Directional bias in scrolling tasks: a study of users' scrolling behaviour using a mobile text-entry strategy

Abstract

Mobile devices with limited interaction controls often employ cyclic scrolling for retrieval tasks. In this paper the scrolling behaviour of users entering text using a tree-key input technique based on two-phase cyclic character scrolling is studied. The results show that users have a tendency to scroll more from left-to-right than from right-to-left. However, users do also use the right-to-left functionality to both speed up their text entry task by choosing the shortest path and to make navigational corrections, suggesting that it is appropriate to provide bidirectional scrolling functionality in user interfaces on constrained mobile devices. In situations where a device architect is constrained to providing only unidirectional scrolling, the results suggest that a right-directional design is preferred over a left-directional design.