Mental Models of a Cellular Phone Menu. Comparing Older and Younger Novice Users. Martina Ziefle and Susanne Bay

Transcription

1 Mental Models of a Cellular Phone Menu. Comparing Older and Younger Novice Users Martina Ziefle and Susanne Bay Department of Psychology RWTH Aachen University

2 Purpose of the Study Find out reasons for older users bigger difficulties using mobile phones compared to younger users by Assessing users mental model of the mobile phone menu and Finding connections between mental models and performance using the mobile phone 2

3 Mental models of a mobile phone menu Parallels with spatial representations 3

4 Mental models of a mobile phone menu Landmarks Menu Phone Book Messages Settings Call Settings Send own number 4

5 Mental models of a mobile phone menu Route Knowledge 5

6 Mental models of a mobile phone menu Survey Knowledge 6

7 Method 16 young and 16 older novice mobile phone users Processing of 4 tasks on a mobile phone simulated on a touchscreen according to menu and navigation keys of the Nokia 3210 or the Siemens C35i Online logging of user actions on keystroke level 7

8 Method Cognitive mapping of menu structure through card sorting technique 22 cards corresponding to menu items of the branch to be used when solving the task of hiding the own number 8

9 Cognitive Mapping of the Menu Menu branch used when hiding the own number Phone Book Messages Call register Settings Call divert Games Calculator Time Sounds Call settings Phone settings Security settings Restore factory settings Automatic redial Speed dialling Call waiting Send own number Used line Autom answer Set by network on off Nokia

10 Results Cognitive maps are analysed regarding the three types of knowledge relevant in spatial orientation - Survey knowledge - Route knowledge - Landmarks Interrelations between correctness of mental representation and performance using the mobile phone are reported 10

11 Survey Knowledge Did participants have a correct representation of the overall structure of the phone menu? Mental representation of cellular phone menu hierarchical non hierarchical years (N = 16) years (N = 16)

12 Survey Knowledge % % tasks solved [%] time on task [sec] hierarchical non hierarchical mental representation of menu 0 hierarchical non hierarchical mental representation of menu 12

13 Survey Knowledge Did participants have a correct representation of the depth of the phone menu? Number of menu levels in the mental representation 0-1 level 2 levels 3 levels 4 levels 5 levels years (N = 16) years (N = 16)

14 Survey Knowledge % % tasks solved [%] time ontask [sec] correct incorrect mental representation of menu depth 0 correct incorrect mental representation of menu depth 14

15 Route Knowledge Is the path to be taken represented in user s mental model? Correct mappings in the representation of the route years (N = 16) years (N = 16)

16 Route Knowledge % % taskssolved[%] time on task [sec] mostly correct mostly incorrect mental representation of the route 0 mostly correct mostly incorrect mental representation of the route 16

17 Landmark Knowledge Are salient features of the menu branch mentally represented? years (N = 16) M = 14.4 of 22 functions years (N = 16) M = 4.5 of 22 functions 17

18 Landmark Knowledge tasks solved [%] ,00 6,00 8,00 10,00 12,00 15,00 time on task [sec] ,00 4,00 7,00 9,00 11,00 13,00 17,00 4,00 7,00 9,00 11,00 13,00 17,00 3,00 6,00 8,00 10,00 12,00 15,00 number of correct mappings number of correct mappings number of correct mappings number of correct mappings 18

19 Conclusions Parallels between mental maps of a mobile phone menu and natural environment can be drawn Different types of knowledge landmarks, routes and survey knowledge - seem to be relevant for effective and efficient interaction with the device 19

20 Implications for the design of mobile phones The spatial nature of the mobile phone menu needs to be made more transparent by Including spatial maps of the menu in the manual Providing graphical hints on the phone s display 20