"Mobile, Handheld Devices with Touchscreens: How Perceived Usability Affects Communication"
Rebecca BirchRebecca is a New Mexico Tech graduate who recently discovered the joys of tutoring and mentoring high school students in mathematics and language arts. While working with her students, Rebecca has learned much about the nuances of touchscreen technology and the role it plays in their communication. Other tactile activities include rock climbing, playing the viola, and enhancing her side work as a photographer. ContentsDiscussion on HTDs in Regard to Literature and Survey |
Discussion on HTDs in Regard to Literature and SurveyAnalysis of the literature and survey results indicate that there is congruence between the two in regard to what users perceive to be usable or bothersome in HTDs. Congruent points are that difficulty or ease of use are directly related to task and interface design, and that frustration arises from overly-sensitive touch interfaces. Inferences from LiteratureFrom the literature, I found overwhelming evidence that effective GUI and menu design are key to preventing disorientation. I also found that haptic feedback helps users perform text entry-related tasks more easily; text entry is the most common task performed on handheld devices. Generally, perceived ease or difficulty of use correlates directly to the task being performed. Noted problems with usability centered around HTD screen and body size. The size of the device’s body affects data input, screen size, physical aesthetics, and navigation. Screen size naturally affects the ability to read and process information (visibility), information presentation, and also affects navigation. Smaller screen sizes presented greater difficulty in reading information and in navigation, text input, and general interaction with the device. However, while small screen sizes noticeably affect these aspects of usability, the bigger problem lies in the GUI design and making effective (or rather ineffective) use of the screen space provided. This is tied directly to operating system (OS) design, and includes the design and placement of menus, object placement, and feedback given to users (a buzz, pop-up notifications, audio feedback, glowing buttons, etc.). While OS design is beyond the scope and focus of this article, it is worth mentioning some of the current HTD OSs:
These mobile OSs correlate to devices listed by respondents: HTC’s, Samsung’s, and Google’s Android variations; Apple’s iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch; Microsoft’s Windows Phone; RIM’s BlackBerry; HP’s Palm Pixi; and Samsung’s N900 and N800. Styli are used frequently with HTDs, and it was noted by Wu and Luo (2006) that the length and width of a stylus is either effective or ineffective depending on the task being performed. Wu and Luo found that longer and thinner styli were preferred for “point-and-click tasks,” and thinner styli were preferred for writing; longer and wider styli were preferred for drawing. Interestingly, Nintendo’s newest version of their handheld game console, the 3DS, sports a telescoping stylus that will allow users to adjust the length of the stylus to fit their preferences and tasks (Plunkett). This allowance should prove beneficial for users, since there are many games that involve tracing lines and clicking objects. Interpretation of Survey ResultsWhen asked why respondents did not or would not own an HTD, the overwhelming response was that HTDs are too expensive—the devices themselves were beyond respondent’s price ranges, and the additional costs of service plans only added to the expense. Most respondents also felt that the cost of an HTD exceeds its utility; as one respondent put it, HTDs “are too expensive for me to waste my time having to learn a new device.” Others rarely use their “normal” cell phone, and therefore saw no need to spend money on an HTD that they would probably only rarely use. Similar to the 2010 poll conducted by Professional Engineering (where most of the engineers said they liked their mobile devices with buttons (14), did not want constant access to the Internet, and did not feel the need to upgrade to touchscreens), several respondents expressed distaste for being constantly connected to the Internet, and still others felt that HTDs are unnecessary. One response bluntly stated “I like my phone with buttons,” perhaps relating to other responses declaring that texting is simply hard to do on a touchscreen. A few respondents expressed their fear of their inability to competently use an HTD. While sending text messages was reported to be an easy task in general, there were those who did not find it to be so. Those who expressed difficulty in performing this task said that the sizes of soft keys (visual keyboard keys on a touchscreen) were more difficult for older eyes and “fat” fingers to use, and, similarly, frustration was expressed at the lack of haptic feedback. As one respondent put it, touchscreens “make for poor keyboards.” Lee (2009) sympathizes with these users' frustrations, stating that “there are also interface differences, given the use of finger taps instead of mouse clicks. Controls must be large enough—and far enough apart—to be tapped by a finger” (48). When asked why participants chose to use certain HTDs over others, respondents predominately cited usefulness, versatility, and convenient size. The particular functions of HTDs were stated as being incredibly useful in business settings, specifically; faster processing speeds and the ability to be routinely connected to the Internet were seen as perks. Survey respondents expressed two primary opinions about HTDs: that HTDs are versatile, useful devices; and that HTDs are overly expensive and unnecessary. Those who found HTDs to be useful lauded the variety of functions available, quick responsiveness of the HTD GUI, and intuitive layouts. Those who expressed distaste for HTDs stated that they preferred physical buttons, found HTD GUIs to be too sensitive, and found no need for HTDs—they either rarely used their “regular” phones and therefore saw no need for an expensive device they would never use, or simply found no use for an HTD. User responses suggest that HTDs are indeed useful, but their graphical and physical interface design can frustrate users—simpler GUIs, such as those involving short text-related activities or taking photos, were seen as more intuitive. Haptic feedback is beneficial, specifically when inputting text; the small size of virtual buttons is problematic for fingers, especially considering that many touch interfaces are moving towards being capacitive. Survey data also showed that users preferred text-related tasks and tasks with less complex GUIs; while all tasks were generally perceived as easy to perform, text-related tasks and tasks involving simpler GUIs were seen as the easiest. The results from the survey coincide with points from the literature: users preferred, and indeed would benefit from, haptic feedback; shorter, text-related tasks were preferred; simpler GUI design is beneficial; and the small size of typical HTD screens pose navigation and orientation problems. |