The effect of color coding and layout coding on users’ visual search on mobile map navigation icons

Color and spatial layout are important factors that affect users’ icon cognition and play a huge role in the visual search process of icons. Guided by the user’s interactive needs, this paper aims to improve the visual search efficiency of mobile map navigation icons. The mixed design within and between subjects is adopted through the combination of theoretical and experimental research, and the subjective questionnaire method is used to explore the research. This paper explores the visual search problem of mobile map navigation icons based on color coding and layout coding. The experimental results mainly include reaction time, accuracy rate, user experience, and statistical and variance analysis. The results show that the layout of the mobile map navigation icons significantly impacts the user’s visual search. The navigation icons that use color for layout coding have the highest visual search efficiency and better user experience. Among the icons, the layout with regular color distribution and a larger area of the same color has the highest visual search efficiency for users and the best user experience; the visual search efficiency of navigation icons using color for layout coding is significantly higher than that of mobile map navigation icons.Relevance to industry: The user scale of mobile information maps is huge and the usage rate is high, but the large number of navigation icons increases the burden of user information identification and acquisition. As a result, the efficiency of user information acquisition is low, and the user experience is reduced. A clear, easy-to-search navigation icon design can enhance the user experience of the entire product. The results of this research provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the design optimization and improvement of mobile map navigation icons

THE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATE-LINE SHADING ON VISUAL SEARCH IN GRID-BASED GRAPHIC DESIGNS

Objective: The goal of this research was to determine whether alternate-line shading (zebra-striping) of grid-based displays affects the strategy (i.e., “visual flow”) and efficiency of serial search. Background: Grids, matrices, and tables are commonly used to organize information. A number of design techniques and psychological principles are relevant to how viewers’ eyes can be guided through such visual works. One common technique for grids, “zebra-striping,” is intended to guide eyes through the design, or “create visual flow” by alternating shaded and unshaded rows or columns. Method: 13 participants completed a visual serial search task. The target was embedded in a grid that had 1) no shading, 2) shading of alternating rows, or 3) shading of alternating columns. Response times and error rates were analyzed to determine search strategy and efficiency. Results: Our analysis found evidence supporting a weak effect of shading on search strategy. The direction of shading had an impact on which parts of the grid were responded to most rapidly. However, a left-to-right reading bias and middle-to-outside edge effect were also found. Overall performance was reliably better when the grid had no shading. Exploratory analyses suggest individual differences may be a factor. Conclusion: Shading seems to create visual flow that is relatively weak compared to search strategies related to the edge effect or left-to-right reading biases. In general, however, the presence of any type of shading reduced search performance. Application: Designers creating a grid-based display should not automatically assume that shading will change viewers search strategies. Furthermore, although strategic shading may be useful for tasks other than that studied here, our current data indicate that shading can actually be detrimental to visual search for complex (i.e., conjunctive) targets

User-centred design criteria in next generation vehicle consoles

The purpose of this work is to gauge user opinions on vehicle dashboard design to ascertain the criteria important to consumers for the next generation of automobile dashboards. The results provide insight into the aspects of dashboard design that users feel are not beneficial and thereby lead to better informed dashboard designs in the future. Participants reviewed the physical ergonomics of their vehicles very positively. However, in dashboard design and instrument panel layout they were unsure of what an ideal dashboard would look like, often showing contradictory views. Controls on the steering wheel were also well reviewed but controls near the gear stick were not. In terms of vehicle technology Satnavs received good scoring for effectiveness but were reported as distracting. IVISs were negatively reviewed. Finally, automation was reviewed as potentially improving the daily lives of individuals but trust in automation is still a problem. Overall, this study showed that whilst dashboards are relatively well reviewed there are still issues to be addressed regarding in-vehicle technology and distraction, as well as improving public opinion on automated vehicles. Results represent the first stage in research studying current dashboards and distraction of in-vehicle technology and the design of automated dashboards of the future using virtual reality environments to create optimal console designs for drivers

User-centred design criteria in next generation vehicle consoles

The purpose of this work is to gauge user opinions on vehicle dashboard design to ascertain the criteria important to consumers for the next generation of automobile dashboards. The results provide insight into the aspects of dashboard design that users feel are not beneficial and thereby lead to better informed dashboard designs in the future. Participants reviewed the physical ergonomics of their vehicles very positively. However, in dashboard design and instrument panel layout they were unsure of what an ideal dashboard would look like, often showing contradictory views. Controls on the steering wheel were also well reviewed but controls near the gear stick were not. In terms of vehicle technology Satnavs received good scoring for effectiveness but were reported as distracting. IVISs were negatively reviewed. Finally, automation was reviewed as potentially improving the daily lives of individuals but trust in automation is still a problem. Overall, this study showed that whilst dashboards are relatively well reviewed there are still issues to be addressed regarding in-vehicle technology and distraction, as well as improving public opinion on automated vehicles. Results represent the first stage in research studying current dashboards and distraction of in-vehicle technology and the design of automated dashboards of the future using virtual reality environments to create optimal console designs for drivers

Natural User Interface Usability Research in Context of Curved Displays Systems

Continuous development of information technologies makes us review ex-isting rules and recommendations designed to improve the efficiency of IT use, to ensure optimal working conditions for the users, to increase produc-tivity, security and to protect human health. Relevant researrch in the field of computer engineering is performed in the dissertation. The thesis analyzes natural user interfaces and their usabil-ity (efficiency, productivity and satisfaction with witch a particular user can reach specific goals in a specific environment) for performing of various functions. This dissertation examines factors, which determine efficiency of usability, and how efficiency is influenced by a curved display. The problem is relevant and the raised goal and objectives are new from the point of view of science. First of all, the thesis examines how to improve working conditions by developing graphical user interface of the infor-mation systems. Secondly, the influence of information submission to human, while one is performing task and specific domain tasks using graph-ical user interface, is examined. As there is no common opinion on how to create natural user interfaces and there is no definite set of parameters which determine the efficiency of usability, performed experimental research is an important contribution to the solution of these problems

Personality Traits and User Behavior

Psychologists and human resources personnel have used personality profiling as a predictor of human behavior in various environments for many decades. Knowing the personality traits of a particular individual allows management to tailor an environment ideally suited for an individual, attempting to maximize a person's productivity and job satisfaction. Measurements of personality are classically achieved through a self-reporting survey. This method has a potential inaccuracy due to its lack of objectivity and a bias due to cultural influences. This research explores the relationships between specific computer user behavior patterns and personality profiles. The results may provide a partial map between personality profile traits and computer user behavior. In an attempt to discover such correlations, forty-five fraternity and sorority students from Texas A&M University were selected to participate in a personality survey and three computer based tests. One test measured the subject's perceptive abilities, another measured their decision-making requirements, and a third measured their methods employed in organizing a task. The results show conclusively that some personality profile traits do influence how people visually interpret information presented on a computer screen. Individuals who exhibit high conscientiousness or agreeableness scores on a personality assessment survey take less time to find an icon among a collection during an icon search test. However, the results also show a significantly large variability in individuals, indicating that many other factors may influence attempts to measure an individual's personality traits. This indicates that the tests presented in this study, even though they show that behavior is related to personality traits, cannot be used as diagnostic tools. Further research will be required to obtain that goal