Principles for Designing Interfaces Compatible With Human Information Processing

Stimulus–response compatibility has been a staple of human factors since the early 1950s, when it was established by Paul Fitts, one of the founders of human factors. The importance of maintaining spatial compatibility is indicated in textbooks, but maintaining compatibility in design is not a simple task, because there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. This article focuses on spatial compatibility and the more recently investigated affective compatibility, highlighting their implications for human–computer interaction. An overview of other cognitive compatibility principles and examples of their use in human–computer interaction is also provided. Advanced technology has increased the need for systematic consideration of compatibility phenomena in user interface design, and the article ends with a summary of key points for designers.