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Exploring potential usability gaps when switching mobile phones: an empirical study

Authors:

Aiko Fallas Yamashita,

Wolmet Barendregt,

Morten FjeldAuthors Info & Claims

BCS-HCI '07: Proceedings of the 21st British HCI Group Annual Conference on People and Computers: HCI...but not as we know it - Volume 1

Pages 109 - 116

Published: 03 September 2007 Publication History

Abstract

The present study explores potential usability gaps when users switch from a familiar to an unfamiliar mobile phone interface. A within-subject experiment was performed in which nine users familiar with Sony-Ericsson T630 and nine familiar with Nokia 7250 performed tasks on both phones. On average, test subjects spent more time on finishing tasks with an unfamiliar phone than with a familiar one. For two of the four tasks, there was a significant difference in completion time between the first-time Nokia users and the first-time Sony-Ericsson users. The tasks of adding a contact to the address book and sending an SMS to a contact in the address book were performed more quickly by new Nokia users than by new Sony-Ericsson users. The subjective difficulty ranking also showed that first-time Nokia users found the new phone easier to use than first-time Sony-Ericsson users did. Hierarchical Task Analysis is used as a potential explanation, and three other theories that relate to these findings are presented: mental models, habit errors, and emotional attachment.

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Cited By

Skogstrøm NIgeltjørn AKnudsen KDiallo AKrivonos DSandnes FBratteteig TSandnes FBerget G(2018)A comparison of two smartphone time-picking interfacesProceedings of the 10th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/3240167.3240233(874-879)Online publication date: 29-Sep-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3240167.3240233
Wohn DVelasquez ABjornrud TLampe CKonstan JChi EHöök K(2012)Habit as an explanation of participation in an online peer-production communityProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/2207676.2208697(2905-2914)Online publication date: 5-May-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2207676.2208697
Foster GFoxcroft TBrown ISewchurran KSuleman H(2011)Barrel menuProceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists Conference on Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership in a Diverse, Multidisciplinary Environment10.1145/2072221.2072233(97-105)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2072221.2072233
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Exploring potential usability gaps when switching mobile phones: an empirical study
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. HCI design and evaluation methods
    2. Interaction paradigms
  2. Interaction design
    1. Interaction design process and methods
      1. User centered design

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Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image Guide Proceedings

BCS-HCI '07: Proceedings of the 21st British HCI Group Annual Conference on People and Computers: HCI...but not as we know it - Volume 1

September 2007

233 pages

ISBN:9781902505947

Conference Chairs:
Tom Ormerod
Lancaster University, UK
,
Corina Sas
Lancaster University, UK

Publisher

BCS Learning & Development Ltd.

Swindon, United Kingdom

Publication History

Published: 03 September 2007

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Cited By

Skogstrøm NIgeltjørn AKnudsen KDiallo AKrivonos DSandnes FBratteteig TSandnes FBerget G(2018)A comparison of two smartphone time-picking interfacesProceedings of the 10th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/3240167.3240233(874-879)Online publication date: 29-Sep-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3240167.3240233
Wohn DVelasquez ABjornrud TLampe CKonstan JChi EHöök K(2012)Habit as an explanation of participation in an online peer-production communityProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/2207676.2208697(2905-2914)Online publication date: 5-May-2012
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2207676.2208697
Foster GFoxcroft TBrown ISewchurran KSuleman H(2011)Barrel menuProceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists Conference on Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership in a Diverse, Multidisciplinary Environment10.1145/2072221.2072233(97-105)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2072221.2072233
Krajnc EFeiner JSchmidt S(2010)User centered interaction design for mobile applications focused on visually impaired and blind peopleProceedings of the 6th international conference on HCI in work and learning, life and leisure: workgroup human-computer interaction and usability engineering10.5555/1947789.1947805(195-202)Online publication date: 4-Nov-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1947789.1947805
Krajnc EFeiner JSchmidt S(2010)User Centered Interaction Design for Mobile Applications Focused on Visually Impaired and Blind People6th Symposium of the Workgroup Human-Computer Interaction and Usability Engineering on HCI in Work and Learning, Life and Leisure - Volume 638910.1007/978-3-642-16607-5_12(195-202)Online publication date: 4-Nov-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-642-16607-5_12

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