Grab Attention and Win with Design


Technology is advancing and more learners are using eLearning tools. Trainers and instructional designers must utilize, "creativity, innovativeness, and authenticity, as well as an understanding of the contemporary research ideas of the field" (Hokanson, Miller, 2009). An instructional design approach that enables trainers to be intentional and user-friendly is Fitts's Law. This model is based on human movement and was established in 1954 by Paul Fitts. It accurately predicts the time it takes to move and select a target. The larger the target, the quicker and easier it is to select. This law was originally designed for movement in the physical world; however, it can be applied to human-computer interfaces using a cursor or other type of pointer (Instructor, 2019). 



The law states that, "The bigger the target, the easier it is to hit." Fitts’s law says that the time to move to a target depends on how big it is and on how far away it is." (Budiu, 2022) Simply put, people will be faster to click, tap, or hover on bigger targets. Not only that, but error rates go down as target sizes increase. (Budiu, 2022) Whether it's a command button, the outer edges and corners, pop-up menus, selecting options, or task bars aim for the user to reduce the distance and time it takes to click on the desired link. 

The aim of user interface design should be to reduce the distance from one point to the next and make the target object large enough to enable prompt detection and selection of interactive elements without sacrificing accuracy (Instructor, 2019).

Fitts's law also aids with the 508 Compliance enabling learners “access to information that is comparable to access available to others.” Making eLearning accessible and 508 compliant means that you’re enabling employees with disabilities to receive the same access to the training materials used by their peers. Having audio options and text for learners are some ways to accommodate learners with disabilities. Most private sectors and all federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding are required to be 508 compliant. 

Reference:

Budiu, R. (2022, July 31). Fitts’s Law and Its Applications in UX. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/fitts-law/

Hokanson, B., & Miller, C. (2009). Role-Based Design A Contemporary Framework for Innovation and Creativity in Instructional Design. Educational Technology, 21–28.

Instructor, I. (2019, June 5). Fitts's Law: The Importance of Size and Distance in UI Design. Interaction Design Foundation - IxDF. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/fitts-s-law-the-importance-of-size-and-distance-in-ui-design

Team, C. (2019). What Is 508 Compliance for E-Learning and How Can You Achieve It?. E-Learning Heroes. https://community.articulate.com/articles/what-is-e-learning-508-compliance

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