Abstract
The ease with which information can be entered into a computer-based record systems is one of the most important features to be considered when designing such a system. This report considers which is the best arrangement of items of information, in an hierarchical series of displays, such as might be used in conjunction with visual display units. The relationship is examined between the number of items to be classified (attributes of signs or symptoms in the medical field), the branching ratio (the number of items on a display), and the number of stages in a hierarchy. It is shown, that to minimize the number of steps to input information, the branching ratio should be constant and equal to 2.718, irrespective of the number of items being classified. The time taken to enter information is next considered. It is shown that for any given number of items, the minimum time is dependent on the ratio between the time taken to call up a display and the time to read an item on the display.
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