Effect of Layout on User Performance and Subjective Evaluation in an Augmented-Reality Environment

In this study, the effect of layout on user performance and subjective evaluation in an augmented-reality (AR) environment was investigated. A scenario where participants had to work on three windows simultaneously was used. Three basic layouts of these windows have been examined, i.e., a horizontal layout, a vertical layout, and a diagonal layout. Additionally, two experimental tasks had to be completed; one was a reading comprehension task requiring a low switching frequency (LSF), and the other was a classification task requiring a high switching frequency (HSF). The results revealed that first, participants performed best in the diagonal layout in the LSF task, whereas they performed best in the vertical layout in the HSF task. Second, no significant differences were found in the disorientation between different layouts. Third, participants were significantly less satisfied with the diagonal layout in the HSF task. In conclusion, a horizontal layout is first recommended for general tasks and a vertical layout is recommended for HSF tasks. The switching distance and switching path are two important factors to be considered in the layout design in an AR environment.