A better user interface for palm-top computing instruments

This research investigated a new text input and graphical output paradigm for small, mobile devices like the pocket PC in an electronic commerce environment. The improved paradigm called Menus Associated with Panning and Zooming (MAPZ) was investigated comparing the results of 79 test subjects who performed a series of tasks on the Pocket PC simulating an electronic commerce environment. Test subjects were then administered surveys with questions from both the Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).; For those tasks involving text input, test subjects significantly preferred menu based input over the current text box paradigm. The hierarchy menu was the overwhelming preference given survey analysis with zero errors and statistically faster times than either the text box or standard pick menu paradigms.; The results for graphical output were less conclusive, showing minimal statistical difference between user preference for viewing of graphics with the standard electronic commerce paradigm versus one which allows the user to zoom and pan into text and graphics. When taken individually, however, the questions from the TAM survey did produce a statistical difference. Both graphical output paradigms had similar error rates; however the new zooming and panning paradigm was statistically faster than the current paradigm used by many companies for electronic commerce.; In addition to the user interfaces investigated, this research also demonstrated that the TAM and QUIS surveys are not interchangeable but combined provide a more robust survey instrument for the measurement of user satisfaction for new technologies.