Evaluation of Two-Dimensional Fitts' Law Models

Abstract

An experiment is described comparing three models proposed by earlier investigators that predict movement time of the hand during control of the computer mouse in graphical user interface. All the models are variations of Fitts' law derived from Shannon's theory of information transmission in communication systems. The law states that there is a linear relationship between movement time in a target selection task on a CRT display using the mouse and the task's index of difficulty. The index is expressed by the ratio of movement distance to the target and target width. Fitts' law has been widely researched and applied in human-computer interaction. Past research has proved the predicting power of model in the one-dimensional paradigm, where movements are executed along one axis (primarily horizontally.