The consumption of journalistic information via the Internet in Brazil has surpassed
traditional media such as television, printed newspapers/magazines and radio. As
such, in addition to the credibility of the news, usability has become a fundamental
aspect so that readers can have a satisfactory interaction when searching for
information. However, there are few studies on how news sites can be designed to
provide high-quality usability. One of the main challenges is associated with the
complexity of usability evaluation, since news sites are accessed by user profiles from
different geographical locations in the country, with varied habits and customs,
considering the easy dissemination of information in the online format. The aim of this
research was to analyze the usability of news websites based on users living in
different geographical locations in Brazil, in order to identify possible contrasts and
similarities in the evaluation results. This research is classified as a case study and
has a quantitative-qualitative approach. Based on these methods, a study was carried
out with groups of university students from two higher education institutions (HEIs),
located in the north and south of Brazil, with the aim of assessing usability when
reading the G1, R7, Metrópoles, Uol Notícias and Terra news sites, the five most
accessed in the country. Throughout the study, the following were collected: individual
user data on experience with technology and news consumption, in order to
understand the participating public; data generated from user interaction with the sites
investigated, using a multimodal capture tool; and user satisfaction with the sites
evaluated using the QUIS (Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction) test, chosen
for its validity, standardization and focus on user satisfaction. The results indicated
that, despite geographical differences, the location of users had little influence on
usability evaluations. The research highlighted the importance of considering individual
factors when designing news interfaces, going beyond geographical location. The
study contributed by presenting a new perception of usability on news sites, based on
the use of a multimodal capture tool, as well as with the evolution of research
methodologies by demonstrating the effectiveness of more advanced methods for the
context of usability evaluation in digital environments.
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