Representing Dynamic Mouse Commands in Static Displays: Developing Graphical Symbols

Participants used either a Likert scale or a ratio scale to rate their preferences for graphical symbols illustrating the mouse motions of click, double-click, drag, click and drag, and left click. Through an iterative design process, symbols were selected and modified as they were rated. After several iterations, 54 participants evaluated the accumulated symbol set. In general, participants preferred symbols that were less abstract and more literal representations of the intended mouse actions; this is contrary to how these commands have been illustrated in printed computer documentation. Intermediate abstract symbols were rated almost as high as the literal symbols, and had the advantage of illustrating some mouse commands that could not be easily created with a literal symbol. Several design recommendations for symbols in computer instructions and symbols for other purposes are offered.