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DOI 10.1007/s12109-013-9305-8

The Engaged Reader

A human-centred evaluation of ebook user experience
Angus MacWilliam

Published online: 26 January 2013

! Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Abstract Earlier this year a study was carried out to understand and measure the
user experience that ebooks provide. With an emphasis on the Apple iPad 2, the
study evaluated the user experience that fourth generation ebook readers offer.
Qualitative and quantitative study affirmed that the user experience rests not just in
the ebook but on the device that the ebook is read. The experience must be harmonious between book and cover, and the reading experience will be heightened if
both device and contents can engage the reader on a functional, material, and
emotional level as well as a cognitive or experiential level.
Keywords

Ebook ! Engagement ! Experience ! Functionality ! Reading ! Tablet

Introduction
In 2008, Nancy Herther1 wrote about being in the third generation of ebook
readers. She questioned whether it would be that that era that would see the arrival
of the all-encompassing ebook reader. As was the case in 2008, the latest ebook
readers are still evaluated in terms of memory and storage, screen resolution,
navigation and control, battery and power, as well as the additional built-in features
that they offer.
Her article was not a review of the latest ebook readers but an understanding of
how far ebooks had developed and whether there was a future for the book itself.
Fast forward to 2012 and the same questions are being asked of ebook readers and
the electronic bookshelf. Increased functionality and more interactivity suggest that
1

See Ref. [4].

A. MacWilliam (&)
3-4 Dunedin Street, Edinburgh EH7 4JB, Scotland, UK
e-mail: angusmacwilliam@gmail.com

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we are now in the fourth generation of ebook readers. However this time it is
whether dedicated ebook readers can survive the tablet revolution as dedicated
reading platforms make way for multifunctional alternatives.
A recent article on Digital Book World2 anticipates that dedicated ebook reader
sales will continue to fall. Single-task devices like the ebook reader are being
replaced without remorse in the lives of consumers by their multifunction
equivalents. In 2011 the ebook reader market peaked with 23.2 million units. It
is forecast that by 2016 the ebook reader space will amount to 7.1 million units. In
contrast the same article reports that tablet shipments will hit 120 million units in
2012 and grow to 340 million in 2016.
Todays ebooks are read on many types of portable device; dedicated ebook
reader, tablet computer or mobile phone. This variety of device has given rise to
different types of ebook that offer diverse levels of design and interactivity: ebook,
enhanced ebook and ebook app. These different formats have become more than
just a digital replication of the printed work and all provide different types of
experience that are worthy of further research.
Content has developed because of the devices on which it is read and reading
habits have changed as technological advancements have been made. Moreover
there is still a need to distinguish between the physical object (the device) and the
content itself (the ebook). Recognising these advancements and the functionality of
the devices is a key to unlocking the experience that they provide.

Four Generations of Ebook Reader

In 1968 postgraduate Alan Kay articulated the concept of the Dynabook, a portable
interactive personal computer, as accessible as a book.3 His prophetic idea was
touch-screen and wireless, and it later became The Apple Newton MessagePad, the
first PDA of its kind and a platform for the first generation of ebooks.
Although it marked the beginning of the early ebook models, it was not until the
1980s and 90 s that ebook readers began to achieve a significant standing in the
industry or garner an interest in the marketplace. The Franklin Bookman and Sony
Data Discman, which was also known as the Electronic Book Player, were
functionally limited but an indication of things to come. Although the price at $550
was a deterrent, accessibility was already being advocated with an in-built
encyclopedia and translator.
A second generation of ebook reader was best represented by the SoftBook
Reader of 1998. According to Wilson4 this device was independent of a PC and held
250 books. It was backlit with a high resolution, weighed three pounds, cost $600
and provided 5 h of use. Its touch-screen functionality included title choice, page
turning, bookmarking, and the ability to annotate pages. Its competitor was the
Rocket ebook, which held fewer books but offered 20 h battery life, weighed less
2

See Ref. [3].

See Ref. [20].

See Ref. [20].

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and cost less than half the price at $270. Wilson5 talked of a shift to provide readers
with a comfortable experience by retaining the advantages of the print medium and
mimicking aspects of the book metaphor with page turning and improved screen
resolution. It is clear that in these early generations of ebook readers, developers
strove to ensure that the experience reflected the book metaphor and mimicked the
traditional reading experience.
It was the development of E Ink that led to a breakthrough in the development of
dedicated reading devices. A clear contrast between text and background means that
the content could now be consumed more comfortably and was more accessible. A
third generation of device saw ebook readers become smaller in size, lighter in
weight, [and] providing readability, navigation and features.6 Perhaps most
important of all, books became more portable. This generation also strengthened the
book metaphor and offered the user a degree of familiarity.
In order to succeed, ebook readers need to offer clear technological advantages
that replace existing (paper-based) books or need to offer such extremely
compelling bells and whistles so that users are drawn to them despite existing
adequate paper based versions.7 Tablet computers, the fourth generation of ebook
device, also offer a reading platform but are layered with other applications and do
not offer a dedicated reading environment but a multimedia experience. Their
advantage is that they offer multimedia content and platforms on which enhanced
ebooks and ebook apps can be developed.
It is because of these devices that the ebook is now much more than a digital
version of its printed predecessor. In 2012, we will see a variety of what the
industry is calling enhanced books.8 The enhanced ebook has been made
possible not through the dedicated ebook reader but through tablet devices such as
the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Apple iPad, with their high resolution displays and
ability to handle multimedia content.
Enhanced ebooks depart slightly from the book metaphor and include media such
as video and images that utilise the technology and platform that they are being read
on. There is an acceptance that the enhanced ebook is something different and that
different types of books are suitable for different genres. The extra layers of media
in an ebook should supplement the story and should not distract from the reading
experience.
Furthermore ebook apps are even further removed from the book metaphor and
offer an experience that is more akin to playing a game than reading a book. This is
not to say that the user experience is compromised but that it is a different
experience of reading altogether. Each type of format is different and, with each
stage of added interaction, a further departure from the traditional paper-based book.
In a market that offers an abundance of choice, readers will tailor their reading
habits to the sort of format and layout that works for them and their device.

See Ref. [20].

See Ref. [4].

See Ref. [4].

See Ref. [5].

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Different editions will cater for different markets. A basic ebook and versions of it
with additional features will ensure the same content reaches a variety of audience.
Technology changes quickly. The black and white vanilla ebook, more or less
a PDF of the print version, which 18 months ago was so fresh, now seems as cutting
edge as gaslight. The enhanced ebook, combining all the iPad, iPhone and other
smart phones has to offerfull colour, moving images, audio, web interactivity,
GPS technologyis in the ascendancy Publishers are certainly pushing in the
enhanced direction.9 Enhanced ebooks and ebook apps are the focus for many
publishers today and a way to offer an enriched user experience that enhances the
book with multimedia.

Functionality and the War of Convergence

With so much versatility on devices such as the iPad, the question becomes how to
engage the reader in the ebook and contents. All the other layers of media are a
questionable distraction and may compromise the reading experience.
Wilson10 raised the issue of convergence and dedication more than 10 years ago.
At that time she cited the increasing clamour for PDAs, pocket PCs and other hybrid
devices, and suggested that they would become more popular but argued the case
for dedicated reading devices. The act of reading is arguably unlike any other use to
which handheld devices can be put, in that it is a very personal and involving
activity about which readers feel very passionate. That readers feel strongly about
the experience of reading books is well known; that they will find specially designed
devices which cater singularly for their book-reading experience needs more
attractive than general purpose devices, is a real possibility. The fourth generation
of ebook reader and tablets like the iPad is the sort of device that Wilson had in
mind.
To date there have been several papers written about the trialling and testing of
ebook readers. The more salient studies of functionality have taken place on
educational grounds and involved students and libraries. Previously, parallels have
been drawn between textbooks and fiction,11 and the following studies offer very
useful critiques of ebook devices and the interactivity that they offer.
Princeton University
In late 2009 the Amazon Kindle DX was the subject of a study at Princeton
University,12 where it was piloted amongst a smaller number of classes (three
courses and fifty-one students). The experience of reading, using an electronic
device, was ranked by the participants and compared with reading the same sorts of
texts on paper. The user experience was considered in terms of quality, quantity,
9

See Ref. [19].

10

See Ref. [20].

11

See Ref. [13].

12

See Ref. [15].

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speed, retention, and learning and comprehension. Both functionality and experience were considered in a study that, while student centric, was a reliable insight
into how an important market was beginning to embrace the ebook reader.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
In 2010 Allmang and Bruss13 of NIST set up two focus groups in order to
understand which ebook device was most preferable for work-related reading and
why. The study considered the functionality and ergonomics of three different
devices: the Amazon Kindle 2, the Amazon Kindle DX and the Apple iPod Touch. In
2 years these devices have been superseded by other models but the same features
are still considered in todays reviews of the latest technology. Features included
capacity, screen size, screen technology, weight, native PDF capability, touchscreen, note-taking capability, and battery life. This was a technical evaluation of
ebooks that assessed functionality and adoption rather than user experience but it
was not able to recommend an ebook reader for actual use. Later the same year the
iPad was launched.
Queensland University of Technology
The Queensland University of Technology trialed ebook readers available to
Australian consumers in order to outline a recommendation as to what devices
should be acquired and made available to students. The study used four critical
criteria of usability, functionality, accessibility (for vision impaired students) and
compatibility with the universitys ebook collection. In summary, the ERG
concluded that no ebook reader, as of October 2010, offered everything that an
academic library may want to see in an ebook reader.14
UCLA
In 2012, Richardson and Mahmood15 reported on a comprehensive evaluation of
five market-leading ebook readers at UCLA. They called it one of the first
comprehensive surveys to analyse the top five ebook readers (four dedicated ebook
readers and one tablet computer) for user satisfaction and identify usability
concerns. It compared five popular devices against an extensive set of technical
specifications and asked potential users about their perceptions. The study
highlighted that certain disadvantages still persist: relative high cost, poor page
navigation, being tied to a particular vendor, the inability to loan books, and planned
obsolescence.

13

See Ref. [1].

14

See Ref. [6].

15

See Ref. [17].

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The Pew Research Centre,16 an American public opinion research organization,

published a survey at the beginning of 2012 that announced the share of adults in the
United States who own tablet computers and ebook readers. Between midDecember (2011) and early January (2012), the number of owners of each device
rose from 10 to 19 %. Overall, 29 % of adults own at least one of them. They
followed that with another report later the same year that re-affirmed the growing
popularity of ebooks; 21 % of Americans have read an ebook. The same report
confirms that owners of ebook reading devices are reading more books than those
who do not own a device. Importantly, the same report also declared that almost a
third of ebook readers (29 %) consume ebooks on their cell phones and that a
smaller amount (23 %) read their ebooks on tablet computers.

Evaluation Themes
Isomorsus evaluation method17 was used to evaluate the user experience of the
iPad. He proposed the use of experimental pilots, based in actual use settings, and
four different phases of evaluation.18 After an extensive literature review, a
questionnaire was issued with a Likert scale. The questionnaire was followed up
with a focus group, and then a stage of thematic analysis, which determined the key
evaluation themes.
Functional Factors
The act of reading a book is arguably unlike any other use to which handheld
devices can be put, in that it is a highly personal and involving activity about which
readers feel very passionate. Moreover it gives rise to a unique set of design
requirements which cannot necessarily be served by hardware intended to perform a
multitude of other functions.19
On a dedicated ebook reader, there is only one task and that is to read ebooks. On
the iPad the experience becomes multi-task and, because of that, distraction
threatens the reading experience. Nevertheless the multi-task nature of the device
and the potential for distraction are not questioned by this study. Reading a book on
a tablet device could be regarded the same as reading a book with a smart phone in
close proximity.
This study learned that although the iPad is a multi-functional device loaded with
applications and other media, reading is one of the more immersive actions on the
iPad and once the reader is engaged with the ebook, distractions would not appear to
be detrimental to the reading experience. With the focus on reading books using the

16

See Ref. [14].

17

See Ref. [7].

18

(1) before use evaluation, (2) during use evaluation, (3) after use evaluation, and (4) follow-up
evaluation.
19

See Ref. [20].

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iPad, 33 % agreed that the functionality of the device was important to them, 56 %
were neutral and 11 % either disagreed or strongly disagreed.
The majority of those questioned cited relaxation (75 %) as their favourite aspect
of reading. This study suggests that the heightened interactivity and layers of media
to be found in enhanced ebooks might change the focus from relaxation to
entertainment and fun. The type of content will dictate the level of enhancements
that are suitable for the title.
If an ebook reader can enable the same feeling of relaxation, the reading
experience will be heightened. To allow for relaxation, this study asserts good
device ergonomics are essential. The right reading environment stimulates
relaxation and the device has to conform to and fit the same environment. Screen
size and weight were commonly recognised as key to the experience. This study
believes that the iPad has optimum ergonomics. Questionnaire respondents agreed
that weight (67 %) and functionality (61 %) were important.
The ebook is dictated by the device on a functional level. Moreover functionality
such as page turning, navigation tools, and accessibility features enhance the
reading experience. The navigation of an ebook or app must not surprise or confuse
the user. The level of enhancements and interactivity should be appropriate. In a
review of nursery rhyme app Papercut, Kostick highlighted that the missing element
was consideration of how the reader will experience it. Consistency, clarity, logical
function and appropriateness is what is lacking in this enhanced ebook. The reading
experience is not immersive but passive and does not function well enough for the
reader.20
A host of expectations derived from the print medium come into play, including
the need for intuitively placed buttons for page turning, and to be able to open a
book with the minimum of effort. Issues such as screen quality and the comfort of
holding the device in your hand, while important for all PDAs and Pocket PCs,
become paramount when reading a book, and can sometimes give rise to
contradictory requirements.21
The functionality afforded by the latest ebook readers and tablets offer a more
accessible reading experience than ever before. Enlarged text size, colour contrast
control and text-to-speech help to ensure that ebooks can be enjoyed by users with
disabilities. Colorado State University22 delivered high praise for accessibility for
the iPad. In a study that reviewed a number of different ebook devices, it asserted
that the iPad came closest to meeting the multiple needs for users with disabilities.
Moreover, through a simple interface and various accessibility tools, interacting
with a book in iBooks is simple and intuitive. Nevertheless the same study pointed
to the physical restrictions of the iPad and claimed it to be heavier than other ebook
readers and too big for those with physical disabilities. Since publication, the iPad
mini, and to some extent the iPhone 5, have tackled these issues and offer an even
more accessible and comfortable reading experience.

20

See Ref. [11].

21

See Ref. [20].

22

See Ref. [2].

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Material Factors
Jennings23 as well as Lavie and Tractinsky24 recognised the importance of
aesthetics and the visual appearance of the interface. This study has also considered
the aesthetics of the device to be an important factor behind the reading experience.
Design parallels can be drawn between the most successful ebook devices and the
book metaphor itself. E Ink screens designed to appear like the printed page; a page
turning experience; dimensionally similar in size; page layout. The aesthetics of the
device have a sub-conscious effect on the reading experience. Of the questionnaire
respondents, 44 % agreed that the aesthetics of the device were important. A further
17 % strongly agreed but the same number disagreed or strongly agreed that
aesthetics were important.
Readers are often drawn to books by their cover but this is not possible with an
ebook. The media enhancements provided by ebooks offer both material and
functional qualities. Media enhancements should be careful not to undermine the
storytelling and imaginative experience of reading and are best suited to the nonfiction genre. Only 11 % of respondents were positive when asked whether fiction
books are improved on an electronic platform, although the majority (44 %) were
neutral in their opinion.
Experiential Factors
Rashbass25 discusses the way in which the stakeholders read material, more
specifically his own publication (The Economist, UK), on different the platforms on
which it is available. He asserts that as a paper publication it is consumed in leanback mode but on a computer the move is to lean-forward, with an emphasis
placed on snacking on information. In the age of mobile technology, Rashbass
believes there is a move back to lean-back; the immersive, metaphorically and
literally lean back reading experience. He suggests that this new form of leanback reading may even deliver a better experience than print.
Kang et al.26 propose that reading from an electronic interface is completely
different from reading a conventional book. They also observe that a lot has been
written about the reading performance on screen compared to paper, using speed,
comprehension, fatigue and preference to evaluate performance. In their own study
of usability, they conclude that the reading efficiency of an ebook was lower than
that of a paper book and that reading on an electronic medium can cause
significantly higher eye fatigue.
A study at Johannes Gutenberg, Mainz27 in 2011 compared the use of various
texts on a dedicated ebook reader (an Amazon Kindle), a tablet PC (an Apple iPad)
and on paper. Although the participants stated that reading from paper was more
23

See Ref. [8].

24

See Ref. [12].

25

See Ref. [16].

26

See Ref. [10].

27

See Ref. [9].

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comfortable than the E Ink reader, the universitys students confirmed that tablet
PCs actually provide an advantage over E Ink readers and the printed page that is
not consciously perceivable: the information is processed more easily when a tablet
PC is employed.
The ebook reading experience is essentially two-fold: device and contents.
However there is a third factor to consider and that is the author and developer of
the contents. All parties must adopt a human-centred approach to the development
of ebooks.
The functional, material and emotional factors help to form experiential factors.
Furthermore the right reading environment is vital to ensuring engagement. User
experience is heavily influenced by previous paper-based reading experience and
using other devices. The study also asserts that the action of sharing books has an
effect on experience.
Emotional Factors
The study found that users can engage more with the device, in this case the iPad, if
there is a degree of familiarity. Although brand was not viewed as an important
aspect of ebook device adoption, it was clear that a familiarity with platform
improved engagement with the ebook. Respondent opinion was evenly split as to
whether the brand of the device was important to them33 % strongly agreed or
agreed and 39 % strongly agreed or disagreed.
Keeping design intuitive is perhaps demonstrated best on the Apple iPad. Each
member of the studys focus group had iPad experience and despite not necessarily
owning one were able to engage quickly with the device. It is recognised that
maintaining an intuitive display is vital to ensuring a successful user experience.
Familiarity with contents is also important. This is the reason why, despite the
technological progressions, there is a continued emphasis on re-creating the book
metaphor on an electronic platform. An emphatic 83 % strongly agreed or agreed
that the physical properties of the book were important to them. Employing the book
metaphor and accentuating the experience with media is one way towards
maintaining familiarity and enhancing the reading experience.
There is a personal affinity and emotional attachment with the printed book that
is often recounted by commentators. Roxburgh provides emotive support for the
printed book. What we really love about books is the content, which is unique and
eternal, not the format, which is mass-produced and perishable. But we emotionally
attach to objects.28
This study asserts that the reading experience comprises a number of emotions
and that emotional factors lie not just in the experience but the object at the centre of
the experience. Relaxation and engagement fuel the experience and both the ebook
and the device has to ensure this. There is also a sense of emotional attachment to
the book and the story, as well as a feeling of ownership to the object.
The device is a wrapper for the book and does not offer emotional attachment in
the same way as the paper book. This was supported by the 56 % of respondents
28

See Ref. [18].

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who agreed, and 17 % who strongly agreed, that they were more emotionally
attached to the printed book than a device. This is not to say that emotional
attachment to technology does not exist (33 % disagreed or strongly disagreed that
they could emotionally attach to technology), but the device does not yet have the
same sense of tradition as the paper-based book. To recreate the same feeling of
immersion, the device must allow for a relaxing read through the optimum
ergonomics previously mentioned.
Although more emotional attachment rests with the paper book than the ebook,
emotional influence can be heightened through familiarity and being able to ensure
a relaxing and intuitive read. Furthermore media enhancements that can provide a
tailor-made and individual ebook will enhance the experience. The attachment that a
reader has to an author and their work should also be harnessed.
Reading is an emotive subject and books are a nostalgic medium. In a generation
that is driven by technological development, this study believes that the preference
for books is a firmly embedded opinion and is difficult to change. Paper-based books
are full of tradition and history, whilst the book reading experience is often formed
in childhood. For these reasons, publishers and developers should place the
emphasis on shifting opinion to the middle and encourage co-adoption of both
ebook and paper-based book.

Summary
As further developments are made and new ebook devices are released,
understanding has to be given to a human-centered approach that will help to
better the design of ebooks and best utilise the technology. Although publishers
cannot affect the technology on which the device is read, they can affect the
contents and further enhance the readers experience. The publishing industry needs
to think innovatively and use a human-centered approach to development that will
allow them to design for more engaging experiences.

References
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