate-range mean were for “Ease of Use” at 19 and 4 and for “Ease of Learning” at 18 and 4. Moreover, they were 13 and 3 for “System Capabilities,” 13 and 2 for “System Usability,” and 10 and 2 for “User Satisfaction.” In addition, “Errors Management” received 10 and 2, “Display” 10 and 2, “System Terms and Information” 8 and 2, and “User Environment Personalization” 5.5 and 3 as their highest and intermediate-range mean, respectively. Most questionnaires did not differ significantly depending on the age variable, meaning that different age groups had similar answers to most factors. The two sexes showed a significant difference in the responses to the “Usefulness of the System,” “Ease of Learning,” and “Display.” A significant difference for other factors was found in examining the relationship between educational level and the questionnaire factors. However, the “Error Management” and “Display” factors did not significantly differ, considering the educational levels. Conclusion: The results showed that more attention should be paid to ease of use and learning in re-designing this website. However, it is necessary to consider all factors affecting usability.