Performance of mobile users with text-only and text-and-icon menus in seated and walking situations

We investigated mobile users' performance on text-only and text-and-icon menu interfaces of short and medium lengths. We conducted two experiments, with 18 participants each, on four mobile menus in two common usage situations, seated and walking. In Experiment 1, seated participants conducted known-item searches of word menus on short and medium text-only menus and short and medium text-and-icon menus. In Experiment 2, we replicated the first experiment in a walking context of use. We used selection time and error as performance measures in both experiments, plus walking speed in the second. Results showed that, when seated, participants recorded faster times in selecting targets with text-and-icon medium menu than text-only medium menu. Participants, when walking, had significantly faster selection times with text-and-icon short menu than text-only short menu, and with text-and-icon medium menu than text-only medium menu. Text-and-icon medium menu also resulted in fewer incorrect selections by users than text-only medium menu in the walking situation. Further, when comparing menus of the same length in the walking situation, text-and-icon menu had a more efficient learning curve than text-only menu. Walking speed was better with text-and-icon medium menu than text-only medium menu. We discuss results and highlight theoretical and practical implications.