Wallace J. Sadowski

Handheld Electronic Devices

From PDAs to cell phones to MP3 players, handheld electronic devices are ubiquitous. Human factors engineers and designers have a need to remain informed about advances in research on user interface design for this class of devices. This review provides human factors research summaries and research-based guidelines for the design of handheld devices. The major topics include anthropometry (fitting the device to the hand), input (types of device control and methods for data entry), output (display design), interaction design (one-handed use, scrolling, menu design, image manipulation, and using the mobile Web), and data sharing (among users, devices, and networks). Thus, this review covers the key aspects of the design of handheld devices, from the design of the physical form of the device through its hardware and software, including its behavior in networks.