Visual Signifier for Large Multi-Touch Display to Support Interaction in a Virtual Museum Interface

Abstract

The signifier is regarded as a crucial part of interface design since it ensures that the user can manage the device appropriately and understand the interaction that is taking place. Useful signifiers keep users’ attention on learning, but poorly designed signifiers can disrupt learning by slowing progress and making it harder to use the interface. The problem is that prior research identified the qualities of signifiers, but their attributes in terms of being visually apparent in broad interaction areas were not well recognized. Implementing the signifier without sufficient visual features such as a picture, figure or gesture may interfere with the user’s ability to navigate the surface, particularly when dealing with domains that demand “leisure exploration,” such as those in culture and heritage, and notably the museum application. As technology has evolved and expanded, adopting a multi-touch tabletop as a medium of viewing should be advantageous in conserving cultural heritage. As technology advances and improves, employing a multi-touch tabletop as a public viewing medium should be advantageous in maintaining cultural heritage. Some visual elements should be incorporated into the signifier to produce a conspicuous presentation and make it easier for users to identify. In this study, a preliminary study, a card sorting survey, and a high-fidelity experiment were used to investigate users’ experience, perspective, and interpretation of the visual signifier of the museum interface for large displays. This work offered a set of integrated visual signifiers on a big multi-touch display that makes a substantial contribution to supporting navigation and interaction on a large display, therefore aiding comprehension of the exhibited information visualization.