Psychology of Attention as a Foundation for Ergonomic User Interface Design

The article demonstrates the feasibility of using the characteristics of the human attention system for ergonomic design of software user interfaces. To this end, a detailed analysis of the attention system was conducted, including examination of its functions, properties, effects, types, and activation sources. To enable quantitative assessment in future research, the quantitative values of attention system limitations were systematized. Based on the accumulated data on the human attention system, a list of recommendations for ergonomic user interface design was compiled. Hypothetically, the use of the proposed recommendations will improve the quality of user interfaces, which implies: reducing user workload, decreasing the probability of errors, preventing premature fatigue, and facilitating users' gradual transition to the optimal «flow» state, characterized by maximum performance with minimal resource expenditure.