Does Animation in User Interfaces Improve Decision Making?

This paper eports a laboratory experiment that investigated the relative effects of images, transitions, and interactivity styles used in animated interfaces in two decision making domains. Interfaces used either ealistic or abstract images, smooth or abrupt transitions, and parallel or sequential interactivity. Results suggest that decision making performance is influenced by the task domain, the user experience, the image, transition, and interactivity styles used in animated interfaces. Subjects performed better with images. Subjects were more accurate with smooth rather than abrupt animation. Subjects were more accurate and enjoyed more the animation with parallel rather than sequential interactivity. Implications on the design of animated interfaces for decision making are provided. To account for appropriateness and interactivity, animation in HCI can be defined as: a series of varying images presented ynamically according to user actions in ways that help the user to perceive a continuous change over time and develop a more appropriate mental model of the task [7]. A task is generally considered a meaningful unit of work performance, and interactivity is usually defined by the visible or motor actions the user performs on the interface. This paper summarizes previous empirical research on animation and reports a laboratory study conducted to evaluate the decision making effectiveness of different types of images, transitions, and interactivity styles used in animated interfaces. The paper concludes with implications and recommendations concerning the design of animated interfaces for supporting decision making