What Eye Tracking Can't Do

(Re-post from the “Eye Tracking the User Experience” Blog.  Aga is currently writing Eye Tracking the User Experience, A Practical Guide, to be published by Rosenfeld Media in 2012.) 

As I'm finalizing Chapter 2 (whew!), I'm noticing that we are sometimes so focused on explaining to others what eye tracking can do, that we have a hard time verbalizing what it cannot do. I'm specifically referring to the insight generated by eye tracking rather than software or hardware limitations.

So, here is the fill-in-the-blank challenge of the month for you:

The issues that eye tracking data can help explain typically originate in the suboptimal overall interface layout, specific element placement, graphic treatment, affordances, labeling, and messaging. However, eye tracking may not be as useful for explaining issues caused by _____________________.

Can't wait to hear your ideas.

You can keep up with the book's progress by visiting its site:  http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/eye-tracking/
...or follow @agabojko and @rosenfeldmedia
...or subscribe to its RSS feed:  http://feeds.rosenfeldmedia.com/eye-tracking/
...or be notified (and get a discount) when it goes on sale

Associate Director Aga Bojko has been instrumental in establishing the eye tracking practice at GfK User Centric by integrating eye movement analysis into traditional UX research studies for software applications, websites, and product packaging. She has a MS in Human Factors from the University of Illinois and a MS in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University.