[Sigia-l] Rollover Navigation Submenus: Usable or not?

[Boniface Lau]

> From: Donna Maurer
>  
> People have tremendous difficulty hitting the slippery flyout menu
> (like this:
> http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/ausstatshome?OpenView) to
> the point where I have seen people try to hit a target 6-7 times
> before they get it (and this is people with 'normal' motor skills).

ISTM the problem is not so much with motor skill as with mouse
settings, e.g. speed and acceleration.

With a slow mouse, when the 2nd level target is far away from its 1st
level item and users move the mouse diagonally, the mouse pointer will
stay out of the 1st level item and 2nd level menu for a relatively
long time. By the time the mouse pointer reaches the 2nd level
target's position, the 2nd level menu has already disappeared. Thus,
it is safer for people with a slow mouse to avoid diagonal menu
movements.

A faster mouse covers the same distance in less time. Therefore its
diagonal movements are less likely to require a re-try.


Boniface