Minimizing the Time to Search Visual Displays: The Role of Highlighting

Author:

Fisher Donald L.1,Coury Bruce G.1,Tengs Tammy O.1,Duffy Susan A.1

Affiliation:

1. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts

Abstract

Office computer users frequently need to search long lists of options for a particular target. Highlighting a subset of the options can shorten the average display search time. The goal of the current research was to identify the subset of options to highlight that minimizes users' average search time for any given display. To begin, a mathematical model of the visual search process was constructed which could be used to predict the average search time for a target in a display with or without highlighted options. The predictions of this model were then compared with the results of a visual search experiment that varied the type of highlighting (blocked, random, or no highlighting), the number of highlighted options, and the probability that a target was highlighted. Overall the predictions of the model were consistent with the results from the experiment. Finally, procedures based on the model were developed which could be used to find the optimal subset of options to highlight for a given display— that is, the subset of highlighted options that minimizes users' search times.

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Behavioral Neuroscience,Applied Psychology,Human Factors and Ergonomics

Cited by 46 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3