CREATION: Forrester outlines the failings of WAP

<p>WAP, which has been dubbed one of the Internet industry's biggest </p><p>letdowns, has failed to live up to expectations because WAP websites </p><p>fall short of recognising mobile phone users' unique needs, a report has </p><p>found. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A recent study by Forrester Research has said companies looking to </p><p>promote and sell through WAP need to re-address navigation and content </p><p>structure. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The report said to build a successful WAP site, companies should follow </p><p>the concept of "microdesign", which enables easy navigation and </p><p>downloading. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The research firm had tested 50 sites for its report - all of which </p><p>failed its usability test. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In fact, the average site failed on more than half of the researcher's </p><p>criteria. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Forrester outlined guidelines for a successful WAP site in its report, </p><p>which noted companies that fall short of microdesign risk brand erosion, </p><p>a sharp fall in traffic through other channels, lower revenue and lost </p><p>customers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The researcher said that microdesign rests on three principles - obvious </p><p>navigation, concise content and automated integration with other </p><p>channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The report also said users should be able access the site's content </p><p>without having to learn a navigation scheme, and content should be </p><p>optimised for small screens. Detailed content should only be presented </p><p>to users who request it. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Forrester also argued that offerings on WAP should synchronise with </p><p>other channels, including the Web and interactive TV. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Forrester associate analyst Carsten Schmidt said that today's WAP sites </p><p>fail to attract users mainly because firms are force-fitting existing </p><p>Web content onto a tiny screen without considering the unique needs of </p><p>mobile users. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Because of the mobile Internet's unique attributes, Web experience </p><p>doesn't yield WAP success, and the lessons learned from years of website </p><p>design fail to apply to mobile devices. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Instead, companies must unlearn the Web's rules and master a new </p><p>competency that Forrester calls Microdesign," she said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Forrester surveyed WAP sites across 11 countries and 10 categories </p><p>through the models Nokia 7110 for basic testing, and the Ericsson R380 </p><p>and Siemens S35 for browser compatibility. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The research company identified three key tasks at each site. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Sites were rated on a four-point scale: two (exemplary pass), one </p><p>(pass), -1 (failure) or -2 (critical failure). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Meanwhile, a recent report by Strand Consult brought more bad news for </p><p>smaller WAP sites, as it found more than four-fifths of WAP users </p><p>navigate their way online through a WAP portal. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The study found the average WAP user surfed the online Internet around </p><p>eight minutes a day, and that just four per cent of users had shopped </p><p>using their WAP handsets, although 57 per cent had tried to buy online </p><p>through a PC. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It added that WAP users, not portals, would determine the success of the </p><p>mobile Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Interestingly, two thirds of the respondents in the report said their </p><p>employer paid for WAP usage, with 46 per cent using it mostly for </p><p>business-related issues. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The report also said 61 per cent of WAP users were satisfied with their </p><p>WAP phones. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Forty per cent of respondents used WAP phones to access their email, but </p><p>mostly preferred to surf WAP pages with news, Internet and business </p><p>services. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>