Computational Models of the Perceptual, Cognitive, and Motor Processes Involved in the Visual Search of Pull-Down Menus and Computer Screens

Abstract

A major challenge in making software easy for people to use is to design screen layouts that people can search efficiently. Although there has been a great deal of research on visual search, the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) still does not have an empirically validated model of the perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes that people use when they look for a known item on a computer screen. There are many guidelines to direct the design of computer screen layouts, but few if any have been explained in terms of how these processes give rise to the guidelines. This dissertation presents the first empirically validated models of the perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes involved in the visual search of computer menus, models that can be generalized to explain the cognitive processes involved in more general computer layout visual search tasks on a computer. These models should contribute to the design and analysis of more usable computer systems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA533079

Entities

People

  • Anthony J. Hornof

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Science
  • Cognitive Systems Engineering
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • Human Systems Integration
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Information Processing
  • Information Systems
  • Operating Systems
  • Psychology
  • Task Performance And Analysis
  • User Interface
  • Web Browsers
  • Word Processors

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Database Systems and Applications