Chapter 14

We Have Time Requirements

Abstract

This chapter describes the many time constants of human perception and behavior, and based on those, guidelines and real-time deadlines that interactive systems must meet to synchronize well with human users. It also provides examples of user-interface designs that do and don’t match those time constants and deadlines.

Keywords

time; duration; deadlines; perception; responsiveness; time constants; auditory fusion; visual fusion; flinch reflex; perceptual locking; subsidizing; unit task

Events in the world take time to play out. Perceiving objects and events also takes time. So does remembering perceived events, thinking about past and future events, learning from events, acting on plans, and reacting ...

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