The effects of gender differences on operational performance and satisfaction with car navigation systems

This study investigates whether gender differences have an impact on the definition of good interface design and whether manufacturers should develop interfaces that fit small-display portable car navigation systems (CNSs) based on gender. This work adopted an experimental design for collecting data from three tasks – locating points, planning routes, and searching polygons – each emphasizing a different aspect of way-finding. Study results show that gender, the CNS interface the participant used, and a combination of the two predict a person’s operational performance and satisfaction with a CNS. This study’s results provide a better understanding of whether manufacturers should develop interfaces that fit a CNS’s small display based on gender.