Charles G. Halcomb

Comparing the effects of text size and format on the readibility of computer-displayed Times New Roman and Arial text

Times New Roman and Arial typefaces in 10- and 12-point, dot-matrix and anti-aliased format conditions were compared for readability (accuracy, reading speed, and accuracy/ reading speed), as well as perceptions of typeface legibility, sharpness, ease of reading, and general preference. In assessing readability, the 10-point anti-aliased Arial typeface was read slower than the other type conditions. Examining perceptions of typeface legibility, sharpness, and ease of reading detected significant effects for typeface, size, and format. Overall, the 12- point dot-matrix Arial typeface was preferred to the other typefaces. Recommendations for appropriate typeface combinations for computer-displayed text are discussed.

Evaluating websites for older adults: adherence to 'senior-friendly' guidelines and end-user performance

Older adults in the US are the fastest-growing demographic, and also the largest-growing group of internet users. The aim of this research was to evaluate websites designed for older adults in terms of (i) how well they adhere to ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines and (ii) overall ease of use and satisfaction. In Experiment I, 40 websites designed for older adults were heuristically evaluated based on their adherence to usability guidelines derived by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. In Experiment II, three websites with varying levels of guideline compliance were evaluated by older adults in a usability test. Results from this study indicate that the website most compliant with the ‘senior-friendly’ guidelines resulted in higher task success, but did not result in significantly better efficiency, satisfaction, or preference. These findings demonstrate the importance of using both guidelines and usability testing when designing websites for older adults.

Examining children's reading performance and preference for different computer-displayed text

This study investigated how common online text affects reading performance of elementary school-age children by examining the actual and perceived readability of four computer-displayed typefaces at 12- and 14-point sizes. Twenty-seven children, ages 9 to 11, were asked to read eight childrens passages and identify erroneous/substituted words while reading. Comic Sans MS, Arial and Times New Roman typefaces, regardless of size, were found to be more readable (as measured by a reading efficiency score) than Courier New. No differences in reading speed were found for any of the typeface combinations. In general, the 14-point size and the examined sans serif typefaces were perceived as being the easiest to read, fastest, most attractive, and most desirable for school-related material. In addition, participants significantly preferred Comic Sans MS and 14-point Arial to 12-point Courier. Recommendations for appropriate typeface combinations for children reading on computers are discussed.

Effects of modular course training on mobility in older adults aged 79-90 years

Purpose : To determine the effectiveness of an intervention programme utilizing modules specifically designed to challenge mobility in older adults. Method : Twelve older adults aged 79-90 years (84.3 - 3.2; mean - SD) living in a retirement community participated in a 10-week (3 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session) training programme. Performance on a modular course, comprised of nine stations representing common environmental conditions, provided information about dynamic balance and mobility before and after the intervention programme. Stations consisted of walking across carpet and foam pathways, walking up and down ramps and stairs, walking through a slalom course of eight plastic cones, and stepping over foam props. Performance on the mobility course was videotaped to determine the time to complete each station. The training intervention consisted of performing sections of the mobility course and standing on foam pads with the eyes open or closed. Results : Using the Bonferroni-adjusted level of significance for multiple comparisons ( p - 0.005), paired sample t -tests indicated significant improvement for total time to complete the course (pre=100.9 - 40.5 s, post=79.6 - 40.3 s) and for all individual stations except stepping over props. Conclusions : These results indicate that an intervention programme utilizing functionally-oriented modules can improve mobility in older adults.

Designing Websites for Older Adults: The Relationship between Guideline Compliance and Usability

Three senior websites with varying levels of compliance to “senior-friendly” guidelines were evaluated for efficiency and usability with older adults. Results indicate that the website compliant with the most senior-friendly“ guidelines resulted in higher task success, but did not result in significantly lower time on task or fewer number of pages visited. In addition, the site compliant with the most ”senior-friendly“ guidelines did not result in higher satisfaction or preference. The importance of adding usability testing to the website design process, especially for this target audience, is highlighted.

50 Years of Human Factors Psychology at Texas Tech University

In 1966, the Human Factors Program Psychology of Texas Tech University (TTU) was inaugurated. The program has been accredited by HFES since 2002, when it was one of 14 accredited programs. The panel of former and current faculty (Drs. Halcomb, DeLucia, and Endsley) as well as successful alumni (Drs. Liddell and Chaparro) discusses the development of the program, how training at TTU’s Human Factors Psychology Program prepared graduates for success, provides advice for current students, and also reflects on the challenges and the path for the future for the human factors profession and human factors training.

The influence of mere exposure on web based breadcrumb navigation

Recent studies have shown that while the use of breadcrumb trails to navigate a website can be helpful, few users choose to utilize this method of navigation. This study investigates the effects of “mere exposure” and training on breadcrumb usage and satisfaction. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition I participants received both exposure and instruction to use breadcrumb navigation. Condition II participants received only mere exposure to the use of breadcrumb navigation and Condition III participants received neither exposure nor instruction to use breadcrumb navigation. Upon completing a list of search tasks, Condition I participants spent less time, visited fewer web pages, and relied less on other methods of navigation. The mere exposure group, Condition II, did not produce significantly faster search times or visit fewer web pages than the participants in Condition III.

PSYCHOLOGY OF COMPUTER USE: XXXII. COMPUTER SCREEN-SAVERS AS DISTRACTORS '

The differences in performance of 16 male and 16 female undergraduates on three cognitive tasks were investigated in the presence of visual distractors (computer-generated dynamic graphic images). These tasks included skilled and unskilled proofreading and listening comprehension. The visually demanding task of proofreading (skilled and unskilled) showed no significant decreases in performance in the distractor conditions. Results showed significant decrements, however, in performance on listening comprehension in at least one of the distractor conditions.