Analysis of Hand Gesture over User Interface

Overview :

There is a lot of discussion over user interface elements’ alignment, placement and precedence but to analyse the physical behaviour of users, there are a lot of studies to predict human physical behavioural patterns but there is a slight difference in every other mobile application and there are various different concepts. Hence every UI component has different elements and functions. So, every function has different metaphors and actions and putting this perspective into a line we will try to discuss and study these different behavioural aspects of users

Research shows that there are 5 billion + smartphone users worldwide. Over 3.8 billion active users of smartphones. This number predicts the potential of smartphone users and also this depicts that there can be many assumed problems existing in terms of user’s hand gestures.

In the area of human-computer interaction (HCI), we have seen a lot of user research, methods and elementary basics to create a better product. For example, card sorting gives you an insight into the mental model of the user, usability test gives you a perspective of how people behave over existing solutions or solutions that going to be. We have tons of methods or processes that every product goes through to become the best product in terms of User experience. So, now today’s title to discuss is finger gesture and moment over you UI. We have some major points to understand this whole scenario Also this can be some of the common ideation but sometimes as a designer we or our company forget this and that can be a major flaw. So, let’s look at that point.

1. Types of User’s Grabbing Gesture and Analysis

Tristan Denyer conducted user research, where he tries to find out the user’s physical operational behaviour for perusing smartphones and he found four major types of holding gestures. Which depicts the various scenarios of operating mobile with hand gestures. which is following below.

• We found that 87% of users use their right hand to operate smartphones and another left hand would be the rest 13%.

• While browsing the web as per research we found that 57% of users use their left hand and 28% of users use their right hand to browse the web. 13% of users use both hands.

• 37% of users hold their mobile with their left hand and 57% of users operate their phones with their right hand. Also 6% of users.

• We also found that 56% of users, to tab or scroll use other fingers (except the thumb) to operate the mobile while they hold their phones with their left hand and the other 43% of users use their phone with both hands and operate with their thumb.

So, these are some basic and deep studies too, of user’s physical behaviour but there is also a big factor when we use our phone single handily and by common sense, it means the user will definitely use their thumb to operate. It brings up some major constraints and limitations which we always have to consider as a user experience designer.

2. Know Your Target Users in terms of Gestures

So, there are many types of users, which we have to consider in terms of age, focus group and demography. We can find out many important aspects like behaviour to operate their smartphone and mental model. These are some assumed data of the different type of users in terms of age. Reference by opted research.

05–12 Yrs: Double Handily

13–38 Yrs: Single Handily

38–68 Yrs: Double Handily

3. Analysis of Product

We’ve seen tons of products belong to different categories with different features. So, firstly we need to analyse the type of product and what we are going to develop. Evaluating the products by serving area and theme, eventually helps a lot to understand the major experience factors and improvement possibilities. So, let’s look at those major possible scenarios to categorise the product.

Example 1 — If we are going to create an entertainment android application like a video playing platform then we have to orient all the elements in that context because users definitely use their single hand a thumb to operate the scrolling feature.

Example 2 — The second type of scenario is if we are looking to develop and social media app then we have to place all elements in that way so that accessibility becomes easy.

4. Analysis of UI Elements in terms of Accessibility

Study UI elements to consider a better user experience design, there are a lot of perspectives that we have to observe closely, every element has a different precedence value and according to that, we have to decide its placement and every element should follow this hierarchy. These all points play a very important role in designing a better experience. Let’s take a look at some of the points:

1. Let’s take a scenario if a user is using their smartphone single handily. It means there will be only a thumb to operate the whole smartphone and in the range of thumb, we have to consider our major UI elements. It’s not only about the placement of that element, we also have to consider the precedence of elements. Within the range of the thumb finger, we have to put all necessary elements, so that the navigation or the actions may occur in a very easy way. Otherwise, this can be a degrading factor or psychological pain point in terms of accessibility and gesture moment.

2. In case of using a smartphone with both hands, makes it comparably easy because it totally declines the accessibility problems with hand gestures. So, in this case, we only have to work on the placement, precedence and alignment of UI elements.

5. Measure and Discussion Over Single Hand Usage

So, let’s take a close look to understand different use cases with some assumed difficult areas to access with the thumb finger. This will give you an overview that where you should put your important elements.

Note: Operating single handily, we have a common idea that the user will definitely use the thumb to operate.

6. Pathways to Get Right Elements

There are some specific ways that most User Experience designers and researchers adopt to get the right data. Conducting accessibility tests to ideate the user’s perspective to access those elements with the least effort. Here we’ll get an overall data and analysis, which will completely clarify every term. Also, a major thing that we’ll go to know their mental model too, it is very crucial. It will definitely help to understand the user’s gestures.

7. Test Before Delivery

Conducting the usability test ensures that this product is perfect and easy to use if there is anything left Behind then this test going to fulfil all imperfections. So, that product can achieve a better User experience journey.