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Published on: November 17, 2016
Factors affecting the usefulness of impenetrable interface element borders.
J Shawn Farris1, Keith S Jones, Brent A Anders
1Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
Human Factors
|April 15, 2003
Summary
Placing graphical user interface targets near screen edges with impenetrable borders speeds up selection. This effect plateaus at specific target sizes and distances, offering practical design insights.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Usability Engineering
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Previous research by Walker and Smelcer (1990) indicated that menu selection times decrease when menus are placed adjacent to the screen edge.
- This phenomenon is attributed to the creation of an impenetrable border that limits mouse cursor movement.
- This concept was extended to predict faster selection times for graphical user interface (GUI) targets using similar impenetrable borders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically test the hypothesis that impenetrable borders enhance the selection speed of GUI targets.
- To quantify the speed advantage conferred by impenetrable borders.
- To investigate the generalizability of this effect across different target types and approach angles.
Main Methods:
- Four experimental studies were conducted using a web browser interface.
- The primary dependent variable was target selection time.
- Independent variables included the presence of an impenetrable border versus a 1-pixel gap, target height, and target distance from the screen edge.
Main Results:
- Targets with impenetrable borders were consistently selected faster than those with a 1-pixel gap.
- The speed advantage reached an asymptote around 283 ms for target heights of 2.00 cm and distances of 3.50 cm.
- The observed benefits generalized across various angles of mouse cursor approach.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the prediction that impenetrable borders improve GUI target selection speed.
- The study identifies optimal parameters for target placement to maximize speed benefits.
- Results have direct implications for the design and modification of GUIs to enhance user efficiency.
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