Optimization of User Interface Consistency Design by User Acceptability Evaluation

Abstract

This paper describes an optimization of user interface (UI) design for interactive systems by user acceptability evaluation. In our previous works, we defined the similarity among product functions and the similarity among operational methods in UIs as the criteria for evaluating the consistency of UIs. However, the similarities among product functions sometimes differ between designer results and user results. Different UI design solutions are derived for the same product function based on the different product function classifications. Therefore, developers need to decide which of these different UI design solutions to adopt. Our proposed user acceptability evaluation is structured with three simple questions based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and measures the user’s mental change for the UI design solution. By measuring this mental change, it is possible to select a UI design solution that users are likely to find more rational. We applied the proposed method to the UI design of a digital camera, and the results suggested the properness and effectiveness of the method.