Keywords

1 Introduction

E-commerce has taken an unprecedented proportion nowadays, being possible to buy virtually any product or service over the internet. Consumers are using e-commerce due to numerous advantages compared to going to physical stores, for example: the ease of buying 24 h a day, faster price searches, the convenience of buying at home without the need to leave and face the difficulties of daily life, such as traffic, queues, violence, tight shops, lack of architectural accessibility, etc. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs and owners of virtual stores also find several advantages in maintaining a virtual store, whether in conjunction with a physical store or not.

Shopping websites have a basic structure, with simple access and information about the products and other general data, such as company history, fashion tips, interviews, publications, photo gallery, payment methods, etc. However, it does not have a seller on the job, give you more information, and increase your shopping experience.

In recent years this process has changed and technology has brought new perspectives. In times of competition, it has become important to provide users with more than a visual experience. In this scenario came a resource that brought a new way of defining choice and purchase: the virtual fashion taster. That is, a digital way of choosing your outfit without users leaving their home.

However, this has become a major challenge for many professionals involved with the development of websites. Moving from a real to a virtual experience has many variables that range from usability and technology issues to emotional, social, financial, and behavioral issues. In view of the above and considering HCI as the discipline related to the evaluation of interactive computer systems for human use, this article brings the results of usability evaluation of a shopping site with virtual fitting room.

Twenty students from an undergraduate course in Fashion Design used the virtual fitting room in some Brazilian e-commerce sites and simulated the purchase of some pieces of clothing, verifying the possibilities that this tool provides. The students analyzed usability according to the hybrid model of Usability of Leventhal and Barnes [20] and made observations according to the Basic Ergonomic Factors of Gomes Filho [14]. After finding positive and negative points, the students brought a number of contributions that can be used in future versions or updates of this tool, taking into account the experience of using the tool, the information it provides, the experience and the empathy with the user.

2 Fashion Industry

Retail stores are changing the way they sell their products since the rise of Internet sales, drawing attention to the reflections and adaptations of the physical stores. Several researches address the future of traditional e-commerce versus e-commerce, drawing attention to this new way of dealing with an increasingly connected, technology-savvy public who wants new alternatives [31].

While interior designers, architects and shopwindows work tirelessly to create showcases and flashy decorations to attract as many customers as possible, another team of professionals working in the computer and information industry (digital programmers, Information Technology engineers, Web designers, etc.) seek to reduce the existing gap that differentiates the actual shopping experience from what happens on websites, in a virtual way [3].

This new process has also led to a growth in competition, modifying the sales policy of companies, putting pressure on the creative sectors, generating more discussions about the consequences and implications of online sales, requiring new directions for the production chain, logistics and supply, and the consumer a more essential element in the sales process [13]. One of the main innovations was systems that virtually test fashion products, also known as virtual fitting room.

2.1 Virtual Fitting Room

Traditional cloth tasters are physical spaces located within commercial establishments, usually in the form of booths. Consumers can experiment and evaluate clothing and accessories in front of mirrors. It is a place of great importance because it is where the consumer can make his purchase decision. In the case of the virtual fashion taster, the consumer does not necessarily have to be present in the physical store and can virtually “taste” any clothing product. It can even be done at home, in front of the computer or smartphone.

This tool appeared in some Brazilian sites some years ago in order to solve the problem that the consumers found to choose their products in more detail, especially referring to the size and comfort. Researchers point out that the installation of the Virtual FashionTaster brings benefits to shopkeepers who have shops in digital format [3, 13]. Among the benefits are increased profits, increased technology investments (generating new applications, usage alternatives, and experiences) and increased consumer curiosity about product characteristics, which in turn increases online shopping, and offline (in the physical store) as it became common for the consumer to try at home and then go to the store to make the purchase. The Fig. 1 shows an example of virtual fitting room.

Fig. 1.
figure 1

References: https://sizebay.com/en/ (Authorized by Sizebay).

A 2D female avatar and her body measurements.

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There are several models with various configurations and possibilities of use. From 2D models accessed with just a few mouse clicks (or on the display), with scrollbars, buttons, and fields for numeric data to models that use the computer or smartphone camera, where the user captures his or her own photo and through the overlap of images it is possible to “mount” the clothing in your own body. There are still the most advanced models, installed in physical stores, that capture the real image of the body through complex algorithms present in sensors installed in mirrors. This body reading performs a scanning and capturing of the body sizing, generating an avatar with the precise measurements of the body, simulating the “virtual assembly” of the clothes in the user with great detail, using a pre-existing database [26, 27].

It can observed the use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (RA) technology in more advanced models, especially those that use avatars. In fact the term “3D avatar” corresponds to a graphic, digital, complete and personalized representation of a person. There are several models and the main attributes that the deference is the realism, the level of detail and the movements [4]. Some examples of virtual fitting room and/or technologies that use RA for fashion use are: “1Measure”, “Viubox”, “FaceCake”, “Swivel”, “Fitiquette”, “Zugara”, “triMirror”, “bodyvisualizer”, “Fitnect”, “Bodi.me”.

2.2 Fashion in the Virtual World

The use of RV and RA is one of the great advances in the user experience. The global market for virtual environments (especially those using VR and RA as technology) undergoes exponential growth, from $6.1 billion in 2016 to a projection of $209.2 billion in 2022. The figures indicate that there are huge investments, opportunities and expectations [28].

According to Flavián [12] state-of-the-art technologies that utilize RV in favor of customers can be a great alternative against competition when used commercially. The authors cite as an example the early visualization of the new decoration of a room before the project is even finalized or virtually experience the clothes before they go to the store. This interaction can be a great competitive advantage, including influencing the purchase intention.

Empirical tests with new techniques, types of virtual fashion tasters using real consumers and comparative tests help companies to understand the function of this technology, facilitating the selection of the best model to meet their needs and their objectives related to production, logistics, sales, marketing and the relationship they maintain with their customers [2, 9, 15, 24, 32]. The comparative results bring new insights into the interaction with environments and virtual elements, whether physical (through body tracing) to cognitive, emotional and sentimental aspects, and are configured as hybrid experiences [5, 6].

3 Usability

The term usability is a concept of fundamental importance to the design and its applications. If the purpose of a product or system is to meet the needs of the user, usability is the element that will provide the execution of the activity and the satisfaction of the user. The usability process “begins by looking at who uses the product, understanding its objectives and needs” [10], and then defining the most appropriate technique to meet the needs and provide a correct interaction between the user, the product and the task.

ISO 9241-11 [18] defines usability as the “reach by which a product can be used by certain users to achieve specific goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a certain context of use.” This definition highlights both the complexity and the usability scope. Without usability, the product or system tends to fail, causing several problems, such as user dissatisfaction, loss of time and expenses, extra costs, generating low productivity, among others [21].

The methods of usability evaluation evolved from the first initiatives in the 1980s, becoming constants, enabling increasingly successful interactive experiences [11, 17, 21]. More than the technique and technology used in application development, user experience and satisfaction during and after its use have become valuable elements for websites [1].

However, the virtual world is still a great novelty for many people. Some difficulties that the online clothing trade encounters are distrust and uncertainty of the user, lack of experience in the use of new technologies, doubt in the veracity of the description of the product information, the quality of the product, exchange problems or to the question of the future performance of the product and its durability [7]. Behavior change includes acceptance and trust in the internet, the perception and frequency of use of this technology, clarity and understanding, social influence and opinion of the people [16].

According to Nielsen [22] the usability tests bring countless benefits to both the users and the professionals who develop the systems. In addition to identifying usage problems that may make it difficult or impossible to perform the task, the tests can generate improvements suggested by the users themselves through feedbacks. Tests may occur in a natural environment (field test) or in a controlled environment (laboratory test), however it is important to consider the use context that, in addition to the environment, includes users, the tasks that will be [10, 18].

3.1 Leventhal and Barnes Usability Model

The various types of existing usability tests use different metrics, factors, and parameters, depending on the product or system to be analyzed for use. The model of Leventhal and Barnes [20] has the characteristic of being hybrid because it brings together the main factors of three usability models: Eason [8], Shackel [25] and Neilsen [23].

The authors believe that gathering a set of variables related to a use situation (including the task, user and interface) may result in a more adequate diagnosis of good or bad usability. The model developed by Leventhal and Barnes is divided into two types of variables: situational and user interface, according to Table 1. The definitions of each variable are reported below [10, 20, 21, 29, 30]:

  • Frequency - interferes with usability because the sequence of steps to accomplish a task becomes easier if it is performed regularly thanks to the human memory factor.

  • Rigidity - the amount of options that allow the accomplishment of a de-terminated task can influence usability. If the number of paths is large, the stiffness will be low. But with few steps it is possible that the ta-refa is simple, setting itself as high stiffness.

  • Limitations of the situation - attribute related to possible barriers that may hamper the accomplishment of the task, causing failures and failures. For example, instruction in a language other than native language may make it difficult to understand and accomplish the task.

  • User variables - User characteristics can influence usability, such as motivation and experience, including ability to solve problems.

  • Ease of learning - Can novice users learn to use the interface? Is it easy to understand and memorize the steps?

  • Ease of use - Is the process of using the interface easy or not? Usability will occur if there is facility.

  • Ease of relearning - After using the first time, will the user be easy to use the second time or will he/she encounter difficulties?

  • Flexibility - in the event of an unforeseen event, does the interface facilitate the solution and the resumption of the task? For example, if you have the “Undo” button, it will override some inappropriate command, returning to the immediately preceding stage.

  • Satisfaction - If the interface is easy to use and learn it is likely to be satisfying. Understand the difference between expectations and the performance of a product or system after its use.

  • Task Matching - Proper correlation between the interface and the task helps both the novice and the seasoned user schematize their understanding, after all, a good combination of tasks facilitates understanding.

Table 1. Model of usability of Leventhal and Barnes [20], adapted from Falcão and Soares [10].
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3.2 Basic Ergonomic Factors

Ergonomics is a scientific discipline whose use of its principles is present in the most diverse situations and contexts of daily life. This condition is possible due to the presence of several factors that are part of the project development process and are also part of ergonomic research. It is likely that a product that provides safety and comfort during its use can be considered a good product. Therefore, the “safety” and “comfort” factors should be considered by the industry in general, used as requirements in the development of their products and, where possible, informed to consumers.

Professor and ergonomist Gomes Filho [14] developed a technical ergonomic reading system that relates factors that can be used in projects in the areas of product design, graphic design, architecture and interfaces. This system considers some factors to be basic and very important for design because of its breadth of reach and benefits. Although each project has characteristics, configuration, function, context and specific uses, these factors have a strong influence on the various stages of project development.

The ergonomic factors cited by Gomes Filho [14] are divided into three blocks of variables according to Table 2, and will be explained briefly below.

Table 2. Basic ergonomic factors, adapted from Gomes Filho [14].
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Project Requirements

  • Task - Knowing how, why and why the public will wear a garment is crucial for the fashion designer, preventing him from designing something out of context, especially if they are clothing for specific use.

  • Safety - Protection of the human body is the main function of dressing, but in some situations safety is paramount. For example, to protect against accidents, mainly uniforms and sportswear.

  • Comfort - The perception of comfort is somewhat subjective. However, comfort must provide physical and sensory well-being, suitability during use without causing temporary or intense discomfort and that do not interfere with the performance of domestic, work or leisure tasks.

  • Reach Wrap - Understands the area or spatial volume where the people perform their activities without adopting inappropriate postures that can cause muscular fatigue. Some clothing may hinder or prevent full reach of the arms to the closing systems.

  • Posture - Posture depends heavily on the wearer’s attitudes rather than on clothing. But improperly sized clothing or asymmetric structure may disrupt posture.

  • Application of force - Are the physical movements and efforts made by the user in relation to the handling and control of certain products. Some clothes, like the corselet, require the user’s physical strength to dress.

  • Popular stereotype - Corresponds to common usage practices, known by the population of a given location. It has to do with culture, customs, beliefs and corresponds to the way systems and products are used.

  • Materials - The choice of materials is of fundamental importance because their characteristics can influence in different conditions: use, laundry function, economy, aesthetics, comfort, cleanliness, safety (inflammability, toxicity, etc.). Even the materials can be decisive for the success of the other ergonomic factors.

Handling Actions

  • Operational handling - Act or physical action that relates to the handling or operation of any product. The use of most of the products occurs through physical contact through the handles and knowing them is important.

  • Cleaning - Fundamental to task functionality and efficiency, this variant is a desirable feature in any product.

  • Maintenance - represents the preservation of the configuration and function of the product. Knowing the correct maintenance procedures for a garment facilitates interchangeability and can influence the performance of the task and the useful life.

  • Spatial arrangement - Can be understood as the best possible organization of the elements of a garment, allowing the proper distribution of the items as required.

Perception Actions

  • Visual - Being the main element of perception of the human being, the vision exerts a great influence in the decision making of purchase in the industry of the model. The product is “pleasing to the eye” even before use.

  • Auditory - This perception can complement, reinforce, or replace the assimilation of certain information captured by vision. Or, if used improperly, it can cause noise that hinders silence.

  • Tactile - It has intense relation with the materials. The contact and pressure of the clothing on the body can assume diverse perceptions and sensations depending on the type of material and accessories. Is the fabric light or heavy? Smooth or rough?

  • Kinesthetic - It has to do with the multisensory perception and with the muscular movements, position and weight of the body. It is a relatively complex perception action.

  • Vibration - Understands the vibrations that occur with the use of the object and can be felt. For example, tasks that require a lot of movement from the user, if your uniform has accessories that can cause vibration, balance or trepidation, the task may be poorly executed.

4 Case Study

The case study was carried out with students of the course of Fashion Design of two colleges in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Of the 48 students involved, only 20 were selected (\( {\texttt{14}} \) women and 6 men) for meeting the following criteria: to be at least 18 years of age; have completed more than half the course; being enrolled in the discipline Ergodesign and; never have used a virtual fitting room.

Purchasing should be done on personal computers, as ease of use of the hardware would allow exploring all elements of the virtual fitting room.

4.1 Methodology and Initial Procedures

The approach of this study was objectivist, since there was a preliminary investigation to obtain the knowledge and later practical application. The character of the study is descriptive, since it was observed the phenomenon, the record of the events and the analysis of the data collected.

After studying the methodologies of Leventhal and Barnes and Gomes Filho, the students simulated for 20 min the purchase of clothes using the virtual suppliers in Brazilian sites of clothes retail sales. After the use experience, they answered a questionnaire using the five-level Likert scale. Although it is possible to adopt other levels according to the precision of the answers, the context of the respondents’ understanding or specific details [19], the original model was chosen.

No guiding or supplementary questions were elaborated, only the statement of each variable and factor composed the questionnaires. Students assigned a score of 1 to 5 to identify the positive and negative points of virtual tasters. In the end, the students presented their opinions and generated recommendations.

The caption adopted was as follows:

  • Strongly agree = worth 5 points;

  • Somewhat agree = worth 4 points;

  • Neither agree nor disagree = worth 3 points;

  • Somewhat disagree = worth 2 points;

  • Strongly disagree = worth 1 point.

4.2 The Choice of Website

The 20 students accessed a number of Brazilian websites, but found few virtual fashion tasters. Most sites provided only measurement tables and some had 2D avatars, signaling some parts of the body. However, one kind of virtual fashion taster platform was replicated on most of the sites found and all students chose to evaluate its usability.

It is the Sizebay platform (https://sizebay.com/en/), a company that was born in 2014 in Brazil and offers the virtual taster system for more than 100 virtual stores, in various fashion segments, such as sportswear and uniforms. The Fig. 2 shows one of the steps of the sizebay virtual fitting room.

Fig. 2.
figure 2

References: https://sizebay.com/en/ (Authorized by Sizebay).

One of the screens of the virtual fitting room of Sizebay, 2019.

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4.3 Usability Evaluation

The Leventhal and Barnes usability test is divided into variables and students should analyze each of them during the use of the virtual provider. The standard question to be answered was this: “Is this variable present in the virtual taster?”.

The twenty students were represented by codes, distributed at random, from S1 to S20. The order of numbers had no meaning or interference in the answers. Table 3 presents the final result, where S1 stands for “Student n.1” and V1 is the “variable n. 01 “and the values were explained in Sect. 4.1.

Table 3. Result of the usability evaluation according to Leventhal and Barnes [20]
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4.4 Basic Ergonomic Factors

Each student researched a website and evaluated the data available on it, the step-by-step usage, seeking information related to basic ergonomic factors. In all there were 9 sites with virtual tasters and some of them were analyzed by more than one student. The amount of data generated was enormous and would not fit into this work for reasons of space limitations.

However, Tables 4, 5 and 6 provide an overview of students’ perceptions.

Table 4. Assessment of basic ergonomic factors - project requirements.
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Table 5. Assessment of basic ergonomic factors - handling actions.
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Table 6. Evaluation of basic ergonomic factors – perception actions.
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No site or type of clothing has been contemplated and the results below do not specify any of them. The tables only demonstrate in a global way the students’ perception and critical sense of the ergonomic issues.

4.5 Positive and Negative Points Found in the Study

At the end of the assessments, students should report positives and negatives (success or failure) of the experience of using virtual fashion tasters. The positive points were the following:

  • The experience was satisfactory and interesting.

  • I found it easy to use, even easy to learn.

  • It is easy to buy, because the virtual taster takes some doubts regarding the body and its proportions.

  • It is possible to have a mean base of body measurements and physical type.

  • Having the notion that the clothing meets my expectations makes all the difference.

  • There is a table with standard measures in case of doubts.

  • I found the procedures quick, better than leaving the house to buy

The negatives points were the following:

  • None of the websites reported on the homepage that has the virtual fashion taster option, it is necessary that the consumer first click on some clothing to see the option. It should be more perceptive.

  • The websites found have few pieces to use the virtual fashion taster, not all can be simulated, which left a feeling of frustration.

  • The difficulty in finding stores with virtual fashion tasters was high, showing that this technology still needs to be spread.

  • Some websites have misleading advertising, as they claim to have the virtual fashion taster and when we visit we only find a table of measurements, without the adjustment and simulation capabilities of the human body.

  • Some websites claim to have the virtual fashion taster option but the link is inactive or indicates an error.

  • Most sites with virtual fashion tasters use the same Sizebay software, evidencing the little investment of this technology in national clothing sites.

  • The virtual fashion taster does not allow 360-degree rotation, and a multi-angle view is not possible.

  • It was not possible to observe the trim of the clothing on the body.

  • There was a lack of organization of clothing sizes on the site I researched.

The positives and negatives refer to the experience with the websites and the virtual fitting room. The opinions are general, not specific.

5 Final Considerations

The usability assessment of the virtual taster was an enriching experience for Fashion Design students. It allowed them to evaluate the functionality through the application of knowledge on Ergonomics and the usability test. The presented suggestions were pertinent and the present observations in this work are only a summary of the final content of the discipline Ergodesign. The main objective was achieved and the final result indicated a high level of satisfaction in the use of the virtual test, even though it is a new resource for students.

Applying the basic ergonomic factors in fashion was a major challenge, requiring insight, sensitivity, critical sense and detail on the part of the students, bringing new ways of seeing the products, focusing on the user experience.

It was agreed among students that the convenience provided by online shopping helps increase the presence of this type of business transaction worldwide. The speed in evaluations and comparisons of the products that are coming is one of the great benefits, especially if the consumer does not need to leave the house. This technology is a strong ally to meet this need and to consider ergonomics in this process is of fundamental importance.