Screening Prototype Features in Terms of Intuitive Use: Design Considerations and Proof of Concept

Graphical interface use involves schemata operations that range from transfer to induction. The former apply existing knowledge, such as prior schemata, and are effortless, preconscious and intuitive. The latter, which consist in constructing new schemata, are resource-consuming and thus detrimental to intuitive use (IV). A quantitative method is proposed to manipulate and screen schemata operations at the level of an interface's states and features. Relevance for the design cycle of innovative interfaces is critically reviewed, and integration with existing intuitive-use design frameworks is proposed. These considerations are built upon instructional design studies suggesting that assessment should precede and inform the application of design techniques geared toward IV. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS • Recent design frameworks claim that intuitive use of a device is improved by increasing the familiarity of its features. • Instructional design studies warn that increased familiarity can be ineffective in cases where people already possess relevant knowledge schemata. • Incidences of such risk in intuitive-use design are reviewed. along with their prevalence in existing studies of intuitive use