Reducing information overload through NASA's human factors guidelines

Various research results are the basis of design strategies to avoid the occurrence of information overload for the user of a system. A review of information systems research is the basis for the development of a soft model for information overload and a description of such design strategies in the first part of this thesis. The Space Station Freedom Program Human-Computer Interface Guide (December 1988) utilizes specific design guidelines. Large systems which require the user(s) to utilize large data for complex, immediate decisions may be more likely to experience information overload. An experiment will be conducted to evaluate the impact of information overload with and without the use of the NASA guidelines for human-computer interface design. Utilizing specific design guidelines may reduce information overload.