A laboratory-based study methodology to investigate attraction power of large public interactive displays

A known challenge of designing large public interactive displays is to create an interface that attracts a passerby's attention and communicates its interactivity. However, typical "in-the-wild" field study methods of assessing public display design solutions require costly system implementation and deployment, creating challenges for assessing early stage design concepts. Such studies also limit the amount of experimental control researchers have over the environment, limiting the precision of results. To address these issues, we developed a complementary laboratory-based study methodology that employs experimental deception to assess the ability of an interface design solution to attract a passerby's attention. Our methodology enables more rigorous control of confounding factors, study of early-stage prototypes, and requires minimal setup. We used this methodology to assess existing visual design solutions for drawing attention and enticing interaction, compare our results to previous studies, and reflect on the benefits and limitations of this assessment approach.