Locating information in an instruction manual : the effects of tab type and heading placement

Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-51)An instruction manual was evaluated to determine the\ud effects of tab type, heading placement and practice on time\ud to locate information, number of errors and perceived ease\ud of use. Forty-eight computer programmers from UNISYS\ud Corporation, ranging in age from 21 to 50, participated in\ud the study. Subjects in each of three tab groups -extended\ud tabs, bleeded tabs, or no tabs -- searched for\ud headings that were centered, left-justified, partially in\ud the margin or fully in the margin. Search time results\ud indicated that subjects located information more quickly\ud with extended tabs than with bleeded tabs or no tabs,\ud particularly for the first manual that they used. They\ud also perceived the chapters to be easier to find with\ud extended tabs. Bleeded tabs were associated with the\ud longest search times for the first manual. Within each \ud manual, a practice effect was found such that search times\ud were longest for the first of three trial blocks. Error\ud results indicated that users missed headings less often\ud with margin and partial-margin headings and perceived them\ud to be easiest to find, easiest to distinguish from the text\ud and most aesthetically pleasing. However, for the no-tab\ud group, the partial-margin headings were perceived as easier\ud to find and more aesthetically pleasing than the margin\ud headings. These results are discussed and recommendations\ud are made regarding the use of extended tabs, as well as\ud margin and partial-margin headings