A new technique for adjusting distraction moments in multitasking non-field usability tests

Evaluating errors that result from user interactions with incar applications, it has to be considered that the user is permanently involved with driving the car. Reproducing this driving workload in non-field usability tests, it showed that the driving simulation demanded each test subject in a different way because of individual precognitions and properties. To ensure an identical driving workload for each test subject, it becomes necessary to individually adapt the degree of difficulty (DOD) of the driving task. We present a new technique in which, concerning the driving performance, each test participant is pre-classified in a baseline investigation before the main trial. In this context, a special measurement for objectively validating the driving performance of the subjects is being introduced. Keywords Usability Engineering, distraction task, driving task, operation task, workload, human error, pre-classification

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2002
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Björn Schuller, Frank Althoff, Gregor McGlaun, Manfred K. Lang
• Keywords: CHI 2002, Distraction Task, Human Computer Interaction, Identical Driving Workload, Test Subject