Eye Tracking and Usability Testing in Form Layout Evaluation

By Aga Bojko, Associate Director
Robert Schumacher, Ph.D., Managing Director

Abstract

Form design guidelines are numerous and easily accessible. However, very little published research exists to support these guidelines. Instead, they are based on the opinions of usability experts, their knowledge of human perception, and anecdotal evidence from internal testing with forms. This paper presents our efforts to empirically evaluate form design and better understand the underlying cognitive processes associated with layout.

We begin this paper with a brief overview of two form evaluation techniques, eye tracking and usability testing. We then describe the benefits of using them in conjunction. After an overview of previous form research, we present our systematic evaluation of five form layouts that differed in label and field positioning. The combination of usability and eye tracking measures used in the study (i.e., user behavior, eye movements, and self-report) allowed us to understand how each layout variation impacts form usability. We conclude the paper by discussing the limitations of our study and opportunities for further research.

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