How Do Display Design and User Characteristics Matter in Animations? An Empirical Study with Air Traffic Control Displays

Abstract

We detail an empirical animation study to assess how display design, user spatial ability, and training might influence visuospatial decision-making with animated displays showing aircraft movements. We present empirical results of a visuospatial detection task with moving objects, based on response accuracy and response time, including a descriptive eye-movement analysis. We found significant differences in a visuospatial detection task of moving objects across animation design types and domain expertise levels based on viewers' visuospatial skill differences. With this empirical approach, we hope to better understand how users explore and extract information from animated displays. Based on these results, we aim to further develop empirically validated animation display design guidelines to increase their efficiency and effectiveness for decision-making with and about moving objects.