Skip to main content

Revisiting Web Design Guidelines by Exploring Users’ Expectations, Preferences and Visual Search Behaviour

  • Conference paper

Abstract

The majority of existing Web design guidelines have been derived by expert heuristic evaluations, apparently without involving the users themselves. In this paper we report two studies of an on-going research programme in the area of eye tracking in which we are investigating the relationship between the users’ expectations, preferences, and visual search behaviour. The first study captures the position of first fixations while the users look for cues of the brand identity and services of the site. The second study examines how quickly users adapt to an unfamiliar design layout during repeated exposures by measuring the position of first fixation, time to target fixation and sequence of fixations (scan path). In both the studies, the eye tracking data is supported by qualitative data from pre- and post-session questions which elicited the users’ expectations and preferences about the target Web-link.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • ASL [2004], Model 504, http://www.a-s-l.com/model504.htm (last accessed 2005-04-25). Applied Science Laboratories.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beier, B. & Vaughan, M. W. [2003], The Bull’s-eye: A Framework for Web Application User Interface Design Guidelines, in V. Bellotti, T. Erickson, G. Cockton & P. Korhonen (eds.), Proceedings of SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’03), CHI Letters 5(1), ACM Press, pp.489–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, L., Ball, L. J. & Delin, J. [2002], An Eye-movement Analysis of Web Page Usability, in X. Faulkner, J. Finlay & F. Dètienne (eds.), People and Computers XVI (Proceedings of HCI’02), Springer-Verlag, pp.317–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dix, A., Finlay, J., Abowd, G. D. & Beale, R. [2003], Human-Computer Interaction, third edition, Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehret, B. D. [2002], Learning Where to Look: Location Learning in Graphical User Interfaces, in D. Wixon (ed.), Proceedings of SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems: Changing our World, Changing Ourselves (CHI’02), CHI Letters 4(1), ACM Press, pp.211–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, S., Candrea, R., Misner, J., Craig, S., Lankford, C. & Hutchinson, T. [1998], Windows to the Soul? What Eye Movements Tell Us about Software Usability, in Proceedings of the Usability Professionals’ Association 7th Annual Conference, Usability Professionals’ Association, pp. 151–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitts, P. M. [1954], The Information Capacity of the Human Motor System in Controlling Amplitude of Movement, Journal of Experimental Psychology 47(6), 381–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, J. H. & Kotval, X. P. [1999], Computer Interface Evaluation Using Eye Movements: Methods and Constructs, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 24(6), 631–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, J. H. & Winchansky, A. [2003], Eye Tracking in Usability Evaluation, in J. Hyönä, R. Radach & H. Deubel (eds.), The Mind’s Eyes: Cognitive and Applied Aspects of Eye Movements, Elsevier, pp.493–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, J. H., Stimson, M. J., Lewenstein, M., Scott, N. & Wichansky, A. M. [2002], Eye Tracking in Web Search Tasks: Design Implications, in A. T. Duchowski, R. Vertegaal & J. W. Senders (eds.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications (ETRA 2002), ACM Press, pp.51–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Granka, L., Joachims, T. & Gay, G. [2004], Eye-Tracking Analysis of User Behaviour in WWW Search, in K. Järvelin, J. Allan, P. Bruza & M. Sanderson (eds.), Proceedings of the 27th Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR’04), ACM Press, pp.478–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hornof, A. J. & Halverson, T. [2003], Cognitive Strategies and Eye Movements for Searching Hierarchical Computer Displays, in V. Bellotti, T. Erickson, G. Cockton & P. Korhonen (eds.), Proceedings of SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’03), CHI Letters 5(1), ACM Press, pp.249–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, T. S. & Wolfe, J. M. [1998], Visual Search Has No Memory, Nature 357, 575–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ivory, M. Y., Sinha, R. R. & Hearst, M. A. [2001], Empirically Validated Web Page Design Metrics, in J. A. Jacko, A. Sears, M. Beaudouin-Lafon & R. J. K. Jacob (eds.), Proceedings of SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’ 01), CHI Letters 3(1), ACM Press, pp.53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacob, R. J. K. & Karn, K. S. [2003], Eye Tracking in Human-Computer Interaction and Usability Research: Ready to Deliver the Promises, in J. Hyönä, R. Radach & H. Deubel (eds.), The Mind’s Eyes: Cognitive and Applied Aspects of Eye Movements, Elsevier, pp. 573–605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Josephson, S. & Holmes, M. E. [2002], Visual Attention to Repeated Internet Images: Testing the Scan Path Theory on the WWW, in A. T. Duchowski, R. Vertegaal & J. W. Senders (eds.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications (ETRA 2002), ACM Press, pp.43–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Just, M. A. & Carpenter, P. A. [1976], Eye Fixations and Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Psychology 8(4), 441–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewenstein, M., Edwards, G., Tatr, D. & de Vigal, A. [2002], The Stanford Poynter Project, http://www.poynter.org/eyetrack2000 (last accessed 2005-04-25).

    Google Scholar 

  • Loftus, G. R. [1976], A Framework for a Theory of Picture Recognition, in R. A. Monty & J. W. Senders (eds.), Eye Movements and Psychological Processes, John Wiley & Sons, pp.499–513.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, J., Sasse, M. A. & Riegelsberger, J. [2003], Could I Have the Menu Please? An Eye Tracking Study of Design Conventions, in E. O’Neill, P. Palanque & P. Johnson (eds.), People and Computers XVII: Designing for Society (Proceedings of HCI’03), Springer-Verlag, pp.401–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, J. & Tahir, M. [2002], Hompage Usability: 50 Web sites Deconstructed, New Riders Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, J., Molich, R., Snyder, C. & Farrell, S. [2001], E-Commerce User Experience, Nielsen Norman Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Outing, S. & Ruel, L. [2004], Eye Track HI, http://www.poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/ (last accessed 2005-04-25).

    Google Scholar 

  • Page, E. B. [1963], Ordered Hypotheses for Multiple Treatments: A Significance Test for Linear Ranks, Journal of American Statistical Association 58(301), 216–30.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Pan, B., Hembrooke, H., Gay, G., Granka, L., Feusner, M., & Newman, J. [2004], The Determinants of Webpage Viewing Behaviour: An Eye Tracking Study, in A. T. Duchowski & R. Vertegaal (eds.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications (ETRA 2004), ACM Press, pp. 147–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirolli, P. & Card, S. K. [1995], Information Foraging in Information Access Environments, in I. Katz, R. Mack, L. Marks, M. B. Rosson & J. Nielsen (eds.), Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI’95), ACM Press, pp.51–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rayner, K. & Pollatsek, A. [1994], The Psychology of Reading, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renshaw, J. A., Finlay, J. E., Tyfa, D. & Ward, R. D. [2003], Designing for Visual Influence: An Eye Tracking Study of the Usability of Graphical Management Information, in M. Rauterberg, M. Menozzi & J. Weeson (eds.), Human-Computer Interaction — INTERACT’ 03: Proceedings of the Ninth IFIP Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, IOS Press, pp. 144–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • SensoriMotoric Instruments [1999], iview version 3.0.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Duyne, D. K., Landay, J. A. & Hong, J. I. [2003], The Design of Sites: Patterns, Principles and Processes for Crafting a Customer-centred Web Experience, Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this paper

Cite this paper

Tzanidou, E., Minocha, S., Petre, M., Grayson, A. (2006). Revisiting Web Design Guidelines by Exploring Users’ Expectations, Preferences and Visual Search Behaviour. In: McEwan, T., Gulliksen, J., Benyon, D. (eds) People and Computers XIX — The Bigger Picture. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-84628-249-7_27

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-84628-249-7_27

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84628-192-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84628-249-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics