Presenter: C. Z. Chaniotaki, USC
Date: 30 September 2026

Keyboard usage is an important aspect of accessing the web, as it is an interface supported by a wide range of accessible technologies, providing flexibility for those who cannot use point-and-click interfaces. However, navigating the web with a keyboard is not always easy. In this paper, we present a quantitative look at the disparate experiences that keyboard users face when interacting with web applications (apps) compared to what is perceived as the “standard” conventional mouse-based interaction. Specifically, we assess the effort required to navigate web apps using the keyboard and examine how the web User Interface (UI) behaves differently for keyboard and mouse users. We implemented and ran a keyboard-based UI crawler on a large set of web UIs, and analyzed the keyboard navigation patterns from the perspective of keyboard users. Our findings highlight significant disparities, revealing common obstacles that keyboard users face when performing basic tasks on web apps.

Biography

Life is truly marvelous, especially when you chase and achieve your dreams. Along the way, you may encounter a few “bugs,” but if you strive, you may overcome them. Just as in life, Software Engineering faces issues. I derive immense satisfaction from resolving real-life challenges, and I’m eager to discover innovative methods for detecting and solving problems in the realm of Software Engineering as well.

I am a Ph.D. Student in Computer Science at the University of Southern California (USC), supervised by Prof. William G.J. Halfond. I received my bachelor’s degree in 2018 from the Department of Management Science and Technology at the Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece. In 2021, I finished a master’s degree in Information Systems at the same University. During my studies, I started working in the industry as a Software Engineer. My latest job position was Applied Scientist II at Amazon, located in New York City, New York.