3.8. Special Topics

This section provides a few additional topics related to constructing an online usability study, including progress indicators, pausing, and speed traps.

3.8.1. Progress indicators

Progress indicators give participants a sense of how far along they are within a session and the rate at which they're going. They are helpful to include, especially if there are many pages to the study. If the study is only one or two pages, as with a true intent or open Web study, it is not necessary to give indication of progress.

One common type of progress indicator implemented is a bar or graphic with incrementally more of it filled for each page complete, as in Figure 3.35. Sometimes these bars are accompanied by percentage values. If ...

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