Multipurpose public displays: how shortcut menus affect usage

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Display Systems
• User Interface Design

Background:

• The shift towards multipurpose public displays presents challenges in application organization and user accessibility.
• Understanding user interaction with diverse applications on shared displays is crucial for effective design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different application grouping and presentation mechanisms influence user behavior on multipurpose public displays.
• To evaluate the impact of a quick-launch menu versus a browsable directory on application discovery and usage.
• To determine optimal strategies for promoting application popularity on public display systems.

Main Methods:

• An iterative, longitudinal deployment of a multipurpose public display was conducted.
• Two distinct application discovery mechanisms were implemented and studied: a quick-launch menu and a browsable application directory.
• Measures of relative and absolute utility were employed to assess application usage patterns.

Main Results:

• Both the quick-launch menu and the browsable directory exhibited complex effects on application usage, impacting both relative and absolute utility.
• The study revealed nuanced outcomes regarding user engagement with different application discovery methods.
• Findings provide insights into whether public displays should prioritize promoting popular or less popular applications.

Conclusions:

• Effective design of application presentation is critical for the success of multipurpose public displays.
• The choice between a quick-launch menu and a browsable directory significantly influences user interaction and application discovery.
• Further research is needed to optimize strategies for balancing the promotion of popular and unpopular applications in public display environments.