Performance Benefits of Simultaneous Over Sequential Menus as Task Complexity Increases

Hochheiser, Harry; Shneiderman, Ben

doi:10.1207/s15327590ijhc1202_2

Cited by 40 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Time has been used to test the cognitive load required both in reading [35] and in menu navigation tasks [36]. Link selection times were recorded in seconds for each page, starting when the link menu was shown and finishing when a link label was clicked.…”

Section: Reading and Link Selection Timesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Reading Strategies and Prior Knowledge on Cognitive Load and Learning with Hypertext

Madrid¹,

Cañas²

2009

TOERGJ

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Reading strategies, prior knowledge and cognitive load are some variables that have been related with comprehension and learning with hypertext systems. In this study we analyze the effect of two different hypertext reading strategies -coherence and interest -and two prior knowledge levels -low and high -on cognitive load, and their relation with learning. For low prior knowledge readers, data reveal that following a coherence strategy leads to lower cognitive load during reading and better learning. For high prior knowledge readers, following an interest strategy produce higher cognitive load during reading than a coherence strategy, but they learned equally from both strategies. These results are discussed taking into account the implication of two different components of cognitive load (extraneous and germane cognitive load).

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Section: Reading and Link Selection Timesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Reading Strategies and Prior Knowledge on Cognitive Load and Learning with Hypertext

Madrid¹,

Cañas²

2009

TOERGJ

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“…The effect of information retrieval task characteristics on the navigation process has been studied and task complexity has been recognized as one of the important factors that affect the efficiency of information seeking strategies [15][16][17]. Task complexity can be conceptualized from different approaches and measured using different methods.…”

Section: Task Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Menu Type and Task Complexity on Information Retrieval Performance

Oostendorp¹,

Madridb²,

Melguizo³

2009

TOERGJ

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Success in finding information in a website depends not only on the complexity of the information retrieval task per se but also on the way information is made accessible. We explored the role of navigation menus when performing information retrieval tasks. We compared expandable menus with sequential menus. Expandable menus preserve the full context of choice while the user is browsing. Sequential menus provide only partial context. Task complexity was manipulated along two dimensions: path length and path relevance. Path length leading to the target information was varied using different levels of depth. Path relevance -based on semantic similarity -is the relevance of the optimal navigation path to the search task. In general, results show benefits of presenting expandable menus giving fully contextual information when retrieval tasks are highly complex. More specifically, with expandable menus, highly complex retrieval tasks with high path length and low path relevance are more efficiently performed than with sequential menus. Furthermore, users are also less disoriented with expandable menus. A practical implication is that for complex websites path relevance and expandable navigation menus are important usability considerations.

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“…Figure 1 shows an example of regular breadcrumbs. Hochheiser et al (1999) investigated the performance benefits of simultaneous over sequential menus and found that sequential menus are better suited for in- An example of experimental breadcrumbs formation query where some kind of hierarchy exists (Hochheiser et al 1999). In another study by Zaphiris et al (1999), in-place expandable menus in web environment present a hierarchy of choice to users and reduce backtracking and lostness.…”

Section: Research Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of spatial ability in navigation: using look-ahead breadcrumbs on The Web

Ahmed¹,

Blustein²

2006

IJWBC

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Spatial implications of the commonly used 'navigation' metaphor have lead many researchers to investigate the relation between individual differences and navigation. This study presents an exploratory survey on the influence of spatial ability, the most incisive aspect of individual difference for navigation, when people try to accomplish their goal in the information space. There are still different opinions about the potential of visual mediators for people with low spatial ability that help in refraining from the state of being disoriented or lost in the huge information content. The findings motivated us to design a research framework focusing a special visual look-ahead breadcrumb tool. Breadcrumbs are a type of navigational aid that help users from being lost in large websites by providing information about their location in the site hierarchy. The framework is presented after the preliminary discussion. The results from the experiment report that spatial ability influenced navigation efficiency on the Web. The effect of spatial ability was marginally significant on the use of Back button during navigation. However, there was no interaction effect found between spatial ability and the visual look-ahead breadcrumbs on the navigation performance of the users.

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Performance Benefits of Simultaneous Over Sequential Menus as Task Complexity Increases

Cited by 40 publications

References 21 publications

The Effect of Reading Strategies and Prior Knowledge on Cognitive Load and Learning with Hypertext

The Effect of Reading Strategies and Prior Knowledge on Cognitive Load and Learning with Hypertext

The Effect of Menu Type and Task Complexity on Information Retrieval Performance

Influence of spatial ability in navigation: using look-ahead breadcrumbs on The Web

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