The Latest in Eye Tracking Web Usability Research pt3
Eye tracking as a method of researching web usability has been the main topic of a couple of recent posts on Eye Tracking Update. Covering recommendations about the planning and conduct of web usability research by the consulting and research company, Nielsen and Norman Group, these posts laid the groundwork for this third post, which focuses on how to go about analyzing eye tracking results.
There are three different eye tracking analysis tools that are covered in the report: gaze replays, gazeplots, and heatmaps. Each of these tools is presented below with pros and cons, followed by suggestions for the optimal method of analysis.
Gaze Replay
A gaze replay overlays the subject’s eye movement on a video of the test session, which appears as a moving dot on the screen representing the user’s eye as it moves around the page.
Pros
· Can be slowed down so detailed viewing behavior may be observed
· Shows the order in which spots on the screen are viewed
· Practically gives the observer a view into the user’s mind
Cons
· Time consuming to watch, especially if slowed down
· Needs to be slowed down because of the natural rapid movement of the eye
Gazeplot
A gazeplot is a series of numbered dots of varying sizes, which represent the location, the order, and the length of time the fixations occurred on a page during the test session. Larger circles represent longer fixation times.
Pros
· Can be adjusted to display specific moments of the task session
· Displays all of a user’s fixation points on one page
· Indicates order and length of fixations
Cons
· The dots, when in heavy concentration over a spot of interest on the page, actually hide the element, making it difficult to see what the user was actually interested in.
· Difficult, if not impossible, to see the dot numbers when there is more than one dot in a location
· Time consuming to analyze because only one user’s gaze is plotted and each individual screen has a plot
· Dynamic web elements, like dropdown windows or videos etc., do not show up on the gazeplot
Heatmaps
A heatmap is a color-coded representation of either fixation concentration or length of one or more viewers on a screen. The report recommends using a heatmap that displays fixation duration for a usability study because longer fixations may be of more significance than multiple small ones.
Pros
· Can display the fixation patterns of multiple viewers in one heatmap
· Give a quick overview of where viewers looked on a page
Cons
· Can easily be misread
· No depiction of viewing order
· Dynamic web elements, like dropdown windows or videos etc., do not show up on the heatmap
Using a combination of these tools is the best way to analyze eye tracking results. The report recommends taking a look at heatmaps first to get an idea of the areas of interest on the page, then examining these areas more thoroughly with gaze replays and gazeplots to get a better idea of the fixation order and duration patterns that occurred in those areas. Whichever tool you choose, eye tracking is an effective way to investigate web usability. Take a look at the full report for more tips and suggestions.
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