Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회지)

Ergonomics Society of Korea (대한인간공학회)
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An Examination of an Efficient UI of Smartphone Home Screen Structure

스마트폰의 홈 화면구조에 따른 효율적 UI 방안 모색

  • Received : 2017.07.22
  • Accepted : 2017.10.10
  • Published : 2017.10.31
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Abstract

Objective: This study aims to draw an efficient UI design by comparing the usability of App drawer and single-layered home screens, which are smartphone home screens. Background: Because smartphone home screen is frequently used including the installation, deletion, and editing of APPs, it should be designed with easily controllable information structure. There is a need to seek a user-friendly UI by comparing the usability of App drawer and single-layered home screens, of which methods to search Apps are different. There is also a need to examine an efficient UI and the factors to improve from the user perspective. Method: This study targeted 30 Android OS and iOS users to evaluate the App drawer and single-layered home screens, of which UI structures are different. Each participant was instructed to carry out an App searching task and App deleting task, and the execution time and the number of errors were measured. After the tasks were completed, they evaluated satisfaction through a questionnaire survey. Results: In the App searching task with low task level, there was no difference in execution level between the App drawer and single-layered home screens. However, the single-layered home screen showed higher efficiency and accuracy in the App deleting task with high task level. As for the group difference according to use experience, there was no difference in satisfaction among Android OS users, but iOS user satisfaction with single-layered home screen with which they were familiar was higher. Conclusion: As for home screen usability, the single-layered home screen UI structure can be advantageous, as task level is higher. Repulsion was higher, when users, who had used easier UI, used complex UI in comparison with user satisfaction, when users familiar with complex UI used easier UI. A UI indicating the current status with clear label marking through a task flow chart-based analysis, and a UI in which a user can immediately recognize by exposing hidden functions to the first depth were revealed as things to improve. Application: The results of this study are expected to be used as reference data in designing smartphone home screens. Especially, when iOS users use Android OS, the results are presumed to contribute to the reduction of predicted barriers.

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References

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