A Method for Optimizing Complex Graphical Interfaces for Fast and Correct Perception of System States.

The amount of information a human has to process continuously increases. In this regard, successful human performance depends on the ability of a human to perceive a system state as quickly and accurately as possible - ideally with a single glance. This becomes even more important in case several tasks have to be performed in parallel. It was shown earlier that monitoring user interfaces with a limited amount of information can be optimized for fast and accurate perception by combining all information into one integrated visual form. But systems that consist of several parallel tasks, each involving a whole bunch of parameters cannot be condensed into one single visual form. We propose an improved method that supports optimizing entire user interfaces consisting of several parallel tasks for fast and accurate perception (Konect). We evaluated the method in 6 workshops for that a total of 12 designers applied the method, which they learned by written instruction cards. Working in teams of two they were all able to design and optimize their designs first on a single task level (i.e. the original method) and thereafter on the global level (i.e. applying the new version). We evaluated their design outcomes thereafter in a laboratory experiment with 18 participants that were asked to distinguish critical and non-critical situations as fast and accurate as possible. Subjects were significantly faster () and also significantly more accurate () for those designs that were gained by the new version of Konect than those for the old one.