A comparative study on users' responses to graphics, text and language in a word processor interface

[摘要] English: The word processor or some form of editor-based application has become an integral tool for the many people who rely on computers on a daily basis. As such it has a wide and varied user base and must cater for a very diverse user group. Due to the heavy reliance on the word processor it is essential that it delivers pleasurable andefficient interaction to its users. Since its inception, the word processor has displayed the ability to evolve to continually exploit the increasing capabilities of technology.This study focused on furthering the improvement of the wordprocessor usability for a subset of South African word processor users. Specifically, it concentrated on the impact of graphics, text and language on the usability of a word processor.Graphics were incorporated into the interface by means of inclusion of the icons currently found in the Microsoft Office package, which have been accepted as the industry standard, and the development of an alternative set of icons whose usability could be compared to that of the standard icons.Text was included in the interfaces in the form of menus and tooltips as well as text buttons which replaced the afore-mentioned pictorial icons and contained no graphical depiction of the associated function.The impact of language on the usability of a word processor was viewed strictly in terms of bilingual users and was achieved through translation of the text buttons, menus and tooltips into the predominant languages of the area.Comparative user testing was conducted through implementation of a scaled-down word processor application which could accommodate interchangeable interfaces and easy administration of preset tasks. Representative users were then required tocomplete a series of tasks on their respective pre-assigned interface, which conformed to one of the following general interface configurations: a. An interface using either set of pictorial icons and excluding both menus and tooltips, thus containing no language component.b. An interface in their first language, achieved through use of the text buttons, menus and/or tooltips. c. An English interface, where English was not their first language. A set of usability measures was identified which allowed for the effectiveness,efficiency and satisfaction of the users to be compared between the different user interface configurations. These measurements were:a. the score achieved for the test, based on a built-in difficulty index assigned to each task; b. the satisfaction experienced during interaction with the application; and c. for each task, the: i.time,ii.number of actions, iii.number of errors and iv.ratio of correct and incorrect answers Analysis of the user testing found that no particular interface configuration exhibited increased efficiency, effectiveness, learnability or satisfaction and that users were able to adapt to a changed interface with ease once they had become accustomed to the word processor environment. Therefore, the final finding of the study was that provision of an interface in a bilingual user's first language neither significantly contributed nor detracted from the application's usability. Similarly, neither of the pictorial icon sets nor the text buttons exhibited a significantly heightened level ofusability. Therefore, none of the interface configurations could be recommended as the most usable.However, a number of recommendations concerning the usability of a word processor were proposed based on both the analysis of the tasks and observation of user interaction. Finally, based on user performance for each individual task, an icon was identified which appeared to be the best and most applicable for that function. Thefinal recommended interface, the usability of which must still be empirically established, consisted of a combination of standard icons, alternative icons and text buttons.

[发布机构] University of the Free State