Investigating the Operational Complexity of Digital Workflows Based on Human Cognitive Aspects

Abstract

In recent decades, the everyday working environment has increasingly shifted into the digital realm. Accordingly, the assessment of human working performance has become strongly influenced by the level, frequency, and mode of interaction with the digital environment. This paper presents a system-level comparative analysis of human–computer interactions in 2D versus 3D digital environments, focusing on human behavior in different environments and interfaces. For the purposes of this analysis, a new methodology is proposed—inspired by a set of new concepts and metrics—that can be used to evaluate digital interfaces based on the number and complexity of user operations. Beyond the use of objective indicators, the study was supplemented by a user survey of 52 people to map the congruence of digital systems and user requirements. According to the research results, in 3D virtual work environments, users perform at least 30 percent fewer elementary operations. The Information Access Cost is 54 percent less in immersive VR than in classical 2D user interfaces. Based on these figures, we conclude that the development trends behind 3D VR-based working environments coincide with the intention to extend human cognitive capabilities.