Comparison between Overview Menu and Text Menu in Smartphone

Abstract

Objective: This study determines which of two types of 2D menu is better on iPhone. Background: Menu systems havebeen important components in modern graphical user interfaces. Review of menu design studies for human-computerinteraction suggests that menu design guidelines for smartphones need to be reappraised. Method: A nested factorial designwas used. Twenty-four participants were divided into two groups. The subjects were nested within the menu type. Two typesof menus are an overview menu and a text menu. Two different breadth levels are 16 and 64. The participants performedfive tasks in each breadth level. A task is defined as locating a product or product class on the deepest level of the hierarchy. An Apple iPhone 2G was used. Results: The results for ANOVA indicated a lack of a significant difference for time torespond between the two types of 2D menus. The overview menu showed the better satisfaction score between the two menutypes. Conclusion: Even though the differences were not significant, an overview menu tended to show better performanceand preference scores than a text menu that required scrolling. Application: This study can provide menu design guidelineswhen 2D menus are considered for small displays in a high breadth level.