Visual search is best for screens used in routine interaction because these screens are used frequently.
Interactive search is best for screens used in recovery interaction because these screens are used only occasionally.
Search styles may be designed according to the anticipated mental workload when looking for the information, as depicted in the following figure:Routine interaction, such as monitoring and supervision, typically does not demand many mental resources, implying that users may feel comfortable with the visual search, which enables all-at-once perception.
Recovery interaction, such as problem solving and emergency operation, demands excessive mental resources, implying that in all-at-once implementations, users may fail to recognize the bee among the flies. Therefore, interactive search is more adequate for these kinds of operation.
Users may perform well with screens loaded with information, as long as the situation is normal and the main task does not demand much of the user’s mental resources.
Procedures intended for problem solving, such as in emergency operations that typically impose high workload, should be segmented and divided into several small screens, each containing only a little information.
Updated on 05 Apr 2016.