[IxDA Discuss] Eye tracking, how valuable is it?

[Mark Schraad]

At best eye checking will give some insight into the cognitive side  
of how a person's sensation and perception of the page - how edge  
detection, spacial relationships, hierachial impact and grouping are  
processes. That arms you with only one very small piece of the  
cognitive puzzle. Those tendencies of the human brain tend to be  
pretty well documented and even in the most latent of cognitive psych  
departments eye tracking equipment mostly sets collecting dust.

Of much more importance to the UE or UI designer is likely the  
behavioral side of the user. And this research should be done up  
front and tested in early prototypes.

While the knowledge base of sensation, perception and cognition is  
certainly not absolute or final, much of what a designer needs to  
know from this field is well documented and can be easily be obtained  
in text books and on nearly any university campus.


On Jul 7, 2006, at 3:01 AM, John Grøtting wrote:

> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted  
> material.]
>
> I would agree with Peter. Eye-tracking comes from research that looks
> to define a singular "best way" to design a layout for optimal speed.
> However, there are so many factors that contribute to usability, that
> this is the greatest overkill that I have ever seen applied to a
> project. There has been some good research around fundamental
> perception that eye-tracking has helped, but for real business
> situations, it is too academic.
>
> If you were building a heads-up display for fighter jets, then an eye-
> tracking research project is very appropriate, but when I see how
> Jakob Nielsen uses eye-tracking (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/
> reading_pattern.html), it is obvious that many people are missing the
> ball. Most of what we learn is common sense. When you apply good
> design principles, you don't need this kind of research. And, if you
> didn't apply good design principles in the first place, then you
> probably don't have the staff to fix the problems anyways.
>
>
> Am 06.07.2006 um 23:58 schrieb Peter Merholz:
>
>> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
>> material.]
>>
>>> 2. How valuable is it? What can you say based on eye-tracking data?
>>
>
> John Grøtting
>
> Grøtting + Sauter
> Barnerstr. 14B
> 22765 Hamburg
> Germany
>
> Tel +49.40.398.34342
> SkypeIn +1.818.574.8440
> Fax +49.40.398.34340
> Mobile +49.172.4246.976
> www.g-s.de
> g at g-s.de
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org