1. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE January 5, 2006 Intern 박지현 Information Theoretic Model of HCI : A Comparison of the Hick-Hyman Law and Fitts’ Law Steven C. Seow (Brown University)

2. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Hyman(1953) Original Experiments INFORMATION THEORY 1 C o n t e n t s Hick(1952) Original Experiments Research and Application of Hick-Hyman Law Fitts’ Law Research and Application of Fitts’ Law The Hick-Hyman Law and HCI 3 4 5 6 7 Conclusion 8 2

3. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE INFORMATION THEORY messagesignalReceived signal message Noise Source Information Source TransmitterReceiverDestination :: General model of communication system Channel  The amount of information that a communication channel transmits in a fixed amount of time is referred to as the channel capacity. Channels are bound by physical limitations and thus have different capacities.  The Hick-Hyman Law and Fitts’ Law are based on analogies of this general model of communication system.

4. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Hick(1952) Original Experiments Hick was probably the first to apply Information Theory to psychological problems (Hick, 1953). :: Experiments In Experiment II, the participant was initially encouraged to perform as fast as possible, then as accurately as possible, and finally as fast as possible again in the last phase. In Experiment III with a new set of stimuli, which suggested that the effects of learning were negligible in the experiment. Results show that the mean RT of the new set of stimuli fell along the previous empirical logarithmic function The goal of the Experiment I was to determine the empirical relationship between choice reaction time and stimulus information content.

5. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Hyman(1953) Original Experiments Hyman may be the first to articulate the linearity between RT and H T. :: Experiments Experiment Ⅰ eight conditions equal probabilities. bits range from 0 to 3. Experiment Ⅱ eight conditions differing set sizes and probabilities for each alternative. bits range from 0.47 to 2.75. Experiment Ⅲ eight conditions. In each condition, each of the alternatives had equal likelihood of occurring but its probability is conditional. bits range from 0.72 to 2.81. Hyman found that RT was linear as a function of bits of the alternatives with unequal probabilities Exploiting the fact that entropy is maximal when the stimuli are equiprobable Hick-Hyman Law predicts a linear relationship between reaction time and transmitted information. RT= a + bH t

6. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Research and Application of Hick-Hyman Law Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff When participants are instructed to be as fast as possible, accuracy of performance is compromised. And the converse is also true. More information was processed in the “accuracy” run than the “speed” run. (Hick’s experiment II) Stimulus-Response Compatibility Compatible S-R pairs facilitate the responding of a stimulus. Thus an increase in SRC has been found to diminish the slope of the RT points as a function of the number of alternatives. Psychometrics (RT-IQ relationship) RT= a + bHt The a parameter reflects individual differences in sensory-motor lags in task performance and has been found to have a higher negative correlation with IQ than b. HCI Applications Lotus 1–2–3 had three methods available to users to perform a particular task and Multiplan only had one to perform the similar task. The investigators found that users took additional time to decide in Lotus 1–2–3.

7. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Fitts’ Law Width of target amplitudesignal Received signal message Noise Source Information Source TransmitterReceiverDestination :: Communication system in Fitts’ Law Channel  The law states a linear relationship between task difficulty and movement time(MT). ID= log 2 (2A/W)  Fitts expressed task difficulty as an index of difficulty (ID) which is specified by the distance between two targets that needs to be covered called the amplitude of the movement (A) and the width (W) of the targets where the movement must terminate.  The law states a linear relationship between task difficulty and movement time(MT). ID= log 2 (2A/W)  Fitts expressed task difficulty as an index of difficulty (ID) which is specified by the distance between two targets that needs to be covered called the amplitude of the movement (A) and the width (W) of the targets where the movement must terminate.

8. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Research and Application of Fitts’ Law Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff Fitts assumed “if repetitive movements of a fixed amplitude is speeded up…movement variability will increase by a specific amount” Psychometrics The lift time from the button was recorded as the CRT, and the time taken to go from the button to the target was recorded as the MT. The investigators reported a mean correlation of –.46 between the Raven IQ scores and MT. HCI Applications pointing pointing time in point-dragging was not related to the width of the text but was affected by the height of the text and distance of the text from the starting point. The researchers found that point-clicking was relatively faster and was sensitive to the width and height of the text and its distance from the starting point. Angle of Approach. They found that movement time was higher when the approach angle was 45° than when it was 0° or 90° Semantic Pointing. a pointing task can be optimized by manipulating the targets, such that A is decreased or W is increased. Text Entry on Soft Keyboards. six types of keyboard layouts—QWERTY, ABC, Dvorak, Fitaly, JustType, and telephone— The superiority of soft keyboards with QWERTY layout over other the forms of layout. Navigation. Fitts’ Law has been proven applicable is controlling navigation within a GUI environment, such as panning and zooming.

9. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE :: Hick-Hyman Law and Fitts’ Law much in common The Hick-Hyman Law and HCI Both laws were analogies based on Shannon and Weaver’s (1949) Information Theory. Both laws employed temporal dependent measures and accuracy to address performance rates and limits of a human system. Both have received substantial support in research that demonstrated their generality and in process models that explained possible underlying mechanisms. Difficulty in Application When a task can be viewed in terms of alternatives and quantified in bits, it is likely to be too simplistic to be practical and useful. Complexity of Stimuli The Hick-Hyman Law employs simple unidimensional stimuli. But Interfaces in HCI involve a variety of multidimensional stimuli. Levels and Types of Performance Hick and Hyman, required the participants to remember the correct responses. Hick-Hyman Law appears to be optimal in predicting novice performance in tasks that engage users in some level of cognitive process. Difficulty in Application When a task can be viewed in terms of alternatives and quantified in bits, it is likely to be too simplistic to be practical and useful. Complexity of Stimuli The Hick-Hyman Law employs simple unidimensional stimuli. But Interfaces in HCI involve a variety of multidimensional stimuli. Levels and Types of Performance Hick and Hyman, required the participants to remember the correct responses. Hick-Hyman Law appears to be optimal in predicting novice performance in tasks that engage users in some level of cognitive process. :: Why the Hick-Hyman Law lacked the momentum in HCI

10. USER INTERFACE USER INTERFACE Conclusion The validity, theoretic roots, and quantitative caliber of the law seem unlikely to be significant factors that prevented the Hick-Hyman Law from gaining momentum in HCI. Nevertheless, within limits, the relationship between information load and choice-reaction time captured by the Hick-Hyman Law is robust and demonstrable at the basic level.