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Insights from Human Factors International
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In This Issue Bob Bailey reviews:
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Larger is Much Better 1
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Does the size of the screen relate to the speed with which work can be
done?
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Larger is Much Better 2
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Is there any value in buying larger monitors or having larger Web pages?
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The Effects of Monitor Size on User Performance
and Preference, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society, Simmons, T. and Manahan, M. (1999).
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Simmons and Manahan at the Compaq Computer Corporation conducted two
studies to determine user performance and preference differences among
people using different sized monitors. They had people perform tasks using
monitors that were 15 inches, 17 inches, 19 inches and 21 inches (measured
diagonally). Users that performed search activities using Microsoft’s
Word and Excel, and also browsed the Web, took less time to complete the
tasks when using the 21 inch monitor. The test subjects preferred using
the 19 inch monitor.
In a follow-on study, users required reliably less time to perform using
both the 19 inch and 21 inch monitors. Again, they preferred the 19 inch
monitor. These studies demonstrate that monitor size can have a positive
effect on the performance time of certain tasks, particularly those that
involve the searching of large amounts of data
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Size and Web Browsing, DiPierro, C., Nachman, G. and Raderman (2000). |
In another study, DiPierro, Nachman and Raderman at the University of
Maryland, attempted to determine the effect of screen size on the speed
of navigating the web. They compared performance using small, medium and
large screens. There was no difference between the small and medium screens,
but the large screen elicited performance that was about 26% faster than
the medium screen. Again, with these tasks the larger the window, the
shorter the time required to perform the tasks.
Finally, some of the most popular exhibits at Comdex this past November
were those showing systems that had two, three and even four monitors.
It seems that many users are requiring larger monitors, larger screens
and, in some cases, more screens to adequately do their work.
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Past Issues
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