Electronic documents form an integral part of the modern computer age---virtually all personal computers have the ability to create, store and display their content. A connection to the Internet provides users with an almost endless source of documents, be they web-pages, word-processor files or emails. However, the entire contents of an electronic document are often too large to be usefully presented on a user’s screen, at a single point in time. This issue is usually overcome by placing the content inside a scrolling environment. The view onto the document is then modified by directly adjusting a scrollbar or by employing tools such as the mousewheel or paging keys. Applications may also provide methods for adjusting the document’s zoom and page layout. The scrollbar has seen widespread adoption, becoming the default tool used to visualise large information spaces. Despite its extensive deployment, researchers have little knowledge on how this and related navigation tools are used in an everyday work environment. A characterisation of users’ actions would allow designers to identify common behaviours and areas of inefficiency as they strive to improve navigation techniques. To fill this knowledge gap, this thesis aims to understand and improve navigation within desktop-based electronic documents. This goal is achieved using a five step process. First, the literature is used to explore document navigation tasks and the tools currently available to support electronic document navigation. Second, a software tool called AppMonitor, that logs users’ navigation actions, was developed. Third, AppMonitor was deployed in a longitudinal study to characterise document navigation actions in Microsoft Word and Adobe Reader. Forth, to compliment this study, two task-centric observations of electronic document navigation were performed, to probe the reasons for navigation tool selection. Finally, the Footprints Scrollbar was developed to improve one common aspect of navigation—within-document revisitation. To begin, two areas of current knowledge in this domain are overviewed: paper and electronic document navigation and electronic document navigation tools. The literature review produced five categories of document navigation tasks: ‘overviewing and browsing’, ‘reading’, ‘annotating and writing’, ‘searching’ and ‘revisitation’. In a similar fashion, electronic document navigation tools were reviewed and divided into eight categories: core navigation tools (those commonly found in today’s navigation systems), input devices, scrollbar augmentations, content-aware navigation aids, visualisations that provide multiple document views, indirect manipulation techniques, zooming tools and revisitation tools. The literature lacked evidence of an understanding of how these current document navigation tools are used. To aid the gathering of empirical data on tool use, the AppMonitor tool was developed. It records user actions in unmodified Windows applications—specifically for this research, Microsoft Word and Adobe Reader. It logs low-level interactions such as “left mouse button pressed” and “Ctrl-f pressed” as well as high level ‘logical’ actions such as menu selections and scrollbar manipulations. It requires no user input to perform these tasks, allowing study participants to continue with their everyday work. To collect data to form a characterisation of document navigation actions, 14 participants installed AppMonitor on their computer for 120 days. This study found that users primarily employ the mousewheel, scrollbar thumb and paging keys for navigation. Further, many advanced navigation tools that are lauded for their efficiency, including bookmarks and search tools, are rarely used. The longitudinal study provided valuable insights into the use of navigation tools. To understand the reasons behind this tool use, two task-centric observations of electronic document navigation were conducted. The first asked participants to perform a series of specific navigation tasks while AppMonitor logged their actions. The second was performed as a series of interactive sessions, where users performed a particular task and were then probed on their tool choice. These two studies found that many users are not aware of the advanced navigation tools that could significantly improve their navigation efficiency. Finally, the characterisations highlighted within-document revisitation as a commonly performed task, with current tools that support this action rarely used. To address this problem, the analysis, design and evaluation of a Footprints Scrollbar is presented. It places marks inside the scrollbar trough and provides shortcuts to aid users return to previously visited locations. The Footprints Scrollbar was significantly faster and subjectively preferred over a standard scrollbar for revisitation tasks. To summarise, this thesis contributes a literature review of document navigation and electronic document navigation tools; the design and implementation of AppMonitor—a tool to monitor user actions in unmodified Windows applications; a longitudinal study describing the navigation actions users perform; two taskcentric studies examining why actions are performed; and the Footprints Scrollbar, a tool to aid within-document revisitation tasks.

This study explores how alternative scrolling techniques compare to traditional vertical scrolling. It is studied in the context of user experience and information allocation. The alternative scrolling methods are evaluated through a focus group and a controlled experiment. A focus group explores different scrolling techniques and participants' attitudes toward alternative scrolling methods while seeking dissatisfaction with normal scrolling. The controlled experiment delves deeper into the hedonic and pragmatic qualities of scrolling, examining the time it takes for participants to allocate information to be complemented with semi-structured interviews. By delving deeper into the user experience and user preference for scrolling, the study aims to answer the following research question: “How can scrolling techniques alternative to vertical and continuous scrolling benefit users in terms of efficiently allocating specific information and increasing perceived user experience and usability?”. In summary, the study's findings show that the alternative scrolling techniques are not statistically more efficient than normal conventional scrolling. They are, however, viewed as having more hedonic qualities and are generally more preferred from a usability standpoint.

There are several tools for creating online surveys. However, guidance is lacking for some of the decision-making regarding the survey design. This study aims to investigate if one of these choices, navigation, has an impact on the surveys completion rate. We developed our own tool that gave every other respondent one of two different designs. This lets us gather more information than tools such as Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. A qualitative approach was used and we let the students of a course at KTH answer questions about that course without having knowledge of this project. No conclusions could be made due to some unexpected behaviours which will be explained later in this paper. / Det finns ett antal verktyg online för att skapa undersökningar. Det saknas dock riktlinjer för formgivning och val av komponenter. Med denna studie undersöks om en av dessa komponenter, navigation, har någon inverkan på en undersöknings svarsfrekvens. Vi utvecklade ett eget verktyg som distribuerade varannan svarande en utav två olika designer. Detta tillåter oss att samla in mer information än de verktyg som finns online. Exempel på sådana verktyg är Google Forms och SurveyMonkey. Ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt användes där vi lät aktiva studenter i en kurs på KTH svara på frågor angående kursen. De svarande visste inte om att de deltog i en studie. Ingga avgörande slutsatser kunde tas på grund av oväntat beteende.

This is a report on research regarding the screen layout of Web-based training (WBT) programs, conducted with an eye toward providing evidence-based guidance for the design and development of WBT interfaces. Specifically, the study investigated the relative instructional benefits of two general types of WBT screen design, full-page and partial-page, in terms of both learner performance and learner satisfaction. The main hypotheses of the study were that the full-page design option would yield significantly better outcomes in both categories of interest.The study employed a mixed-method design, generating both quantitative and qualitative data. The main phase of the study was experimental, following a factorial design to explore the relationships between a single treatment variable (WBT screen design) in two treatment conditions (partial-page WBT design and full-page WBT design) and two dependent variables (learner performance and learner satisfaction). Both a full-page and a partial-page version of the same Web-based tutorial were created, and 129 self-selected undergraduate students who reported having little or no experience with the tutorial subject matter were randomly assigned into the two treatment groups. Performance data were collected as scores on the tutorial's 18-item, multiple choice final exam, and satisfaction data were collected via a 10-item satisfaction survey. In addition, 59 of the study participants were randomly selected to participate in post-study session interviews.The results of the study yielded no significant difference between the two treatment groups for either learner performance or learner satisfaction; thus, making it impossible to reject the null hypothesis for either of the two primary research questions. The conclusion of this study was that the presence or absence of scrolling alone is not a significant factor either in how well a person performs in a WBT program or how satisfied they are with the learning experience . However, while analysis of the post-study session interview data supported this conclusion, the fact that a large majority of the interviewees stated a preference for the full-page, non-scrolling WBT interface design suggests that some elements inherent in the full-page design might warrant further consideration and/or study.

As the number of social media platforms on the market is continuously increasing, concerns and questions about their effects on mental health are also rising. The current study explored the relationship between the problematic use of social media, the absent-minded scrolling behavior, and levels of anxiety. One hundred and fifty-four participants were given an online questionnaire to assess their manners of social media use focusing on the social media scrolling experience and self-reported anxiety levels using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment tool (GAD-7). There were strong and positive relationships between the problematic use of social media platforms and the absent-minded scrolling behavior, with a statistically significant relationship with levels of anxiety. Results indicated that social media scrolling is becoming a problematic habit that helps users escape their reality and avoid problems.

This study examines to which extent parallax scrolling can influence the immersive experience in a hedonic context. Parallax scrolling is a technique that creates an illusion of depth which occurs when several layers of graphics move at different speeds. Research in the field advocates that parallax scrolling is most effective when it is used in a hedonic context. Hence the hypothesis for the study is that parallax scrolling will be perceived as being more immersive in the context of a web story than a non-parallax web story. The study was conducted using an A/B test where the results were analysed using a two-sample t-test. The t-test revealed no significant difference between the two groups in most aspects. However, an indication that could be seen was that the participants who had tested the parallax scrolling prototype felt more immersed in the story and thought that the web story conveyed a sense of depth opposite to those how tested the non-parallax prototype. Results of the study also showed that parallax technique could have a negative effect on the user experience when it was not well executed. But further research with a lager sample is needed to determine a more conclusive result. KeywordsParallax Scrolling,

As a result of the emergence of new technological opportunities in the last decade, new digital oppor-tunities have been created. Social media is a relat-ively new phenomenon that has contributed to a greater interest in the world offered online. This study focus on Instagram and aims to create know-ledge and understanding of what it is that has con-tributed to it being the most used social media today. This study aspire to answer questions about which design elements and in what way information and content is structured on Instagram, and how it can contribute to its increased use. To answer the ques-tions, a method combination of qualitative and quantitative research was used and a questionnaire was created to collect empirical data. A content ana-lysis was used to examine the collected empirical data. The result indicates that design elements that offer the user the opportunity to interact with content and the infinity scrolling function contribute to an increased use of Instagram. The result also shows that Instagram's information and content are struc-tured in a simple and clear way through good navig-ation options and personalization algorithm, which also contributes to increased use of Instagram.

Social media has become ubiquitous in modern society. Both as a way to connect with others and as a popular form of entertainment and relaxation. This dependency on social media can lead both to beneficial and adverse consequences. A common concern about social media use relates to how active or passive a user is, with some indicating that passive behaviours, such as absently scrolling through the feed are particularly harmful. Research that investigates social media’s adverse effect on the individual depending on the user’s engagement level currently suffers from problems with categorisation, methodology and philosophy. This thesis sought to fill this research gap. Its research questions were accordingly: “What motivates adult users to use social media at various levels of engagement?” and “What factors of social media use impact adult users’ adverse emotional outcomes?”   To answer this research question, the study utilised a methodology of focus group discussion with pre-existing social groups consisting of adults aged 20-30, a demographic with potentially unique insight into their relationship with social media. This was followed by thematic analysis which in turn was placed within a framework of Use & gratification theory and the networked public. These theories were chosen since the research adheres to concepts of the active audience and disagrees with conceptualisations of the social media user as passive. Instead, low to high levels of engagement is used to describe individual behaviours. 4 main themes (Level of engagement, Problematic use, category of use and regulation) were discovered as well as 13 sub-themes.     The study discovered that individuals would use social media at several levels of engagement simultaneously but that behaviours could be assembled into four archetypes: Consumption (low level of engagement which included behaviours such as mindless scrolling), Lurking (low level of engagement which included both private and public browsing), socialisation (medium to high level of engagement which included communication), and production (high level of engagement which included publishing content). Different levels of engagement were associated with different adverse emotional outcomes which commonly occurred when users failed to effectively regulate their use or encountered harmful content. It was discovered that users encountered these issues largely due to the platform’s incentivisation through subtle and not so subtle means such as media design and notifications.

When it comes to web-based user interfaces and web design, one of today’s trends is to use informative and storytelling animations. They can be used as tools for communication, simplifying the interaction, or guiding the user’s attention. However, those animations used in a web- based user interface can slow down the interaction and the user flow and become a distraction for the user. Three popular informative and storytelling animations that are used in web design are: background video, animated slideshows, and parallax scrolling. In order to understand what effect these informative animations have on the users’ reading comprehension on websites — four prototypes were created in Adobe Muse. A user study in form of an A/ B testing followed by a questionnaire were conducted, showing that the three different animations affected the reading comprehension negative. While they at the same time also brought an entertaining feeling to the user experience (UX).

The modern attention economy incentivizes the use of persuasive designs in software development. Scrolling is an interaction technique commonly associated with persuasive designs because of its lack of natural stopping cues and potential for habit promotion. A scroll-like interaction is used in gesture navigation, which is a method of navigating mobile operating systems. This paper investigates gesture navigation in mobile operating systems in the context of persuasive designs. The aim of this paper is to answer whether gesture navigation affects mobile usage and if there is a systematic preference for gesture navigation over traditional button navigation. In order to answer these questions a pre-post study was conducted. The participants were instructed to change system navigation controls for ten days; whereafter data regarding their mobile usage was collected. The collected data was analyzed in order to determine if there was a difference in mobile usage after changing system navigation controls and whether there was a systematic preference for gesture navigation. The results did not suggest that gesture navigation has an effect on mobile usage. The results did however point towards a systematic preference for gesture navigation over button navigation. The idéa of a systematic preference for gesture navigation motivates further research about the mechanisms behind it. / Den moderna uppmärksamhets-ekonomin motiverar implementering av persuasive design-tekniker inom mjukvaruutveckling. Scrolling är en interaktionsteknik som ofta förknippas med persuasive design på grund av dess brist på naturliga stoppsignaler och förmåga att forma användarvanor. En scrolling-liknande interaktion används i gestnavigering, vilket är en navigeringsmetod i mobila operativsystem. Denna uppsats undersöker gestnavigering i mobila operativsystem i anknytning till persuasive design. Syftet med uppsatsen är att besvara om gestnavigering påverkar mobilanvändning och om det finns en systematisk preferens för gestnavigering framför traditionell knappnavigering. För att besvara dessa frågor genomfördes en inventionsstudie. Deltagarna instruerades att ändra systemnavigering i tio dagar; varefter data om deras mobilanvändning samlades in. De insamlade uppgifterna analyserades för att avgöra om det förekom någon skillnad på mobilanvändandet efter bytet av systemnavigering och om det fanns en systematisk preferens för gestnavigering. Resultaten tydde inte på att gestnavigering påverkar mobilanvändning. Resultaten pekade däremot på en systematisk preferens för gestnavigering framför knappnavigering. Idén om en systematisk preferens för gestnavigering motiverar vidare forskning om preferensens bakomliggande mekanismer.