Animation of Pictorial Icons

Abstract

This laboratory investigation stems from an Air Force command and control research program in which the status of squadrons and individual aircraft in flight is communicated through pictorial icons. The study investigated the use of animation as cue for remembering the status of aircraft presented in a 3 × 3 display of pictorial icons. Pictorial icons were present to participants in both a homogeneous context (all non-animated) and a mixed context of animated and non-animated icons in a crossover design extending over two sessions. Results indicated the animation facilitated memory, but suggest that the effects may be short-lived. Animation is discussed in terms of its possible beneficial effects (saliency, isomorphism, highlighting distinguishing features, and information chunking) as well as its costs.