Selection of Web Browser Controls with and without Impenetrable Borders: Does Width Make a Difference?

Abstract

Graphical user interface elements can be selected faster if they are placed against the edge of the screen. Doing so creates an impenetrable border between the element and the edge of the screen that the mouse cursor cannot penetrate, which changes how users move the mouse resulting in quicker selection times. This study assessed the influence of visible width on selection time when targets did or did not have impenetrable borders. Ten participants selected targets that varied in Target Type (with or without impenetrable borders), Width (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cm), and Distance (2, 4, 8, 16, 32 cm). For a given width, targets with impenetrable borders were always selected faster than targets without impenetrable borders. Also, increasing the width of targets with impenetrable borders had little effect on selection time, whereas doing so when targets did not have impenetrable borders resulted in a substantial effect on selection time. The results indicate that a 1 cm wide target is adequate to make use of the advantage of edge targets in GUI design.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Card

S. K.

, (1982). User perceptual mechanisms in the search of computer command menus, Proceedings of Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 190–196.

Farris

J. S.

Jones

K. S.

Anders

B. A.

(2003). Factors affecting the usefulness of impenetrable interface element borders. Human Factors, 44 (4), 578–591.

Fitts

P. M.

(1954). The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the distance of movement. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 47, 381–391.

MacKenzie

I. S.

(1992). Movement time prediction in human-computer interfaces. Graphics Interface '92, 483–493.

Meyer

D. E.

Abrams

R. A.

Kornblum

Wright

C. E.

Smith

J. E. K.

(1988). Optimality in human performance: Ideal control of rapid aimed movements. Psychological Review, 95, 340–370.

Shneiderman

(1998). Designing the user interface: Strategies for effective human-computer interaction (3rd ed.) Addison-Wesley: Reading, MA.

Tognazzini

(1999). Ask Tog. A quiz designed to give you Fitts. Retrieved January 22, 2003, from http://www.asktog.com/columns/022DesignedToGiveFitts.html.

Walker

Smelcer

J. B.

(1990). A comparison of selection time from walking and bar menus. Proceedings of CHI 90, New York: ACM, 221–225.

Walker

Smelcer

J. B.

Nilsen

(1991). Optimizing speed and accuracy of menu selection: A comparison of walking and pull-down menus. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 35, 871–890.