Multivariate Analysis of Gaze Behavior and Task Performance Within Interface Design Evaluation

Eye tracking technologies have frequently been used in sport research to understand the interrelations between gaze behavior and performance, using a paradigm known as vision-for-action. This methodology has not been robustly applied within the field of interface design. The present work demonstrates the benefit of employing a vision-for-action paradigm for interface evaluation. This is demonstrated through the evaluation of a novel task-specific symbology set presented on a head-up-display (HUD), developed to support pilots conduct ground operations in low-visibility conditions. HUD gaze behavior was correlated with task performance to determine whether certain combinations of gaze behavior could produce effective predictive performance models. A human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted with 11 professional pilots who were required to taxi in a fixed-base flight simulator using the HUD symbology, while gaze data toward the different HUD symbology elements was collected. Performance was measured as centerline deviation error and taxiing speed. Results revealed that appropriately timed gaze behavior toward task-specific elements of the HUD were associated with superior performance. During turns, attention toward an undercarriage lateral position indicator was associated with reduced centerline deviation (
p
< 0.05). The findings are interpreted alongside detailed posttrial user-feedback of the HUD symbology to illustrate how eye tracking methodologies can be incorporated into interface usability evaluations. The joint interpretation of these data demonstrates these novel procedures, the findings contribute to enhancing the wider domain of interface design evaluation.