Color Coding to Facilitate Performance of Focused Attention Tasks with Object Displays

Abstract

A study was performed to test the hypothesis that color coding can be used to enhance the speed and accuracy of performance on a focused attention task when object displays are employed. Subjects performed both a focused attention and an integration task while viewing a rectangle display that represented the readings of four system parameters. The object displays were presented to subjects in one of four color coding conditions: (1) monochrome; (2) parameter type; (3) parameter state; or (4) system state. Study results indicated that the system state color code significantly reduced integration task response time without degrading integration task accuracy. For the focused attention task, there was no significant difference between monochrome and the remaining color code conditions for either response time or accuracy.

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