The Impact of Visual Layout Factors on Performance in Web Pages: A Cross-Language Study

Abstract

Visual layout has a strong impact on performance and is a critical factor in the design of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and Web pages. Many design guidelines employed in Web page design were inherited from human performance literature and GUI design studies and practices. However, few studies have investigated the more specific patterns of performance with Web pages that may reflect some differences between Web page and GUI design. We investigated interactions among four visual layout factors in Web page design (quantity of links, alignment, grouping indications, and density) in two experiments: one with pages in Hebrew, entailing right-to-left reading, and the other with English pages, entailing left-to-right reading. Some performance patterns (measured by search times and eye movements) were similar between languages. Performance was particularly poor in pages with many links and variable densities, but it improved with the presence of uniform density. Alignment was not shown to be a performance-enhancing factor. The findings are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences in the impact of layout factors between GUIs and Web pages. Actual or potential applications of this research include specific guidelines for Web page design.

Fire update support engine (FUSE) : visual integration of information within the complex environment of emergency response

“…One discovery in this comparison was that, "uniform density has a positive impact on search performance. Such a guideline is in agreement with similar GUI design guidelines" (Parush 2005). In other words, if the designer were to lay the information out in a way that prevented confusion and clutter then they would be able to assist the user by facilitating their search for specific information.…”

“…Laying the information out uniformly on the screen will allow the user to find the information that is required with less difficulty and cognitive strain. Another of the main discoveries of the study by Parush showed that, "a greater amount of links on the page degrades performance, Which is in line with the GUI guidelines" (Parush 2005). This indicates that providing the user with too many options can hinder the ease of use of the overall system.…”

“…The appearance of information within different interfaces has been studied in the past to develop guidelines for different forms of information presentation. A study on web page layouts that was done by Parush et al (2005) found relationships between their study results and the Graphic User Interface (GUI) guidelines. The GUI guidelines are vast and vary depending on the area in which information is being researched and manipulated.…”

Engaging the Crowd

“…The layout is also important for gaining the trust of users (Karvonen, 2000). It is also observed that users will abandon the webpage once they feel frustrated or unsatisfied with the way the information is presented (Parush et al, 2005). According to Ginige and Murugesa's (2001) categories of web applications, the study website is informational, whereas the online design tool can be considered as a collaborative work environment.…”

Optimization Design of a Webpage Based on Kansei Engineering

“…Furthermore, an appealing website is important in developing the trust of users (Karvonen, 2000). Once users feel frustrated or unsatisfied with the webpage, they will abandon it immediately and turn to others (Parush, Shwarts, Shtub, & Chandra, 2005). Therefore, website operators and designers are doing their utmost to improve the quality of user experience by designing webpages that meet users' emotional needs.…”