Menuing and Scrolling as Alternative Information Management Techniques

An experiment was conducted to evaluate menuing and scrolling as alternative information management techniques. A menu structure (4-3) and three scrolling methods, line-by-line, half-screen, were tested. Level of goal word familiarity and size of display window were also examined. The task consisted of locating a target goal word with one of the four access methods. A touch tablet was used to interact with the computer system. Members of a single set of 64 words, 32 unfamiliar, served as goal words in all conditions. Performance data were collected from 48 subjects. Each subject received both word familiarity levels. Access method and window size were between-subjects variables. Results of an analysis of variance on mean total task time revealed significant access method, word familiarity, and access method by word familiarity interaction effects. Line-by-line scrolling was fastest, followed by full-screen scrolling, half-screen scrolling, and menuing. Separate analyses of variances were conducted on total task time for familiar and unfamiliar word sets. The fastest condition depended on the familiarity level of the goal word, but not on window size. When the goal words was familiar, menuing was fastest, followed by line- by-line, full screen, and half-screen scrolling. For unfamiliar goal words, line-by-line scrolling was fastest, followed by full-screen scrolling, half-screen scrolling, and menuing.