Phone Vs Calculator: Why are they flipped?
From the user study conducted, the researchers found:
The rotary layout was the fastest given users have been accustomed to the layout.
Although two vertical columns were most hated by users, it the lowest per cent of errors (i.e., 1.3) compared to the rest.
Despite the two horizontal rows being the slowest, testers ranked it the 1st.
Although the two vertical columns were disliked, they had the lowest error rate (1.3%), showing the trade-off between preference and accuracy.
3. How was the winning phone number pad chosen?
It is obvious that the team did not choose the layout that is fastest or has less errors or the one user liked the most. Bell Labs team chose three-by-three plus one row as the winner, and here is why:
English writing generally flows from left to right and top to bottom. Because of this, most people (55%) felt that the Three-By-Three-Plus-One layout was the best design for a keypad. The phone keypad was designed with the idea that people are more accustomed to reading numbers in a top-down manner, like how they read text on a page.
This preference held true even when letters were added to the numbers.
Additionally, this layout supposedly offered some engineering benefits. As a result, Bell Labs chose this design as it “most logical”, and it has since become the standard for everything from phones to ATMs and card machines.
4. Why have calculators kept their original layout?
Although the three-by three plus one layout was tested for calculators was tested, it got discarded initially itself as it did not achieve the task at hand. And given that calculators are used primarily for arithmetic operations often starting with lower digits (1, 2, 3) frequently used in calculations, hence their placement at the bottom.
The usability of phone keypad is to dial random numbers unlike calculators making the layout “reverse” from that of the phone workable and efficient. Since users might use more zeroes in calculator for multiple reasons like rounding up numbers, keeping them nearer to hand increases accuracy and speed.
Conclusion :
The different number layouts of phone and keypad has barely ever been a hindrance to us, in fact some of us may not even have realized it. That is where intuitive design comes into picture and mind you, there is a difference between intuition and muscle memory.
Users can perform tasks with good speed because of the muscle memory developed over time. After using the application frequently and long enough, existing users just know, over time.
But the crucial point is, there is a need to figure the functionalities out or seek additional help and spend time and resources into recalling for a period until it becomes a muscle memory, which needs to be avoided for enhanced user experience and drive business growth as well. And it is possible to accomplish through comprehensive audit report and optimization.
As we believe, “Good design is obvious, Great design is transparent”
Having said that, here are a few design takeaways from Bell Labs study that will help in making UI/UX decisions:
User Preference Isn’t Everything:
Testers loved horizontal row layout even though it is the slowest option of all, making it crucial to observe, learn and get feedback while users are performing the tasks in real time as the conditions under which users take the test have limitations.
Task Completion and Error Prevention:
Amongst the layouts tested, two vertical columns had the fewest errors but also was the most hated. As much as task completion is important, users must also find ease and joy in using layouts and interfaces as emotional engagement contributes to user experience.
Optimization is crucial:
The finalized keypad layout might not have been the most accurate or fastest, but it was highly optimized. According to Jakob Neilson, this design saved an estimated one-million-person years of time, having a profound impact, streamlining tasks and reducing errors across countless devices and industries.
Context Matters:
The layout chosen for phone did not work in the context of calculators because data entry and the nature of task itself is different, leading to different design solutions.
Holistic Design Approach:
Finally, engineering constraints or other issues take priority over factors considered when choosing the apt solution. Hence, it’s crucial to adopt a holistic design approach that balances usability, user preferences, task needs, and engineering limitations.
