The effects of icon updating on user visual discrimination under different working memory load

Abstract

To lessen users' feelings of unease and stress after icons are updated, this study investigates icon recognition and discrimination in terms of icon color and location under different working memory (WM) loads. At low WM load, changing the color or position of the icons has little effect on icon recognition. The icon color update will affect the user's accuracy when less information is presented, but it will not affect participants' reaction time. As for position updates, it is better to update icons' positions within the same row rather than across rows. At high WM load, although subjects responded faster to color than location, subjects were more accurate with location than with color. It can be concluded that color updates are preferred for entertaining user interfaces that demand quick responses, while location updates are preferable for human–computer interfaces that focus on accuracy. From the results of high WM load, subjects are more sensitive to color brightness. The more drastic the color difference, especially if the change level was at levels of 20% or 40%, the subjects' responses would be more obvious.