Touchscreen interfaces in context: A systematic review of research into touchscreens across settings, populations, and implementations

Abstract

Although many studies have been conducted on the human factors and ergonomics (HFE) of touchscreens, no comprehensive review has summarized the findings of these studies. Based on a schema (three dimensions of understanding critical for successful display selection) presented by Wickens et al. (2004), we identified three dimensions of analysis for touchscreen implementations: touchscreen technology, setting and environment of implementation, and user population. We conducted a systematic review based on the PRISMA protocol (Moher et al., 2009), searching five article databases for relevant quantitative literature on touchscreens. We found that all three dimensions of analysis have a significant effect on the HFE of touchscreens, and that a selection for or against touchscreens must take into consideration the specific context of system interaction in order to maximize safety, performance, and user satisfaction. Our report concludes with a set of specific recommendations for systems designers considering touchscreens as input/output devices, and suggestions for future study into the HFE of touchscreens.

Keywords: Human factors and ergonomics; Touchscreen interface; User-centered design.