Usability and User Experience

AHFE International

Accelerating Open Access Science in Human Factors Engineering and Human-Centered Computing

Usability and User Experience

book-cover

Editors: Tareq Z. Ahram, Christianne Falcão

Topics: Usability & User Experience

Publication Date: 2025

ISBN: 978-1-964867-70-0

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006005

Articles

VR-Orient: Design and Usability Study of a Mobile Construction Site Orientation Application

Construction site orientation is essential for providing newcomers, such as new employees or AEC students, with fundamental knowledge of team roles, site layout, safety policies, and regulations. Traditional in-person methods can be time-consuming, potentially hazardous, and have a limited scope, especially on large projects. While existing digital platforms offer convenient online access, they often lack the immersive, engaging elements needed for effective learning. This study introduces VR-Orient, a mobile application that offers semi-immersive site orientation for smartphones and tablets. The application’s conceptual design was refined through expert panel interviews, resulting in developed content that meets site orientation learning objectives. The technical development of VR-Orient integrates virtual characters, virtual site layouts, and user interfaces that facilitate interaction and reinforce learning on mobile devices. A tablet-based usability study evaluating learning outcomes, system usability, mobile application functionality, informality, and presence indicates that VR-Orient meets usability expectations. It shows promise for advancing construction education, gamified training, and outreach projects, with potential for broader adoption in other labor-intensive sectors.

Zixian Zhu, Jiun-yao Cheng, Idris Jeelani, Masoud Gheisari, Raymond Issa

Conference Proceedings

Designing the healing process of natural pattern tie-dyeing based on user experience

Influenced by fast-paced life and information globalization, more and more people are facing emotional problems such as anxiety, insomnia, tension, and avoidance. Meanwhile, as the average quality of life improves, people tend to look for diverse and natural ways to heal their hearts. Making crafts has been shown to have some emotional soothing effects. Therefore, this study establishes a design scheme for the tie-dye healing process centered on user experience. In this paper, the user's needs and emotions are comprehensively analyzed, organized and sequenced. Subsequently, the natural patterns available for tie-dye were categorized according to users' needs. Finally, the tie-dye healing process is designed by combining the user experience model with the traditional Chinese tie-dye process to reduce the difficulty of production. We also analyze the effect and visual performance of different natural patterns in relieving users' stress in the tie-dye process. This paper builds an art healing model of tie-dye from three dimensions: user experience, natural patterns, and user needs. It proves the effectiveness of natural patterns and traditional crafting in relieving emotions. The important elements and steps in it also provide references for other art healing pathways.

Anglu Li, Chang Guo

Conference Proceedings

Innovative Design of Immersive Running Pod Based on Multi-sensory Theory

As the application of immersive experience in the field of sports becomes more and more extensive, the stimulation of a single sense is difficult to satisfy the user's demand for a sense of immersion. Therefore, how to enhance immersion through multi-sensory co-design has become the key to the development of immersive sports. The study aims to enhance the immersion and user experience of running pods by integrating visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory and other multi-sensory interaction elements. The study first investigates the behavior of users with immersive running experience, and summarizes users' multi-sensory demands for immersive running through user journey maps; then analyzes users' demands through the KANO model, extracts the weight ordering of different demand elements, and clarifies the key demands and product features in order to establish a list of functional demand types. The study translates users' multi-sensory demands into product functional modules, and derives a total of 13 core styling design demands for immersive running pods of must-be, one-dimensional, and attractive quality, and uses them as a guide to formulate a corresponding design strategy and construct a design model for immersive running pods. The above findings provide specific design ideas and practice paths for future product optimization of immersive running pods, which can more accurately grasp user needs, thus improving user immersion experience and user satisfaction.

Qianqian Tang, Yonghong Liu, Qingxia Chen

Conference Proceedings

Scenario-Based Design Strategies for Immersive Running Interaction Experiences

With the development of interactive media technology and holographic projection technology, immersive fitness experience has gradually become an innovative direction to enhance users' sports participation and expertise. Compared with traditional running, immersive running involves the perception and interaction of more diverse scenario elements such as environment, characters, and events. This study aims to explore the need for a scenario-based immersive running interaction experience and propose solutions to enhance the user's immersive experience during running. The research first analyzes the scenario theory and summarizes the five scenario elements of the physical environment, physical interaction devices, virtual theme, virtual environment, and interaction events in an immersive running scenario. Then, the study researches the existing immersive fitness products and space cases, collects the above five elements as heuristic cards conducts user interviews, and explores the user's interaction experience design needs in the immersive running scenario through the user's combination and construction process of the heuristic cards of the immersive running scenario elements. Finally, based on the analysis of user interviews, a scenario-based immersive running interaction experience design strategy is obtained. The study improves and enriches the design method and practical guidance of the existing interactive experience in immersive running scenarios, and also provides new ideas and directions for the innovative development of the related fitness industry.

Jiaying Liang, Yonghong Liu, Qingxia Chen

Conference Proceedings

Understanding university instructors’ cumulative user experience with a Learning Management System: A semester-long mixed methods study

Educational technologies are rapidly advancing, with LMS being used by most academic institutions to facilitate and support learning. The COVID pandemic catalysed use of technologies to support non-traditional learning setup in the Philippines. While LMS use is widespread and its usability is highly explored, research on long-term use remains limited, particularly regarding how user behavior and system interactions evolve over time, which is crucial to understand the context of use and identification of areas for improvement to better support users. In addition, only a select few examine this from teachers’ viewpoints. This study explores the university instructors’ experiences over a semester with a Moodle-based LMS using a mixed methods approach. The results presented here are part of a broader study, covering the “during semester” experiences with the LMS. Ten (10) instructors participated in the study, accomplishing 3 weekly surveys and a diary every month. The weekly surveys measured their usage and ratings on the communication, course management and system usability, as well as their experiences. The monthly diary enabled participants to reflect on the challenges they faced, opportunities for improvement and the tools they used to achieve their goals. Combining these methods helped users track their UX progression over time. This study employed a post-phenomenological approach, which examines the dynamic human-technology-world relationship, where technological mediation co-shapes human subjectivity and the objectivity of their world, viewing technology as inviting and inhibiting human action and practices in any given situation. This semester-long study found that three components, Course Management, Communication and System Usability, have yielded overall positive results, both quantitatively through the weekly ratings and qualitatively, as reported in weekly and monthly diaries. Instructors perceived the LMS to invite actions related to teaching and learning rather than inhibiting them. Results show that while the UX scores for all three components have been positive, the qualitative reports were not always consistent with these positive ratings, specifically for System Usability, highlighting the importance of the mixed approach to understanding user experiences. The top three recommendations for LMS improvement included training and support, communication tools, and the user interface.

Lorelie Grepo, Belinda Esther Tan, Jose Antonio Clemente

Conference Proceedings

Research Unravelled: The Messiness of an Evaluation Project of LinkedIn for Business-School Connections in Youth Employment

Our youth employability project, aimed at improving employment outcomes, serves as a vital case study on the complexities of social research, with a particular focus on the usability of LinkedIn for connecting local businesses with schools. The project highlights how evolving research questions, unexpected methodological challenges, and contradictory findings are integral to a messy research process, reflecting insights shared by Clark et al. (2007) on the untidy realities of inquiry. Initially focused on assessing barriers to education and employment, stakeholder feedback shifted our approach to evaluating LinkedIn's effectiveness in fostering connections. Such evolution underscores the importance of a user-centred approach, where adaptability to feedback is key. However, implementation revealed usability challenges, as many businesses struggled to navigate the platform effectively, leading to an awareness gap among youth regarding job opportunities. The project also faced methodological surprises in participant engagement; despite extensive outreach, low response rates prompted the team to refine strategies. Discrepancies between positive engagement metrics and negative qualitative feedback highlighted usability issues, emphasising the need for robust user-centred design principles. Businesses reported that LinkedIn lacked essential user-friendly features, hindering effective use. Finally, publication dilemmas arose from low participation rates and conflicting stakeholder feedback complicating result interpretation. Echoing Clark et al. (2007), this paper stresses the importance of transparency in sharing both successes and setbacks in usability discussions. The lessons from this case study provide valuable insights for future researchers, highlighting the need for flexible frameworks prioritising stakeholder input, effective engagement strategies, and the integration of online and offline support systems to bridge education and employment gaps. By sharing these "messy" experiences, we encourage researchers to creatively embrace challenges, enhancing understanding of user interactions and supporting effective interventions to empower young people

Julie Udell, Daphne Kaklamanou, Paul Gorczynski

Conference Proceedings

Enhancing Thematic Analysis with Local LLMs: A Scientific Evaluation of Prompt Engineering Techniques

Thematic Analysis (TA) is a powerful tool for human factors, HCI, and UX researchers to gather system usability insights from qualitative data like open-ended survey questions. However, TA is both time consuming and difficult, requiring researchers to review and compare hundreds, thousands, or even millions of pieces of text. Recently, this has driven many to explore using Large Language Models (LLMs) to support such an analysis. However, LLMs have their own processing limitations and usability challenges when implementing them reliably as part of a research process – especially when working with a large corpus of data that exceeds LLM context windows. These challenges are compounded when using locally hosted LLMs, which may be necessary to analyze sensitive and/or proprietary data. However, little human factors research has rigorously examined how various prompt engineering techniques can augment an LLM to overcome these limitations and improve usability. Accordingly, in the present paper, we investigate the impact of several prompt engineering techniques on the quality of LLM-mediated TA. Using a local LLM (Llama 3.1 8b) to ensure data privacy, we developed four LLM variants with progressively complex prompt engineering techniques and used them to extract themes from user feedback regarding the usability of a novel knowledge management system prototype. The LLM variants were as follows:1.A “baseline” variant with no prompt engineering or scalability2.A “naïve batch processing” variant that sequentially analyzed small batches of the user feedback to generate a single list of themes3.An “advanced batch processing” variant that built upon the naïve variant by adding prompt engineering techniques (e.g., chain-of-thought prompting)4.A “cognition-inspired” variant that incorporated advanced prompt engineering techniques and kept a working memory-like log of themes and their frequencyContrary to conventional approaches to studying LLMs, which largely rely upon descriptive statistics (e.g., % improvement), we systematically applied a set of evaluation methods from behavioral science and human factors. We performed three stages of evaluation of the outputs of each LLM variant: we compared the LLM outputs to our team’s original TA, we had human factors professionals (N = 4) rate the quality and usefulness of the outputs, and we compared the Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) of other human factors professionals (N = 2) attempting to code the original data with the outputs generated by each variant. Results demonstrate that even small, locally deployed LLMs can produce high-quality TA when guided by appropriate prompts. While the “baseline” variant performed surprisingly well for small datasets, we found that the other, scalable methods were dependent upon advanced prompt engineering techniques to be successful. Only our novel "cognition-inspired" approach performed as well as the “baseline” variant in qualitative and quantitative comparisons of ratings and coding IRR. This research provides practical guidance for human factors researchers looking to integrate LLMs into their qualitative analysis workflows, disentangling and uncovering the importance of context window limitations, batch processing strategies, and advanced prompt engineering techniques. The findings suggest that local LLMs can serve as valuable and scalable tools in thematic analysis.

Timothy Meyer, Carolyn Baker, Jonathan Keefe

Conference Proceedings

Two – step Experiment Design for Participative Design Thinking

User-centric development of innovative products, functions, or services can be challenging. Usually, users understand the purpose or functionality of the system they use and are therefore in a competent decision-making position when asked to rate the usability of a product or voice suggestions for improvement. However, some products are unfamiliar to the users for whom these products are developed. To test these types of products efficiently, we developed an experiment design composed of well-studied methods like Usability Testing and Design Thinking workshops. The goal is to generate improvements and development tasks collaboratively with the end users. Furthermore, we present experiences of applying this approach in a study with 22 participants on an innovative safety-relevant ADAS function in collaboration with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

Gioele Micheli, Seda Aydogdu, Bernhard Schick

Conference Proceedings

New Service Development Process through UX Research: Case Study of "mercard”

The purpose of this paper is to identify the role and contribution of UX research in the development process of a new service. Comparing the start-up phase and growth phase of “mercard”, the credit card service offered by a Japanese Fintech startup, we analyzed how UX research led to the design and improvement of the new service using the Decagon model.The following points were revealed through our research. In the start-up phase, UX researcher facilitated ideation from the project members and contributed to the smooth progress of the design process by providing rationale which was based on past actual usage surveys. In the growth phase, UX researchers themselves became active in proposing improvements based on actual usage surveys, and this transformation from ideation facilitator to a position where they themselves execute ideation is a characteristic of the growth phase.

Miho Matsuzono, Yasunobu Ito

Conference Proceedings

An Investigation of Influencing Factors in Co-Participation Usability Test

The rise to pre-eminence of digital interfaces in everyday life means that it is crucial that those interfaces are user-friendly. In turn, the development of user-friendly systems demands effective methods for testing their usability. Methodologies for usability testing have evolved from traditional approaches, focused on single users, to co-participation techniques. Whilst co-participation testing demands more resources, the approach fosters a testing environment that is experienced as more natural, especially by children and elderly participants, and tends to result in richer qualitative data. In comparison with single-participant testing, co-participation can result in more honest feedback and identify a greater number of minor usability issues. This literature review therefore considers co-participation usability testing in particular, exploring the factors influencing testing outcomes, specifically gender, age, participant team composition and whether or not an evaluator is present. It pulls together the findings of a large number of comparative studies, which employ various methodologies to understand the effect of these factors on the results of usability testing. From the analysis, it can be shown that gender differences lead to distinct preferences, styles of interaction and priorities for navigation efficiency and how information is set out. Age differences are critical, as older adults frequently need longer to carry out tasks and tend to face different challenges to those encountered by younger users, because of differences in motor skills and cognition. Participant team composition is a significant factor for testing outcomes, as groups of people with diverse levels of expertise are better at spotting usability issues. Lastly, where an evaluator is present in the testing session, participant behaviour may be influenced by virtue of the observer effect, which can reduce result validity. This study is, then, a comprehensive review, which contributes to knowledge by demonstrating the combined influence of the factors reviewed on testing outcomes and by revealing how they interact with one another. Successful usability testing therefore depends on care in addressing these factors when designing and running usability tests. Furthermore, future research could usefully seek to develop more inclusive approaches to testing, which take these factors into account in effective and efficient testing procedures. These findings will be of especial interest to web designers, software developers and digital marketing specialists, fields where user experience has a direct effect on the success of a product.

Ahmed Alghamdi, Fang Chen, Kun Yu

Conference Proceedings

A Comprehensive and Quantitative framework of User Experience Evaluation in GenAI software

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming the software market by introducing innovative yet complex intelligent experiences across various applications. However, traditional user experience (UX) evaluation methods, such as SUS, UEQ, and CSAT, are inadequate for capturing key aspects of these AI-driven experiences including output diversity and relevance. Relying solely on user feedback also overlooks broader commercial objectives. To address these challenges, we propose a structured evaluation framework that balances user experience and business goals. This paper: a) defines four core metrics for AI-driven experiences—Functionality, Ease of Use, Intent Understanding, and Generation Quality—further broken down into 27 influential factors; b) establishes a quantitative approach that combines product decision-makers’ weighted metrics with user satisfaction ratings to create a comprehensive satisfaction scoring model. Empirical validation with six GenAI software products and 30 user surveys confirms that when weight data meets consistency validation (CR < 0.1), prioritizing high-weight, low-satisfaction metrics enables precise UX issue identification and targeted enhancements. This approach resulted in notable improvements in user satisfaction and NPS, showcasing the practical value of aligning weighted metrics with user feedback for effective product optimization.Our primary contribution is a measurement framework for evaluating GenAI software. It's designed to overcome the limitations of traditional metrics while aligning user experience with business strategy, providing actionable insights for product iteration. This framework is currently being tested across various domains. We will present its definitions, evaluation approach, metrics, and results in poster sessions to foster cross-industry discussions on GenAI software UX evaluation.

Yue Shan, Xin Chen, Li Yan

Conference Proceedings

Evaluating Soft Keyboard Parameters for Tablet Productivity: Usability-Centric Layouts

The increasing diversity in tablet form factors and their use in productivity scenarios presents considerable complexity in soft keyboard design, necessitating updated guidelines for layout parameters to ensure usability across varying screen orientations. This study investigates how two core soft keyboard layout parameters, key size and key aspect ratio, influence user input performance and subjective experience on tablets across different screen sizes and orientations (portrait vs. landscape) in productivity-focused multilingual typing tasks. Two within-subjects experiments (N=20) were conducted using a portrait-mode Surface Pro 9 and a landscape-mode ASUS ZenBook 17-Fold OLED, testing five levels of key sizes (8-14mm portrait; 15-20mm landscape) and five levels of key aspect ratios (0.6:1-1:1 portrait; 1:1-1.4:1 landscape) respectively, collecting both objective performance data (WPM, TER) and subjective ratings (5 dimensions). Results indicate that while objective performance measures showed no significant differences for the tested parameters, subjective ratings strongly favored specific configurations: approximately 12mm keys in portrait mode and 17mm keys in landscape mode were preferred for key size, and aspect ratios of 0.9:1 (portrait) and 1.1:1 (landscape) were most favored, primarily driven by perceived comfort and usability. These findings underscore the critical role of context-dependency and subjective user experience in soft keyboard layout optimization for tablets, providing concrete, data-driven recommendations for designing more usable and contextually appropriate interfaces for productivity tasks.

Ziyue Zhang, Yuan Xiang, Xinyi Gao, Wei Wang, Ye Sun, Jieli Kang

Conference Proceedings

Development and Usability Assessments of a Patient Medical Summary Application for Dental Clinicians

Accessing up-to-date patient medial information is essential for dental clinicians (DCs) to provide high quality clinical care. The objectives of this study were to develop a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) based patient medical summary (PMS) application to retrieve information from HIEs and to assess the usability of the PMS application. We followed the user-centred design method which included multiple iterations of developments and usability assessments. Forty-eight of the 50 participants were able to complete reviewing 6 patients’ medical histories during the interview, while the other two completed 5. The system usability scale (SUS) score for the first round was 82±12; while it was 76±16 for the second round of assessment. The lower SUS score in the second round reflected a major change in the study participant population. Even though the SUS score dropped, we noticed that the revisions corresponding to the improvements identified in the first iteration received very positive feedback. User-centred design and usability assessment can help to develop applications which have better information organization and display, and easy for clinicians to interact during decision-making. The PMS application was well received by the DCs and can be a valid option for DCs to access patient medical history.

Shuning Li, Biju Cheriyan, Srinija Kasaraneni, Jason Mengjie Mao, Thankam Thyvalikakath

Conference Proceedings

Exploring User Preferences for Health-Focused Digital Nudges: Insights from a Preliminary Study

This study explores the effectiveness of digital nudges in driving health-related behavioral change through mobile applications. Grounded in Nudge Theory and the Fogg Behavior Model (FBM), three interactive prototypes were developed to target hydration, posture, and mindfulness behaviors. A total of 88 participants (aged 25–35) tested these prototypes. The results indicate that Signal and Spark Triggers were significantly more effective than Facilitator Triggers in fostering user engagement and promoting behavior change. The study found that 65.91% of participants actively use applications for habit formation, while 93.94% confirmed the clarity and comprehensibility of the tested messages. Design elements such as message tone, graphic components, and color schemes were identified as key factors in capturing user attention, with a strong preference for personalized, visually supported messages framed with factual information. Findings suggest that for simple health-related tasks where ability and motivation are moderate, gentle reminders and positive reinforcement are the most effective nudging strategies. These insights reinforce the integration of FBM principles with Nudge Theory from behavioral economics. The study provides valuable strategies for designing more effective digital health interventions while preserving user autonomy and engagement. These findings offer actionable guidance for designers and policymakers in creating user-centered health applications that promote sustainable behavior change.

Yassaman Khodadadeh, Shahrzad Jafari

Conference Proceedings

Multi-Scale Spatiotemporal Attention-Based Sign Language Recognition

Over 430 million people globally face significant communication barriers due to hearing loss, yet existing Sign Language Recognition (SLR) technologies often overlook critical multimodal integration, resulting in limited practical usability. To address this issue, we propose a Multi-Scale Spatiotemporal Attention-Based SLR system that combines advanced deep learning techniques—including Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs), multi-scale CNNs, and dual attention mechanisms—to effectively fuse multimodal data and enhance real-time gesture interpretation. A comprehensive usability evaluation was conducted with 28 diverse participants, integrating quantitative measures (accuracy, latency, false activations) and qualitative assessments (System Usability Scale—SUS, user interviews). The primary objective was to evaluate the extent to which technical improvements could translate into meaningful enhancements in user experience and system acceptance. Results demonstrated substantial performance improvements (95.8% accuracy, 0.8s latency per gesture) and outstanding usability (average SUS score of 82.5). User feedback highlighted that system responsiveness and intuitive error correction significantly increased satisfaction and trust, underscoring the importance of combining technical accuracy with user-centered design. This study confirms that an integrated focus on multimodal recognition and rigorous usability evaluation is essential for successful real-world deployment of SLR technologies.

Xiao Hui Hou, Zi Han Mei, Yingxiao Han, Zidan Sun

Conference Proceedings

Exploring Microinteractions in Online Grocery Shopping: A Comparative Analysis Using Co-discovery User Testing

This study investigates user interactions on two online grocery shopping (OGS) platforms, Santa Isabel and Jumbo, using the co-discovery method. Conducted in Valparaíso, Chile, the research explores microinteractions in usability and user experience (UX) through observational and comparative analysis. The study highlights how differing interface designs influence user interaction patterns, usability challenges, and satisfaction. In a controlled UX and Usability Laboratory setting, two experiments were conducted with participants aged 18–36, in groups of two and performed predefined tasks. The first experiment with four groups using the Santa Isabel platform, focusing on tasks like managing shopping carts, navigating without a search bar, and saving shopping lists. The second experiment had five groups interacting with the Jumbo platform, testing functionalities such as categories, search bar navigation, and adding items via recipe searches. Each session lasted 45 minutes, with screen and audio recordings for further analysis. Metrics like task completion rates, time spent, error frequency, and user satisfaction were collected. Results showed that Santa Isabel’s platform presented challenges in navigation categories and increased cognitive load due to an inconsistent interface and lack of visibility for total costs. Jumbo’s platform faced issues with non-intuitive search features, unclear navigation structures, and conflicting forms. Both platforms exhibited shared challenges, including inefficiencies in navigation and task completion. The co-discovery method provided nuanced insights into usability by capturing real-time collaboration and verbalized user experiences, revealing repeated microinteraction issues like adding items to the cart, navigating categories, and saving lists. Main findings highlight that Santa Isabel’s platform struggled with categorization efficiency and total amount tracking, leading to a higher cognitive load. Jumbo’s interface faced challenges with non-intuitive recipe search features. Results highlight the critical role of microinteractions in user satisfaction and task performance, especially those related to the search bar. These findings emphasize the importance of microinteractions in designing intuitive and efficient user experiences. The research demonstrates that collaborative testing methods are valuable for identifying interface inefficiencies and cognitive friction. It provides actionable recommendations for designing user-friendly e-commerce platforms, particularly in the growing online grocery sector, contributing to the broader fields of human-computer interaction (HCI) and UI/UX design.

João Morisso, Marcelo Gitirana Gomes Ferreira, Alexandru Cristian Rusu, Oriella Ortiz, Kevin Vera

Conference Proceedings

Waiting information design based on outpatients' waiting information needs and time cognition

Waiting in the outpatient department is a common phenomenon in the patient's medical treatment process. The uncertainty of waiting information can significantly affect the medical experience. Establishing a waiting time information system that meets the needs of patients can effectively guide patients to form reasonable expectations, thereby improving patient satisfaction. This study, through the theoretical framework of time cognition and grounded theory analysis, identified four core information needs. Considering the dynamic characteristics of the medical waiting scenario, on the basis of the traditional three dimensions of duration, time point and sequence, the time-varying information dimension was innovatively introduced to construct the outpatient waiting expected time information model (T-EWIM). Taking the outpatient service in China as an example, the intervention effect of introducing time-varying information elements in the patient's medical treatment time prediction task was studied through simulation experiments, verifying the effectiveness of time-varying information elements in time prediction and their impact on user satisfaction. It provides a systematic theoretical model and design framework for information support in the medical waiting scenario.

Hui Ran Xie, Xiaodong Gong

Conference Proceedings

Creating Human-Centered Museums: User Experience in Digital Exhibitions from a Multimodal Perspective

In the third media age, experience economy prevails, technological change brings new opportunities for the digital development of cultural industry, museums rely more and more on cutting-edge digital technology to attract tourists, and multimodal interaction has gradually become a key strategy to enhance the audience's sense of participation and depth of experience. Based on the characteristics of multimodal interaction, this study combines the Hassenzahl's Model of User Experience and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and then extends and innovates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) proposed by Davis, in order to analyze the influence mechanism of the multimodal characteristics of museum digital exhibitions on the acceptance and behavioral intention of users. In this study, questionnaires were used to refine and clarify the motivational variables and external stimuli—Interactivity (IN), Immersion (IMM), and System Quality (SQ), and to formulate hypotheses, which were verified by means of confirmatory factors analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), and perceived fun (PF) are important motivational variables that affect users' attitudes and thus their final intention to use the product; exogenous variables such as IN, IMM, and SQ jointly and significantly affect PF, forming a fun-dominated relational system; in this study, the effects of IMM on PEU and PEU on PU are not significant. Ultimately, the correspondence between each dimension and each motivational variable is used as a theoretical guide to propose strategies to enhance user engagement and provide theoretical support for the digital and intelligent transformation of museums.

Wen Zhong, Jiaxuan Gong, Yawei Hao

Conference Proceedings

Impact of Visual Cues on Multi-person Comment Recognition and User Experience in Online Design Platform

In the contemporary digital landscape, computer-supported collaborative design platforms have become essential infrastructure for distributed teams to overcome spatiotemporal constraints and enable seamless cooperation. However, the exponential growth of design iterations, feedback volume, and team scalability requirements has posed significant challenges to optimizing collaborative efficiency through rapid information processing and cognitive assimilation. This empirical investigation examines the cognitive ergonomics of interface design elements through two key variables: visual cue types and icon design paradigms, evaluating their combined effects on operational efficiency and user experience metrics in comment recognition tasks. The research findings indicate that: 1) The impact of icon dynamics and style on efficiency is task-dependent. 2) Static visual cues offer consistent guidance, aligning better with users' requirements for efficient navigation. 3) Abstract icons contribute to emotional regulation to a certain extent. These insights provide valuable guidance for optimizing the design of collaborative platforms to improve user performance and satisfaction.

Xiao Ma, Chien-Hsiung Chen

Conference Proceedings

Understanding Family-Oriented Vehicle Needs: Insights from Two-Child Families with Older Adults in China

With China’s shift from the one-child policy to the two-child policy, multigenerational families—comprising two children and older adults—have become increasingly prevalent, introducing unique challenges to daily travel. This study explores the specific travel needs of such families, identifies key pain points, and provides actionable insights to enhance their shared travel experiences. By analyzing factors influencing vehicle purchase decisions and conducting in-depth user interviews, the research highlights three primary needs: supporting children's education and entertainment, fostering family interaction and communication, and ensuring the health and safety of older adults. These findings inform the conceptualization of intelligent vehicle features such as interactive entertainment modules, real-time health monitoring, and comprehensive information systems. These solutions aim to enhance vehicle cabin functionality and adaptability, addressing the diverse requirements of multigenerational families. The study offers valuable guidance for automakers and designers, contributing to the development of user-centric, family-oriented automotive solutions that align with evolving family dynamics.

Yancong Zhu, Mengxin Hao, Zhongkai He, Yihan Hu, Caoxi Peng, Keyi Yan, Xiaonan Zhang, Lu Wang, Wei Liu

Conference Proceedings

Developing an AI user interface for people with special needs – user needs in the context of municipality information

Several groups with disabilities have difficulties in understanding spoken or written language, which can make it difficult for them to receive information or follow instructions. People with disabilities may also have poorer conditions for using various digital media to gain access to information. Studies have shown that people with disabilities feel less included digitally than the rest of the population, and that people with difficulties related to language comprehension have more difficulty using the internet than other groups with disabilities (Johansson et al., 2021). An important goal for the municipalities is to contribute to ensuring that young adults with disabilities can have an adult life that is based on as much empowerment as possible and that they have equal access to digital information from various authorities. Much has been done around accessibility and solutions that facilitate communication for people with disabilities. W3C/WAI is an initiative within the World Wide Web Consortium (2024) that works on accessibility issues and guidelines to increase accessibility. There are also laws that require public actors to provide digital information in a way that enables people with disabilities to access the information. However, there are challenges since there are large variations both regarding disabilities and regarding possible context of usage (Newman et al., 2016). Although there are many existing solutions, there is still a need for "smarter" services and aids. Aids that can to a greater extent combine the functions of several independent services in a dynamic and individually tailored way.In an ongoing project a prototype based on generative AI for individuals with intellectual disabilities are developed. The aim with the solution is to facilitate access to relevant public authority information on municipalities websites for users with disabilities. The information from the authority's websites will be simplified and made available in a tailored format for the target group. All technical components of the solution will be integrated into a shell application with a common, simple interface to the user. The project intends to produce prompt models to be able to make the information available in a more tailored way, especially aimed at the target group's challenges.This paper will present the first phase of the project that has been focused on gathering user needs within the target group. The domains addressed have been information from the municipalities regarding taking the first steps from school to entering an adult life with work or daily activities or finding information related to other aspects of the adult life such as finding a place to live or change work or daily activity. Participants from three municipalities have participated in two workshops and in an iterative way features for the solution have been suggested.ReferencesJohansson, S., Gulliksen, J. & Gustavsson, C. (2021). Disability digital divide: the use of the internet, smartphones, computers and tablets among people with disabilities in Sweden.Univ Access Inf Soc 20, 105–120 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-020-00714-xNewman, L., Browne-Yung, K., Raghavendra, P., Wood, D. & Grace, E. (2016). Applying a critical approach to investigate barriers to digital inclusion and online social networking among young people with disabilities. Information systems journal. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12106World Wide Web Consortium- W3C/WAI (2024).https://www.w3.org/WAI/people-use-web/ (25 June 2024).

Marie Sjölinder, Jonas Ek, Pär Hansson, Carina Norman, Berit Nor, Johan Twedberg

Conference Proceedings

Diversity Analysis of Smart Home User Interface Design

Due to the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoTs), more and more users are demanding to operate and experience smart devices at home. Smart home control provides richer content and functions than the traditional single smart home software, and the richness of the control content leads to a more interactive and complex interface. These interfaces require more complex cooperation between users and interactive systems and put forward more scientific requirements for the organization and presentation of information. People increasingly need intuitive interfaces to facilitate and manage complex smart home central control systems in a friendly manner. As the information carried by the smart home control interface becomes more and more diverse, the user interface design becomes more and more complicated, therefore, users are faced with the need to find the required content in a large amount of information when operating the smart home control interface, effectively improving the visual search efficiency and reducing the cognitive load have become urgent problems to be solved.Design complexity is also important to determine how easy it is for users to search for icons on the user interface. It is important to understand the impact of interface complexity on users in smart homes, and it is necessary to carry out design complexity research on their GUI. The existing literature on the effects of interface visual complexity on user performance is inconsistent. Low complexity will improve operational efficiency and processing fluency, medium complexity will reduce the load on visual attention and thus increase purchase intention, and high complexity will promote more positive responses, but it will also increase user cognitive load. Although many studies have been conducted on the complexity of interface vision, the results have not been consistent. To sum up, there is no consensus on the impact of dynamic icons on the complexity of visual design. Therefore, this study collected data such as user operation performance and subjective evaluation through experiments to measure the influence between icon dynamic effect and design complexity.In this study, a 2X3 two-way analysis of variance ANOVA (N=48) was used to investigate the influence of cognitive load on users operating the control interface in smart home under different situations of design complexity (low, medium, high) and icon state (static, dynamic). The experimental results are as follows: (1) The higher the design complexity, the more cognitive load can be increased; (2) In simple tasks, the icon status does not affect the user's cognitive load; (3) User cognitive load is influenced by design complexity and icon status.

Lu Lu, Chien-Hsiung Chen

Conference Proceedings

Optimised human-computer interaction for intelligent business seats in high-speed trains

The purpose of this paper is to explore the enhancement of the level of high-speed train business cockpit intelligence and intelligent functions of the user human-computer interaction satisfaction, on the basis of existing research, the use of questionnaire method and interview method on the business seat of the target population demand research analysis summary, and further use of the hierarchical analysis method to construct the cockpit intelligent functions applicable to different business travel scenarios of the comfort evaluation model, and then on the relevant intelligent functions for the assignment of the weight of the calculation, so as to obtain the priority ranking of the relevant intelligent functions to provide the experimental basis for the subsequent business seat intelligent cockpit research design.

Xin Huang, Jianrun Zhang

Conference Proceedings

Between Indoor and Outdoor: Design for Three User Types of Outdoor Kitchens

There is a growing trend towards enhancing outdoor living spaces as extensions of the home. According to the ICFA Outdoor Trending Report (2021), 49% of Americans barbecue in outdoor living spaces, underscoring the demand for outdoor kitchens. However, there is a notable lack of user research of outdoor kitchens, including insights into users’ workflows and the identification of distinct user types. To address this gap, this study analysed five years of user-generated posts on Reddit, focusing on indoor-outdoor workflows and product combinations. The analysis identified three user types: Minimalists, who prioritize simplicity; Tinkerers, who seek flexibility; and Architects, who create fixed and customizable setups. Based on these insights, a modular outdoor kitchen design system was developed to accommodate diverse user preferences. This research aims to bridge the gap between mass-market solutions and personalized needs by integrating modular design principles with user-driven insights, providing a framework for future outdoor kitchen innovations.

Peiyue Lin

Conference Proceedings

User Experience Design for New Energy Vehicles from the Perspective of the KANO Model

This study focuses on drivers' demand for personalized operation in new energy vehicles, analyzing user attitudes and willingness to accept the industry from four dimensions: voice operation, gesture operation, auxiliary operation, and physical operation. With the rapid adoption of new energy technology, user demand has become the core driving force behind industry development. Through literature analysis and a questionnaire survey, basic driver needs regarding convenience, interaction efficiency, and comfort were identified, providing a data foundation for further analysis. Using field interviews, user feedback, and the KANO model, the study categorizes user needs into essential, desired, and charismatic needs. Essential needs relate to driving safety and operational stability; desired needs focus on enhancing user experience, such as voice control accuracy; and charismatic needs go beyond expectations, including innovative designs like gesture control and panoramic interaction. The study prioritizes needs based on the hierarchy of needs theory and satisfaction coefficients, offering a scientific basis for functional design direction. The results show that the KANO model effectively reveals the hierarchy of user needs and their impact on user experience, providing valuable insights for the new energy vehicle industry in function optimization and marketing. Future research can explore dynamic changes in demand and cultural differences in user needs to support broader technological innovation and market adaptation, driving the industry's development.

Jia Xiang Huang

Conference Proceedings

User Preference in Chinese E-commerce Interface Design: A Semantic Differential Approach

As consumer demands for user experience in e-commerce platforms continue to rise, interface layout has emerged as a critical factor influencing purchase decisions. This study investigates design preferences across four major Chinese platforms—JD.com (utilitarian layout), Taobao (social-commerce integration), Douyin Mall (short-video-driven interface), and Pinduoduo (gamified presentation). Employing a mixed-methods approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n=32) and a semantic differential survey (n=227 valid responses) to establish a perceptual evaluation system. Six bipolar adjective pairs (e.g., "orderly vs. cluttered," "harmonious vs. conflicting") were used to construct perceptual-semantic spaces. Principal component analysis (PCA) via SPSS 26.0 identified three core dimensions: Interface Layout (α=.87), Information Presentation (α=.83), and User Preference (α=.79). Results demonstrated significant correlations between spatial zoning patterns and user satisfaction (r=.68, p<.01), with JD.com ranking highest due to its structured layout, while Douyin Mall scored lower owing to its video-centric immersion. These findings offer empirical guidelines for cross-cultural interface optimization and propose a triaxial design framework balancing layout, information, and emotional engagement.

Shiyu Chen, Yixiang Huang, Hengsheng Huang

Conference Proceedings

User Information Behavior from the Perspective of Information Context: Optimizing User Experience Within Text-to-Image AIGC Platforms

The rapid expansion of text-to-image AIGC platforms has led to a transformation of user experience and changed user information behavior. This paper presents a grounded theory analysis of information behavior in the context of a text-to-image AIGC platform. We conducted an operational test on ERNIE bot, set two different text-to-image operation situations, task and non-task. Through the operation observations and semi-structured interviews of tested users, we analyze the influencing factors of user experience and establish an information behavior model of the text-to-image AIGC platform. It was found that the information behavior flow is affected by information context. In task-oriented situation, user's information demand is clear, which can be divided into three stages: information demand, information processing and information utilization, and the information behavior flow goes through a cycle in the information processing stage. In interest-driven situation, the user information demand goes through a process from ambiguity to clarity, and the whole process of user information behavior presents a dynamic adjustment cycle pattern. The findings provide a strategic reference for user experience optimization of AIGC platforms.

Xinyi Jing, Lu Zhang

Conference Proceedings

User Preferences for Information Feedback Design of a Multi-Person Collaborative System Interface for Emergency Rescue Tasks

In recent years, societal factors and technological advancements have significantly accelerated the development of multi-user collaborative applications, reducing geographical constraints and enabling cross-functional cooperation. For instance, large-scale natural disasters often require systematic, multi-party collaborative command systems to support disaster response operations. In the context of earthquake emergency rescue, effective collaboration involves the coordination of various stakeholders, including surveyors, medical personnel, communication staff, rescuers, command officers, and logistics coordinators. These efforts often rely on large-screen interfaces that display vast amounts of data from multiple users. However, the simultaneous presentation of information from diverse sources can impose significant cognitive and response burdens on users. Optimizing the design and presentation of information feedback is therefore critical to ensure that users can efficiently access and accurately perceive collaborative information. Only when feedback effectively captures user attention and facilitates comprehension can it enhance operational efficiency and user experience.Despite its importance, limited research has been conducted on the design of information feedback in multi-user collaborative interfaces, particularly studies focusing on user preferences or the impact of randomness in information appearance. This study aims to address this gap by investigating user preferences for various feedback presentation methods in the context of earthquake emergency command halls, specifically within complex information systems. The research also considers the influence of random information occurrence. Ultimately, the study identifies user preferences for representative feedback methods, collects subjective evaluations from participants, and confirms consistency between subjective assessments and observed preference distributions.Method:The study consisted of two phases involving 16 participants. Tobii eye-tracking technology was employed to collect eye movement data as a measure of user performance and preferences. Following a preliminary investigation, three representative information feedback methods were designed: corner marker, pop-up, and flashing landmark feedback. The corner marker design adopted a commonly used industry-standard notification icon style.In the first phase, user preferences for the three feedback methods were assessed under conditions of single and random multiple presentations. A visual search task was employed to record eye-tracking metrics, such as fixation data, and user responses. The second phase involved a five-point Likert scale questionnaire to gather subjective evaluations of the user experience with each feedback method after completing the tests.Results:The results indicated that, in complex large-screen collaborative interfaces, participants allocated more attention to pop-up and flashing feedback compared to corner marker feedback. However, among the three methods, corner marker feedback elicited quicker and more focused visual attention from users. Subjective user experience ratings collected via the Likert scale were consistent with eye-tracking data, further validating the advantages of corner marker feedback.Conclusion:This study underscores the effectiveness of corner marker feedback in enhancing user efficiency and experience within earthquake emergency command scenarios. By combining objective eye-tracking data with subjective evaluations, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of user preferences for information feedback methods. These insights offer valuable guidance for optimizing the design of information feedback systems in complex, high-pressure collaborative environments, particularly those used in emergency response operations.

Simin Peng, Yuxuan Yang, Chengqi Xue

Conference Proceedings

Optimizing E-train Ticket Interface Layout Using HTA and Link Analysis

Nowadays, people can purchase train tickets online anytime and anywhere, making it easier and more convenient to travel by train. Consequently, e-train tickets have gradually replaced traditional paper tickets. While e-train tickets retain the essential information found on paper tickets (such as train number, departure location, destination, and seat information), they also incorporate new features like QR code verification, ticket rescheduling, and refunds. However, the increased functionality has made the interface more complex, and the dense information on e-train tickets can make it difficult for passengers to extract relevant details during their journey. To address this issue, this study was conducted to identify human factors problems associated with the e-train ticket and optimize its layout and interface elements to enhance its usability. Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and Link Analysis were employed in this research. First, a detailed and systematic assessment of the interactions between passengers and e-ticket were described by the hierarchical diagram. Next, the “links” between interface elements and operations were represented and the weight of any possible link between the elements of the e-ticket was calculated as a composite index of its frequency and importance. Based on these findings, an optimized interface layout was proposed, focusing on minimizing the distance between linked interface elements. Usability testing results indicated that the optimized interface significantly enhanced effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the passengers when they interact with the redesigned e-ticket.

Yongsheng Tan, Yu Hsiu Hung

Conference Proceedings

Design Principles for Cookie Banners: Balancing Legal Compliance and Usability

Ever since the GDPR and the related legal framework came into force, web users come across and interact with cookie banners extremely often while navigating. These short but numerous interactions sum up to a considerable effort, which becomes even bigger when cookie banners are poorly designed or deliberately try to deceive users in giving full consent. This article investigates the issue of cookie banner design, considering both the legal and the usability requirements that should be respected to allow users adequate control over their data while browsing the web. It also critically examines widely used design patterns for cookie banners in terms of GDPR and usability compliance and provides a set of cookie banner design guidelines, emphasizing the importance of balancing transparency, simplicity, and control in banner design while avoiding dark patterns and consent fatigue.

Maria Rigou, Niki Georgiadou

Conference Proceedings