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Ellen P. Francik

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Publications by Ellen P. Francik (bibliography)

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1987
 
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Francik, Ellen P. and Kane, Richard M. (1987): Optimizing Visual Search and Cursor Movement in Pull-Down Menus. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 31st Annual Meeting 1987. pp. 722-726.

A de facto standard is emerging for the design of pull-down menus. A set of menu items is presented to the user, with temporarily unavailable items listed in a lighter, "grayed-out" font. This ensures the consistent location of each item, but requires the user to visually scan over and possibly move the cursor through extra items that cannot be selected. Previous research has shown that both location and number of items affect users' ability to select items in menus. We examined the tradeoff between these factors by evaluating an alternative in which inactive items are deleted instead of grayed out. Deleting inactive items resulted in faster menu item selection than did graying them out.

© All rights reserved Francik and Kane and/or Human Factors Society

 
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Jun 18

Computer programs emerge as the outcome of complex human processes of cognition, communication and negotiation, which serve to establish the meaningful embedding of the computer system in its intended use context.

-- Floyd, 1992, p. 24

 
 

Featured chapter

Read the fascinating history of Wearable Computing, told by its father, Steve Mann

Read Steve's chapter !

 
 

Latest books

The Social Design of Technical Systems: Building technologies for communities
by Brian Whitworth and Adnan Ahmad

 
Start reading

The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd Ed.
by Mads Soegaard and Rikke Friis Dam

 
Start reading
 
 

Help us help you!