Interaction based upon repeated movements where both actions and the timing of the actions are important to the interpretation of the meaning.
Published in Chapter:
Instrumented Usability Analysis for Mobile Devices
Andrew Crossan (University of Glasgow, UK), Roderick Murray-Smith (University of Glasgow, UK, and Hamilton Institute, NUI Maynooth, Ireland), Stephen Brewster (University of Glasgow, UK), and Bojan Musizza (Institut Jozef Stefan, Slovenia)
Copyright: © 2008
|Pages: 18
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59904-871-0.ch055
Abstract
Instrumented usability analysis involves the use of sensors during a usability study which provide observations from which the evaluator can infer details of the context of use, specific activities, or disturbances. This is particularly useful for the evaluation of mobile and wearable devices which are currently difficult to test realistically without constraining users in unnatural ways. To illustrate the benefits of such an approach, a study of touch-screen selection of on-screen targets is presented whilst walking and sitting, using a PocketPC instrumented with an accelerometer. From the accelerometer data, the user’s gait behaviour is inferred, allowing linking performance to gait phase angle, showing there were phase regions with significantly lower error and variability. The chapter provides examples of how information acquired via sensors gives quantitatively measurable information about the detailed interactions taking place when mobile, allowing designers to test and revise design decisions, based on realistic user activity.