Which eye tracking measures should I use?
None, if your study is purely formative, and you are just looking for usability issues. But if you are conducting summative research, you should choose your measures based on the cognitive processes you’re trying to assess. There is no one measure that is perfect for every study, not even my favorite—average fixation duration. Chapter 7 will gently guide you in your measure selection process.
How do I analyze the data?
Brownie points for asking the question! Yes, data need to be analyzed before they can provide useful information. You don’t just generate some heatmaps or scanpaths and call it a day. First, you carefully prepare your data for analysis. (Data cleansing is key.) Then, depending on the type of analysis—qualitative or quantitative—you systematically inspect visualizations or calculate statistics. For step-by-step instructions, refer to Chapters 10 through 13.
Why do you keep saying that eye tracking is “just not that special?”
Because as a method, it really isn’t. An eye tracking study should be subject to the same research principles as any non-eye tracking UX study. There are, of course, a few additional considerations, but the core is always the solid and well-established scientific method. Once everyone realizes that, eye tracking will become a more rigorous and systematic undertaking in the UX field than it may have been thus far. And that’s the goal of this book.
CONTENTS
Eye Tracking: What’s All the Hoopla?
Why Should You Care Where People Look?
Why Do People Look at What They Look At?
To Track or Not to Track
Qualitative Insight: Detecting and Explaining Usability Issues
Quantitative Insight: Measuring Differences
In Search of the Simplest Solution
Using Eye Tracking to Gain Stakeholders’ Buy-In
Eye Trackers and Other Necessary Resources
Not All Eye Trackers Are Created Equal
Technical Specs You’d Probably Rather Not Know About
Why, in the End, Specs Don’t Matter So Much
Time to Roll Up the Sleeves
Identifying Research Questions
Preparing Stimuli for Eye Tracking
Combining Eye Tracking with Other Methods
Eye Tracking Can’t Answer All Questions...
...But It Helps Interpret Non-Eye Tracking Findings