Abstract: The optimal number of menu items per display screen has been the topic of considerable debate and study. On the one hand, some designers have packed many items into each menu to conserve space and reduce the number of menus, whereas on the other hand there are designers who prefer a sparse display for menu structures and other videotext information. This study evaluated the effects of a broad/shallow menu compared to a narrow/deep menu structure under two conditions of time stress for inexperienced users. Results indicated that time stress both slowed performance, and increased errors. In addition, it was demonstrated that the broad/shallow menu was faster and resulted in fewer errors. Implications for menu design are discussed.

Keywords: Complex systems; Design; Empirical studies; Hypermedia/Information systems; Menu; Screen output; Time stress

Originally published: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 31st Annual Meeting, 1987, pp. 727-731

Republished: G. Perlman, G. K. Green, & M. S. Wogalter (Eds.) Human Factors Perspectives on Human-Computer Interaction: Selections from Proceedings of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meetings, 1983-1994, Santa Monica, CA: HFES, 1995, pp. 105-109.