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      • HARVEST
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      The effects of tool container location on user performance in graphical user interfaces

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      2010-AndreDoucetteMScThesis.pdf (2.663Mb)
      Date
      2010-09
      Author
      Doucette, Andre
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      A common way of organizing Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointers (WIMP) interfaces is to group tools into tool containers, providing one visual representation. Common tool containers include toolbars and menus, as well as more complex tool containers, like Microsoft Office’s Ribbon, Toolglasses, and marking menus. The location of tool containers has been studied extensively in the past using Fitts’s Law, which governs selection time; however, selection time is only one aspect of user performance. In this thesis, I show that tool container location affects other aspects of user performance, specifically attention and awareness. The problem investigated in this thesis is that designers lack an understanding of the effects of tool container location on two important user performance factors: attention and group awareness. My solution is to provide an initial understanding of the effects of tool container location on these factors. In solving this problem, I developed a taxonomy of tool container location, and carried out two research studies. The two research studies investigated tool container location in two contexts: single-user performance with desktop interfaces, and group performance in tabletop interfaces. Through the two studies, I was able to show that tool container location does affect attention and group awareness, and to provide new recommendations for interface designers.
      Degree
      Master of Science (M.Sc.)
      Department
      Computer Science
      Program
      Computer Science
      Supervisor
      Mandryk, Regan; Gutwin, Carl
      Committee
      Vassileva, Julita; Neufeld, Eric; Bell, Scott
      Copyright Date
      September 2010
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-09082010-145641
      Subject
      awareness
      attention
      graphical user interfaces
      user performance
      Tool containers
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