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| Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2001): |
Factors affecting the usefulness of impenetrable interface element borders.
Full Abstract
N. Walker and J. B. Smelcer (1990) found that selection times for menus could be reduced by placing the menus adjacent to the edge of the screen; this creates a border between the menu and the edge of the screen that the mouse cursor cannot penetrate. Based on this finding, they proposed that selection times for graphical user interface targets could be reduced by employing these impenetrable borders. Four studies tested this prediction with a Web browser's back button and scroll bar. Results demonstrated that targets employing impenetrable borders were always selected faster than were targets placed 1 pixel from the edge of the screen, which supports Walker and Smelcer's prediction. However, within the constraints of the current studies, this speed advantage asymptotes at approximately 283 ms for target heights of 2.00 cm and target distances of 3.50 cm. In addition, these findings generalized across most angles of approach. Actual or potential applications of this research include target placement decisions in the design or modification of graphical user interfaces.
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Author information
Author/s: Farris, J Shawn (JS); Jones, Keith S (KS); Anders, Brent A (BA);
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article
Journal: Human factors (Hum Factors), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2002-; vol 44 (issue 4) : pp 578-91
Dates: Created 2003/04/14; Completed 2003/06/11; Revised 2004/11/17;
PMID: 12691367, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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