C. Stephanidis (Ed.): Posters, Part I, HCII 2013, CCIS 373, pp. 169–174, 2013.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Insights from Eye Movement into Dynamic
Decision-Making Research and Usability Testing
Benoit R. Vallières, Cindy Chamberland, François Vachon, and Sébastien Tremblay
Co-DOT Laboratory, School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
benoit.roberge-vallieres.1@ulaval.ca,
{cindy.chamberland,francois.vachon,
sebastien.tremblay}@psy.ulaval.ca
Abstract. This study shows how the use of various measures of eye movement
can serve to portray dynamic decision-making (DDM) in a coherent fashion.
We extracted eye movement metrics relative to 1) scanpath, 2) eye fixations,
and 3) pupillary response, to characterize DDM during the process of risk
assessment. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that incorrect classifications
were associated with 1) less efficient information search, 2) difficulties in
making sense of critical information, and 3) a low level of cognitive load. In
Experiment 2, we used eye tracking to assess the impact on DDM of
introducing a decision support system. The addition of a temporal-overview
display seems to affect processing time in DDM as indexed by shorter
scanpaths and fixations during classifications. These findings illustrate how
event-based eye movement measures can reveal characteristics and limitations
of the ongoing cognitive processing involved in DDM and also contribute to
usability testing.
Keywords: Eye movements, dynamic decision-making, usability testing,
decision support system.
1 Introduction
Dynamic decision making (DDM) involves a series of interdependent real-time
decisions and actions made in an environment that continuously changes, and evolves
according or not to operators’ actions [1]. Air traffic control and military operations
are examples of complex dynamic situations in which DDM is difficult to the point
that it often taxes operators’ cognitive capabilities [2]. In such situations, decision
makers have to process and categorize information coming from multiple sources
within a limited time frame [3].
The demands to support DDM are growing rapidly, but providing such support
requires a good understanding of the underlying cognitive processes involved in
DDM. One avenue that we wish to explore is to reveal these cognitive processes
through the use of eye tracking in a manner that is closely linked to the dynamics of
the situation [4-5]. Indeed, eye movements can provide non-obtrusive, online indices