Impact of display clutter on user experience

Abstract

In human-technology interaction display properties are an integral part of a successful achievement of user goals. To assess display properties different approaches have been taken. Besides design and visualization research, displays also play a central role in Human Factors and Ergonomics, as well as in Usability and User Experience research. In Human Factors and Ergonomics research, Display Clutter is usually associated with the abundance of irrelevant information on a screen. Depending on the definition of clutter, poor display organization, or performance and attentional costs of the user are considered as clutter as well. In User Experience research display properties are divided into instrumental (e.g., usability, utility) and non-instrumental (e.g., visual aesthetics) qualities. The present paper puts the Display Clutter and the User Experience concept in relation. It becomes obvious that the two approaches pursue a similar goal, thus an optimal user-interaction with a technical system. From a theoretical point of view, however, there are clear differences. Also, from a methodological perspective, some measurement techniques, which include the computational quantification of the screen, are unique to Display Clutter. Nevertheless, user performance measures and user ratings are employed in both Display Clutter as well as in User Experience research. It is discussed how display clutter can influence users’ experience on several levels: Instrumental (i.e., pragmatic) and non-instrumental (i.e., hedonic), from an objective system property perspective as well as subjectively perceived user perspective.