Determining the Effect of Users’ Mobile Phone on Design Preference via Interactive Genetic Algorithms

摘要

This study uses an Interactive Genetic Algorithm (IGA), a design space searching method, to determine thedegree to which a user's current mobile phone impacts their design preference, and how features in aproduct can change preference. IGAs mimic evolution by iteratively converging towards a design whileexploring a design space through random mutations. 20 participants, 10 current Apple iPhone owners, and10 non-iPhone owners were asked to use a web-based IGA tool to design touchscreen and non-touchscreenphones for dialing use only. Similar to other IGA mobile phone work (Nathan-Roberts & Liu 2010), theIGA varied screen size, button spacing, and phone radius independently. Results showed iPhone users, andnon-iPhone users did have different design preferences, but that there was a bigger difference betweentouchscreen phone owners (iPhone and non-iPhone touchscreen phones), and non-touchscreen phoneowners. Overall participants had significantly different preferences for touchscreen and non-touchscreendesigns for all variables except for the vertical button spacing, and phone radius. This work is part of alarger research study of aesthetic ergonomics of mobile phones, specifically looking at usability, and thecapacity of users to combine multiple goals in design. Future research needs are discussed, includingfurther testing the effect of non-iPhone touchscreen phone ownership.