The effect of menu structure for electronic information guide on information search

Electronic Information Guide 메뉴 구조가 정보검색에 미치는 영향

The effect of menu width and depth on the efficiency of information search and menu preference was investigated to identify an optimal menu structure for EIG which reflects the characteristics of human information processing. Information search time increased stepwisely as the menu width exceeded 6 items and linearly as the level of menu depth increased. The linear relationship between the error rate and the number of depth levels seems to be caused by the increase in the items to be remembered. When a menu structure was constructed by combining different menu depths and widths, it was observed that making the menu width wider rather than the depth deeper allows better information search. The menu structure rated as the most preferable and the easiest to user was that of pyramidal form. Such a result seems to come from its structural similarity to general categories which people get used to and implies that one should consider user preference as well as efficiency of search when he/she designs an EIG menu.