The Effects of Layout Order on Interface Complexity: An Eye-Tracking Study for Dashboard Design.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Visual Perception
• User Interface Design

Background:

• Dashboard interfaces are complex, impacting user efficiency.
• Understanding visual search behavior is key to optimizing UI design.
• Previous research has not fully explored the interplay of layout order and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of dashboard interface layout order on complexity.
• To determine the optimal arrangement for visual search efficiency.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of eye-tracking in UI design research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized screen-based eye trackers to collect eye movement data (fixation count, gaze duration, scanning paths, hotspot maps).
• Manipulated interface complexity and layout order using simplified dashboard designs.
• Incorporated subjective ratings (symmetry, unity) and behavioral data for analysis.

Main Results:

• A significant interaction was found between layout order and interface complexity.
• Higher-level layout order led to significantly better participant performance.
• The core chart's position critically influences visual search; left-center placement is optimal.

Conclusions:

• Eye-tracking is a valuable tool for UI design research.
• Dashboard design should follow the principle of "order is more."
• Optimal dashboard layout places the core chart on the left-center axis with partial symmetry.