Metaphors: Realistic vs. Form-based Phone Interfaces

Authors

Brian Renn - brenn@glue.umd.edu
Michael Moyer - mdmoyer@wam.umd.edu
David Siegel - daveyg@wam.umd.edu
Christopher Malter - cdmalter@wam.umd.edu

Abstract

    Realistic metaphors are often used in computing when a program roughly mimics "real-world" objects and/or actions.  Our study investigates the efficiency of realistic vs. form-based metaphors in a telephone dialing application.   We hypothesized that a realistic interface closely resembling a telephone would achieve higher subjective satisfaction among subjects, but would result in longer task completion times than a form-based telephone application.

    Twenty-two students participated in an experiment comparing a mockup of IBM's RealPhone to a form-based phone of our own design.  The results of the experiment failed to show any statistical significance in task completion time.  However, subjects found the realistic phone interface more attractive at a statistically significant level.  Other tests of user satisfaction including ease of use, overall design, and level of visual distraction, failed to provide significant results.

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