The Effects of Aesthetics of Smartphones on Usability and Preference by the Task Factors
Euitaek Oh, Min‐Yong Park · 대한인간공학회 학술대회논문집 · 2011
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of aesthetics of smartphones on usability and preference by the task factors. Background: Although several studies have focused on the effects of aesthetics on objective usability, correlation between aesthetics and objective usability is ambiguous. Method: Using smartphones which have same functions but different aesthetics, Thirty-six subjects were asked to complete one of 3 types of tasks (inputting information, searching information, enjoying information). Both performance data and subjective measures were recorded. Results: The results showed that high aesthetics had a more positive effect on subjective usability and preference than low aesthetics before and after use. But this differential became smaller after use. High aesthetics led to longer task completion times. But usability was not significantly affected by both task factors and aesthetics. Conclusion: The results suggested that aesthetics may have multiple effects that go beyond affective satisfaction. Application: The finding of this study could be applied to predict effects of aesthetics on usability and preference in usability testing.