A Novel User Experience Study of Parallax Scrolling using Eye Tracking and User Experience Questionnaire

Parallax scrolling technique is being devoted as a unique and an innovative trend in the web design. Parallax scrolling provides 3D perception on a web page. Previous works observed user experience issues of parallax scrolling merely based on subjective questionnaires. Their findings leave a research question whether the results are valid as a written questionnaire may be perceived differently by participants. Additionally, bias and ambiguity in the questionnaire can affect the research results significantly. To solve this research problem, we present a novel user experience study of parallax scrolling in storytelling and online shop website using eye tracking and User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). Forty (N=40) participant joined the experiment on a voluntary basis. Each participant only interacted with one out of two websites (storytelling or online shop) and only one effect (with or without parallax scrolling). We found that parallax scrolling affected UEQ score of Attractiveness of the storytelling website (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that parallax scrolling improves user engagement in storytelling website. We also observed that the participants spent time almost two times faster to find an object of interest in an online shop with parallax scrolling compared with the similar task in an online shop without parallax scrolling (p < 0.05). We thus argue that parallax scrolling is useful during interacting with particular websites that require visual object localization. In future, web designers should consider the appropriate usage of parallax scrolling to optimize user experience while avoiding additional distraction caused by this technique

Storytelling in online shops: the impacts on explicit and implicit user experience, brand perceptions and behavioral intention

Purpose: This paper examines in detail how the use of storytelling with parallax technology can influence the user experience (UX) in online shops as well as brand- and behavior-relevant variables. Furthermore, this study analyzes the causal relationships between UX, brand attitudes and brand-related behavioral intentions in terms of purchase intention and price premiums. Explicit and implicit paths of human information processing are considered. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 266 respondents completed a web-based experiment under two conditions (text-based vs parallax storytelling online shop). An existing and operational online shop was used. The causal relationships were assessed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). To measure implicit information processing, a single category implicit association test was applied. Findings: By applying the storytelling technique with parallax scrolling, the online shop increased visitors' UX on explicit and implicit information processing levels and increased the online shop's overall perceived attractiveness. Storytelling with parallax motion enables an efficient transmission of brand-related associations to consumers' minds, enhances their explicit and implicit brand attitudes and increases their willingness to pay a higher price. Moreover, this study provides empirical evidence on the effects of UX on brand-related measures by applying PLS-SEM and thus reveals a causal chain of effects from UX on online shop attractiveness, brand attitude and behavioral intentions. Again, explicit and implicit perceptions were considered. Originality/value: Science and practice are increasingly emphasizing that storytelling emotionalizes content, which facilitates effective communication and builds strong relationships with customers. Little evidence exists about its efficient implementation in an online shopping context and in fulfilling hedonic and pragmatic needs throughout the online journey. This study provides novel insights into managing online shoppers' UX, brand-related perceptions and behavioral intentions with the optimal use of techniques to implement storytelling. Furthermore, this is one of the first studies to holistically consider the human perception of online shops by drawing on theories and methods of psychology, marketing, consumer behavior, brand research and consumer neuroscience and considering explicit and implicit information processing in terms of hedonic and pragmatic UX and brand-related measures

Augmented reality effects on consumer processing of advertisements: Testing the theory of interactive media effects

Augmented reality (AR) is a technological innovation that offers interactive experiences that can be integrated into promotional material such as advertisements. AR allows the blend of real-world and digital elements in real time, creating an augmented environment. This study examines the aspects in which AR influences information processing and persuasion when used in advertisements. An experiment was utilized to assess the relationship between modality-interactivity, perceptual bandwidth variables (user engagement, cognitive absorption, perceived vividness, and perceived coolness) and attitudes. The experiment revealed that the presence of AR in an advertisement did not elicit positive attitudes toward the brand itself, but it did have an effect on consumers’ attitudes toward the promotional material. The findings regarding the effects of AR on the perceptual bandwidth variables showed that AR only influenced perceived coolness. Additional analysis suggested perceived coolness fully mediated the effect of AR on attitudes toward promotional material. Taken together, the findings showed mixed support for the TIME framework

A user experience‐based toolset for automotive human‐machine interface technology development

The development of new automotive Human-Machine Interface (HMI) technologies must consider the competing and often conflicting demands of commercial value, User Experience (UX) and safety. Technology innovation offers manufacturers the opportunity to gain commercial advantage in a competitive and crowded marketplace, leading to an increase in the features and functionality available to the driver. User response to technology influences the perception of the brand as a whole, so it is important that in-vehicle systems provide a high-quality user experience. However, introducing new technologies into the car can also increase accident risk. The demands of usability and UX must therefore be balanced against the requirement for driver safety. Adopting a technology-focused business strategy carries a degree of risk, as most innovations fail before they reach the market. Obtaining clear and relevant information on the UX and safety of new technologies early in their development can help to inform and support robust product development (PD) decision making, improving product outcomes. In order to achieve this, manufacturers need processes and tools to evaluate new technologies, providing customer-focused data to drive development. This work details the development of an Evaluation Toolset for automotive HMI technologies encompassing safety-related functional metrics and UX measures. The Toolset consists of four elements: an evaluation protocol, based on methods identified from the Human Factors, UX and Sensory Science literature; a fixed-base driving simulator providing a context-rich, configurable evaluation environment, supporting both hardware and software-based technologies; a standardised simulation scenario providing a repeatable basis for technology evaluations, allowing comparisons across multiple technologies and studies; and a technology scorecard that collates and presents evaluation data to support PD decision making processes

Understanding consumers’ ethical decision-making process : assessment of antecedents and consequences of consumer’s explicit and implicit perception and behavior towards ethical consumption

Soziale und ökologische Anliegen erfahren bei allen Austauschprozessen eine immer höhere Relevanz. Auch beim Konsum achten immer mehr Menschen auf die ökologische und soziale Verträglichkeit der konsumierten Produkte und Marken und wollen mit ihren Konsumentscheidungen ein Zeichen gegen unethisches Handeln setzen. Dadurch bietet der Konsum heutzutage ein Mittel, mit dem Konsumenten ihre ethischen Vorstellungen vertreten und repräsentieren können. Während Konsumenten jedoch in einigen Handlungsbereichen bewusst entsprechend ihren ethischen Vorstellungen nach handeln, geraten in anderen Handlungsbereichen die selbigen ethischen Grundsätze in den Hintergrund und erfahren kaum oder teilweise keine Relevanz bei der Konsumentscheidung. Daher stellt sich die Frage, ob es den ethischen Konsumenten überhaupt gibt. Zahlreiche Unternehmen passen sich den ethischen Grundsätzen und Vorstellungen der Konsumenten an und versuchen Ihre Angebote an diese Vorstellungen auszurichten. Da scheinbar allein die ausgesprochenen ethischen Vorstellungen der Konsumenten kein ausreichendes Merkmal sind, um entsprechende Handlungen zu tätigen, ist ein ausgeprägteres Verständnis ethischer Konsumentscheidungen und ihrer Determinanten erforderlich. Diesem Ziel widmet sich die vorliegende Dissertation. Im ersten Modul, welches aus drei Forschungsartikeln besteht, werden zunächst Treiber und Folgen des ethischen Konsums identifiziert und Ihre Beziehung zueinander diskutiert. Hierbei werden insbesondere psychographische Merkmale der Konsumenten erörtert, sowie produkt-, marken- und kontextabhängige Faktoren adressiert. Zudem wird hier ein Bezug zwischen dem Luxuskonsum und dem ethischen Konsum hergestellt. Das zweite Modul besteht aus insgesamt zwei Forschungsbeiträgen und setzt sich mit der Förderung nachhaltigen Konsums auseinander. Hierbei wird insbesondere auf die Gestaltung von Kommunikationsmaßnahmen und Kanälen eingegangen, wobei das Offline- sowie das Online-Umfeld einbezogen wird. Letzteres in Form eines Online Shops für fair gehandelten Kaffee. Da Menschen Informationen über explizite und implizite Prozesse verarbeiten und Entscheidungen oftmals unbewusst getroffen werden, werden Methoden der neuroökonomischen Forschung in Modul 2 integriert, um eben diese unbewussten Prozesse zu erfassen und so die ganzheitliche Wirkung der Maßnahmen erfassen zu können. Die Ergebnisse der verschiedenen Forschungsartikel veranschaulichen die Vielfältigkeit der Faktoren, denen ethische Konsumhandlungen unterliegen. Sämtliche Treiber müssen, je nach Anwendungskontext, in die Erklärung des ethischen Konsumentenverhaltens einbezogen werden. Die Erkenntnisse liefern für kommerzielle sowie nicht-kommerzielle Unternehmen (Non-Profit-Organisationen) wertvolle praktische Implikationen, um ihre Zielgruppe besser zu verstehen und um ihre Produkte und Kommunikationsmaßnahmen effizient gestalten und wirksam umzusetzen zu können. Für zukünftige Forschungsrichtungen liefert die Dissertation mehrere potenzielle Ansätze. Besonders zu verfolgen sind jene, die eine ganzheitlichere Erklärung ethischen Konsums anstreben und mögliche Barrieren auf Seiten der Konsumenten adressieren. Hierbei kann die Einbindung modernen Methoden der Neuroökonomie einen erheblichen Beitrag zur Erklärung des Entscheidungsprozesses bieten

Towards a definition of digital narratives in art museums

This thesis defines art museums’ online resources as narratives in response to the following question: How can online resources, such as online exhibitions, online publications, and similar resources, be accurately and systematically defined? The aim of this definition is to provide a detailed, clear, and critical understanding of certain types of online resources, namely online exhibitions and online publications, that share attributes and functions. The two types of online resources contain and display exhibitions and artworks information, use similar interfaces and media, can serve similar audiences, and narrate the stories of the artworks. Based on the narrative character of both types, the definition comprehensively examines the spectrum of attributes online resources have and the implications of such attributes. Thus, the definition not only indicates what are online resources and their characteristics but also explains why online resources are the way they are and have certain characteristics, and how they function as narratives. These attributes are authorship, readership, temporality, spatiality, and mediality. In order to construct the definition, a systematic review of narratology and museum studies literature on narratives was pursued. The review of the literature was key to develop a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon. Moreover, the methodology used in this thesis revised the traditional usage of narratology in museum studies research integrating empirical evidence. In this way, the narratological analysis moves away from the narrative text itself and also considers the production and consumption mechanisms of the narrative. The thesis employs six art museums’ online resources from Spain, the United States, and the United Kingdom as sources for the research. Data from seven museum professionals involved in the creation of those resources was collected with interviews. In the case of the scholarly audience, twenty scholars performed think-aloud protocol sessions while visiting the online resources

MobileSync Web

With the development of mobile technology, smartphones have become a necessity in our daily lives. Various sensors and multi-touch screens of smartphones have contributed to a large amount of functional and excellent mobile applications and games. However, the support on interactive webpages is not sufficient. Since, in the most circumstances, smartphones are available when people use computers to browse webpages, I consider whether mobile technology might be effective to enhance the user experience when people browse webpages on computers and whether it has the potential to be a new way for web interactions. Through researches, mainly user testing, and analyzes, a project as a form of interactive webpage integrating mobile technology shows the potential needs of this combination. This project proposes a new way for people to browse interactive webpages which can lead user experiences, by use of mobile technology, to a new place

Parallax Scrolling: game over or restart?

Este projeto tem como objetivo principal explorar a influência da técnica de parallax scrolling no contexto do web design, procurando responder às seguintes questões de investigação: De que forma se distingue o parallax scrolling das restantes técnicas de apresentação de conteúdos e informação, considerando a experiência do utilizador? Qual a vantagem da técnica de parallax scrolling em detrimento de outras? Qual a influência e impacto deste efeito na área do web design? O efeito do paralaxe evidencia-se quando objetos mais próximos do olhar aparentam mover-se a uma velocidade e ângulos distintos em relação a objetos que estejam mais distantes. Foi, pela primeira vez, explorado artificialmente na área do cinema em 1926. No anos 80, a ilusão de tridimensionalidade que proporciona deu uma nova dimensão aos videojogos.. Já a partir de 2012, esta técnica começou a marcar presença também no web design. Vários estudos foram desenvolvidos para comprovar, ou não, o impacto do parallax scrolling na experiência do utilizador. Este projeto visa sintetizar as conclusões obtidas pelo diferentes autores e propor uma abordagem, aos futuros académicos e profissionais, ciente dos defeitos e virtudes do parallax scrolling, com o objetivo de otimizar este efeito, alvo de bastantes críticas

User Interfaces for Personal Knowledge Management with Semantic Technologies

This thesis describes iMapping and QuiKey, two novel user interface concepts for dealing with structured information. iMapping is a visual knowledge mapping technique based on zooming, which combines the advantages of several existing approaches and scales up to very large maps. QuiKey is a text-based tool to interact with graph-structured knowledge bases with very high interaction efficiency. Both tools have been implemented and positively evaluated in user studies

Situated Displays in Telecommunication

In face to face conversation, numerous cues of attention, eye contact, and gaze direction provide important channels of information. These channels create cues that include turn taking, establish a sense of engagement, and indicate the focus of conversation. However, some subtleties of gaze can be lost in common videoconferencing systems, because the single perspective view of the camera doesn't preserve the spatial characteristics of the face to face situation. In particular, in group conferencing, the `Mona Lisa effect' makes all observers feel that they are looked at when the remote participant looks at the camera. In this thesis, we present designs and evaluations of four novel situated teleconferencing systems, which aim to improve the teleconferencing experience. Firstly, we demonstrate the effectiveness of a spherical video telepresence system in that it allows a single observer at multiple viewpoints to accurately judge where the remote user is placing their gaze. Secondly, we demonstrate the gaze-preserving capability of a cylindrical video telepresence system, but for multiple observers at multiple viewpoints. Thirdly, we demonstrated the further improvement of a random hole autostereoscopic multiview telepresence system in conveying gaze by adding stereoscopic cues. Lastly, we investigate the influence of display type and viewing angle on how people place their trust during avatar-mediated interaction. The results show the spherical avatar telepresence system has the ability to be viewed qualitatively similarly from all angles and demonstrate how trust can be altered depending on how one views the avatar. Together these demonstrations motivate the further study of novel display configurations and suggest parameters for the design of future teleconferencing systems