The Latest in Eye Tracking Web Usability Research pt2

It is no secret that eye tracking is one of the most revealing approaches to evaluating web usability. A viewer’s eye movement behavior as they scan through a webpage or site can tell a lot about how navigable and user friendly the design is. Of course there are other, simpler evaluation tools like monitoring cursor behavior or the Think Aloud Method in which the subjects describe their thought process aloud as they navigate, but eye tracking offers more explicit details about viewing activities.

So, once you make the choice to conduct web usability research using eye tracking, how should you go about conducting the study? A previous Eye Tracking Update post summarized the key suggestions for planning a web usability study that were made by Nielsen and Norman Group, a consulting and research company that focuses on user experience. The same report, entitled “Eye-Tracking Methodology: How to Conduct and Evaluate Usability Studies Using Eye-Tracking,” also presents some suggestions for carrying out the study itself. These suggestions are for a lab setup that incorporates a flat-screened monitor-type eye tracker as opposed to a wearable device:

1) Choose a lab location without strong lighting or windows with direct sunlight because these lighting sources may hinder the calibration and eye tracking.

2) Limit the test session to 90 minutes or less to prevent the subjects’ eyes from drying, which may also weaken the eye calibration.

3) Seat the subject in a chair that is stationary. A rolling, reclining, or swiveling chair will increase the chance of running into issues with head motion compensation error.

4) Make sure the subject’s desk is clear. Any clutter could distract the user’s gaze and cause them to look away from the screen.

5) Place the test facilitator in a desk next to the subject, but slightly behind. Both should have their own monitors, but the facilitator’s monitor should be out of the subject’s view as not to distract the subject’s gaze.

6) Don’t use the “Think Aloud Method” in conjunction with an eye tracker. Speaking out loud during a navigation exercise can result in deceiving eye tracking heatmaps. For example, when talking about an element on the screen, a subject will stare at it longer and more frequently than they would otherwise. Also, the eyes tend to move around on a page a lot more when a viewer is speaking, even if they aren’t necessarily speaking about the items on the page, making it appear as if there are many more fixations than there would have been during real use.

These are just a few of the many pieces of advice presented in the report. Check it out at the link below for more tips on calibration, communicating with the subject, and making the test session flow smoothly. There will be one more Eye Tracking Update post coming soon about this report’s tips for analyzing the results of web usability research.

Eyetracking Methodology

Related articles:

1. The Latest in Eye Tracking Web Usability Research pt1
2. The Latest in Eye Tracking Web Usability Research pt3
3. Eye Tracking: Facebook and LinkedIn Usability
4. Eye Tracking: Online Social Networks and Web Usability Testing
5. Eye Tracking Usability and User Experience, but Fun Overall
6. Eye Tracking Looks at How We Rely on Google for Answers
7. More Eye Tracking Tips for Web Usability
8. Eye Tracking: Readers Run Out of Gas Below the Fold
9. Framework for Eye Tracking Patterns and Usability Problems: Part 1
10. Eye Tracking on the Cheap: Making MacGyver Proud