🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi, JQ:


> From:         JQ Johnson[SMTP:jqj@DARKWING.UOREGON.EDU]
>
> Kathy Gill quotes Nielsen:
>
> > The 15-second guideline in the previous paragraph was derived from the
> > basic set of response time values that have been known since around
> 1968.
> > System response needs to happen within about 10 seconds to keep the
> user's
> > attention
>
> I did some human factors work in the mid 70s and looked closely at that
> research at the time (it was still fairly new then!).  The results were
> all
> over the map even then.
>
I hope I didn't imply that the paper was definitive -- it was the only one I
found doing a quick search.

I think the more important issue is of Feedback and predictability (your
point). The feedback mechanism is now built into Windows/Mac interface with
the "clock" that ticks away while you wait for something to happen. We don't
have that on the web (yet).





> What would you think of a guideline that required that web pages load in
> 3s?  Not very practical given current techology.
>
I agree that's not practical -- didn't I adhere to my "hold your breath"
test in my note. <smile>



> What the acceptable response time is for web sites remains an open and
> interesting question.
>
>
I asked Keith Instone, who maintains the Usable Web site
(http://www.usableweb.com/) if he knew of any studies off the top of his
head that looked at this issue. He said 'no' (he's also list mom for the ACM
CHI-Web list).

He does have a "speed" section, http://usableweb.com/items/speed.html .
Primarily reports opinions/articles not research, though, except for this
one from CHI 97:

Internet Delay Effects: How Users Perceive
Quality, Organization, and Ease of Use of Information
http://www.acm.org/sigchi/chi97/proceedings/short-talk/als2.htm

It shows a definite correlation between "negative perception" and long wait
times [mean: 6750 msec] for pages to load compared to short wait times
[mean: 575 msec].

Note, this was 1997.


And AnchorDesk (also 1997)
Avoid Number 1 Web Site Sin: Slow Loading Pages
http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/story/story_1244.html



Kathy