rac in is a tec gy ha ou to see and record what a p rson is lookin at, in what order, and for how long. It is often used to study Web sites to see where peo-ple are looking, including where they look first, second, and so on. One of its benefits is that ou don t h on what people say they are looking at, but instead you can If you haven’t seen what is famously called the “Gorilla video,” then you should check this out now. Go to my blog:
http://www.whatmakesthemclick.net/2009/10/25/100-things-you-should-know-about-people-1-inattention-blindness/
Take the test. If you don’t do this now, then I’m going to spoil the effect for you below as I discuss the video.
Eye tracking is a technology that allows you to see and record what a person is looking at, in what order, and for how long. It is often used to study Web sites to see where peo-ple are looking, including where they look first, second, and so on. One of its benefits is that you don’t have to rely on what peoplesayythey are looking at, but instead you can
8
collect the data directly. But eye-tracking data can be misleading for several reasons:
) As we’ve discussed in his section, eye tracking tells you what people looked at, but
o s ) The Larson an Loschky research n
this chapter tells us hat peripheral vision is just as important a central vision. Eye track-ing m asures only central vision. 3) Early eye-tracktrack-ing research by Alfred Yarbus (1967)
at w at people look at depends n hat questions they are as h hey re lookin s therefore e to accidently s h ey g data d pending on
n y g e g the eye tracking y.
Takeaways
Don’t assume that people will see something on a computer screen just because it’s there. This is especially true when you refresh a screen and make one change on it.
Users may not even realize they are even looking at a different screen.
If you want to be sure that people notice a change in their visual fields, add additional visual cues (such as blinking) or auditory cues (such as a beep).
Be cautious about how you interpret eye-tracking data. Don’t ascribe too much impor-tance to it or use it as the main basis for design decisions.
collect the data directly. But eye-tracking data can be misleading for several reasons:
1) As we’ve discussed in this section, eye tracking tells you what people looked at, but that doesn’t mean that they paid attention to it. 2) The Larson and Loschky research in this chapter tells us that peripheral vision is just as important as central vision. Eye track-ing measures only central vision. 3) Early eye-tracktrack-ing research by Alfred Yarbus (1967) showed that what people look at depends on what questions they are asked while they are looking. It’s therefore easy to accidently skew the eye-tracking data depending on what instructions you give them before and during the eye tracking study.
21 PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THINGS THAT ARE CLOSE TOGETHER BELONG TOGETHER
9 PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THINGS THAT ARE CLOSE TOGETHER BELONG TOGETHER
If two items are near each other (a photo and text for example), then people assume they go together. This connection is strongest for items that are together left to right. In Figure 9.1, the photo goes with the text below it. But because we read left to right, and because there is very little space between the photo and the text to the right, we may expect that the photo and the text to the right belong together.
FIGURE 9.1You might assume that this photo belongs with the text to the right because they are close together and we read from left to right. But in this example, the photo actually goes with the text below it—and that will be confusing to most readers.
Takeaways
If you want items (pictures, photos, headings, or text) to be seen as belonging together, then put them in close proximity.
Before you use lines or boxes to separate items or group them together, try experi-menting with the amount of space between them first. Sometimes changing the spac-ing is sufficient, and you’ll be reducspac-ing the visual noise of the page.
Put more space between items that don’t go together and less space between items that do. This sounds like common sense, but many Web page layouts ignore this idea.
9
10 RED AND BLUE TOGETHER ARE HARD ON THE EYES
When lines or text of different colors are projected or printed, the depths of the lines may appear to be different. One color may jump out while another color appears recessed.
This effect is called chromostereopsis. The effect is strongest with red and blue, but it can also happen with other colors, for example, red and green. These color combina-tions can be hard and tiring to look at or read. Figure 10.1 shows some examples of chromostereopsis.
FIGURE 10.1Chromostereopsis can be hard on the eyes
Takeaways
Avoid putting blue and red or green and red near each other on a page or screen.
Avoid blue or green text on a red background, and red or green text on a blue background.
23 NINE PERCENT OF MEN AND ONE-HALF PERCENT OF WOMEN ARE COLOR-BLIND