Entry and Selection-Based Methods of Human-Computer Interaction

The merits of entry and selection interaction methods were compared using an airline flight reservation scenario with a relatively small data base. For both experienced and inexperienced users, the most effective method was entry combined with autocompletion (i.e., string completion). Users took the least amount of time to carry out tasks with this method and also preferred it over both entry without autocompletion and selection from either a one-item menu or an N-item menu. Entry with autocompletion was not affected by increases in the underlying data base size. Both the entry with autocompletion methods and the selection method were not affected by the spelling difficulty level involved in making a reservation, but the unaided entry methods were. The results are discussed in the context of the Interactive Transaction System (ITS) project, which is a user-interface management system that separates the content of the user interface from the style of the interface.