The spatial metaphor for user interfaces: experimental tests of reference by location versus name
ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS)
Visual Displays: the highlighting Paradox
Human Factors
CHI '91 Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Optimal symbol set selection: a semiautomated procedure
Human Factors - Special issue: safety and mobility of elderly drivers, part II
Psychological issues in the use of icons in command menus
CHI '82 Proceedings of the 1982 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Case study: an empirical investigation of thumbnail image recognition
INFOVIS '95 Proceedings of the 1995 IEEE Symposium on Information Visualization
Presentation discovery: building a better icon
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
| Hi-index | 0.00 |
A common task at almost any computer interface is that of searching for documents, which GUIs typically represent with icons. Oddly, little research has been done on the processes underlying icon search. This paper outlines the factors involved in icon search and proposes a model of the process. An experiment was conducted which suggests that the proposed model is sound, and that the most important factor in searching for files is the type of icons used. In general, simple icons (those discriminable based on a few features) seem to help users, while complex icons are no better than simple rectangles.