User's Delay Perception and Tolerance in Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

This paper focuses on user's delay perception and tolerance in a simulated computer supported cooperative work (a special case of HCI) environment, as well as the non-technological factors affecting user's delay tolerance. Five factors (gender, Type-A personality, task-type, difficulty level and time delay) were investigated by a mixed 2 (male vs. female, between-group) X 2 (object search vs. budget calculation, within-group) X 2 (hard vs. easy, within-group) factorial experimental design. Type-A personality and time delay were nested in gender and treatment respectively. Results showed that users could estimate 2–6 second delay accurately, but would underestimate shorter delays (<2 seconds) and overestimate longer delays (>6 seconds). MANOVA analysis indicated that task-type, difficulty level and time delay were major factors affecting user's delay tolerance. We also found some important interaction effects between independent variables. The findings suggest that users can adjust their delay tolerance based on the context information such as task-type and difficulty level.