Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Interface sounds have a relatively modest role in present day human computer interaction.The visual display is considered the most important part of the interface.Several studies of non-speech sounds have demonstrated encouraging results of how effective sounds could be.Despite these results, commercial interface design has not adapted sound usage.This maybe be partly due to the fact that some aspects of earlier studies have not been well thought-out, and the sounds designed with the help of earlier guidelines may not be functional.This content analytic literature study focuses on studying the earlier research of non-speech interface sounds, literature of the semiotics, audiovisual design, musicology and psychoacoustic.The literature of semiotics shows that the division of the auditory signs of the interface as representative or abstract sounds is, to some extent, misleading.The intuitiveness of the auditory signs in interface has been excluded.If intuitiveness or connotation of the sound is not considered, it may lead to problems.If the auditory sign does not fit into the context, or to the meaning it conveys, it may be distracting and non-functional.The problems introduced can be solved.The literature research of audiovisual design, musicology and psychoacoustics demonstrates that timbre may be a key dimension in improving usability of auditory signs, and careful consideration of the connotations and other effects of timbre can improve non-speech sound usage.
Author: Manne-Sakari Mustonen
Language: English
Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Strong
OpenAlex ID: W2276082776