Assessing the Effects of Mobile OS Design on Single-Step Navigation and Task Performance

When working on a task, mobile device users want to complete their work as quickly and efficiently as possible. In order to accomplish this they must use the navigational tools available on the system's interface. The importance of control design to user success requires system designers to consider all aspects of interface design: control tool characteristics, target audience demographics, and even frequency of use, to name a few. This research investigates characteristics (shape, location, and depth vs. breadth) of navigational control tools in order to determine their impact on user performance during common tasks on a mobile device. Cue theory predicts that performance is enhanced when cues are provided during decision-making situations. In the current research, controls with appropriate differentiation are expected to provide the cues necessary for users to more quickly identify their desired target.

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