Designing the user interface : considering the concept of complexity
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Authors
Frank, John B.
Subjects
Interface Complexity
User Complexity
Cognitive Complexity
Task Complexity
User Complexity
Cognitive Complexity
Task Complexity
Advisors
Sengupta, Kishore
Date of Issue
1991-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
The human-computer interface may be defined as the dialogue that allows communication between the human and the computer, the purpose of
such dialogue being the accomplishment ofsome task. This thesis explored the relationship between task complexity, interface complexity, and
user performance in the context of direct manipulation interfaces. Two different levels of task and interface complexity were introduced to
subjects in two groups. Each group was presented with the identical task sets. There were three tasks sets, one a practice set, one a simple set
requiring five inputs, and a complex task set requiring 24 inputs. The dependent variables measured were 1 ) task completion time, 2) number of
errors committed, and 3) number jof help references needed. Results indicate that the complex interface took longer to learn, and more errors
were made while learning. Results for the simple task set favored the simple interface as well, but once the subject learned the interface, the
completion time was shorter and there were fewer errors made during the accomplishment of the complex task set on the complex interface. With
an increase in task complexity, subjects using the complex interface showed an improvement in performance.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Information Systems
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
132 p.;28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.