Improving menu interaction: a comparison of standard, force enhanced and jumping menus

ABSTRACT

In this paper we show how a model centered analysis of the usage of the mouse click interaction action in graphical user interfaces can be used to create a new menu system. The analysis identifies a possible new usage of the click action in cascading pull-down menus which can make it easier for the user during menu navigation and selection. A new menu system which is easy to implement, the ""Jumping Menu"", is introduced. The new menu system warps the screen cursor to the right into open sub-menu levels when a mouse click is detected inside a parent item. The Jumping Menu was compared with standard pull-down menus and force enhanced menus in a user experiment. The results show that the Jumping Menu and a force enhanced menu can facilitate menu interaction and that they are promising alternatives to conventional menu systems. Based on the results, a prediction model for selection times in Jumping Menus is developed.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.m Miscellaneous

Keywords:
"force fields", cascading pull-down menus, interaction models, menu enhancement, menu navigation, prediction models, selection tasks