Tapping or Swiping?
I evaluated the discoverability and preference of the tap and swipe gestures for a newly added function on a well-known social media platform. We also wanted to know whether the designs were appealing and easy to use.
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Research Objectives
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Finding out which mobile gesture (tapping or swiping) was best to execute a new function introduced to the social media platform.
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Secondary objective: Considering the impact of user frequency
Study details
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Recruitment
Respondents were recruited using the UserZoom panel
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Participants
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Frequent and infrequent users (details are confidential)
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USA
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Methods​
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Survey
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Usability test
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Participants saw both the 'swiping' or the 'tapping' prototype in random order
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Attitudinal (Likert scale)
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The UX designer created 2 interactive prototypes: One where the task could be accomplished through swipe and one where it could be accomplished through tapping/clicking.
Results
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Which mobile gesture is best for the function we were testing?
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I recommended the clicking/tapping gesture. I evaluated a variety of UX metrics (ease of use, appeal, confidence, etc.) using 7-point Likert scales.
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I analyzed the results statistically in R using T-tests followed by Cohen's D to measure effect size.
The charts included here are examples sourced from my share-out deck which I made in Excel.
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What is the impact of user frequency on the results?
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I found no difference between light (represented here by the feather) and heavy (represented by the weightlifter) users for most UX metrics. However, there was a sizable preference when it came to ease of use: infrequent users were much more adamant that the clicking/tapping gesture was easier to use.
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I analyzed the results statistically in R using T-tests followed by Cohen's D to measure effect size.
The visuals included here are examples sourced from my share-out deck which I made in Excel.
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Recommendations and Reflection ​
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- I recommend adopting the clicking/tapping gesture for the new function.
- Participants expressed a preference for clicking/tapping vs tapping across most UX metrics tested.
- There was no difference related to the frequency of use, except that less frequent users thought the clicking/tapping gesture would be much easier to use. We wanted to make sure the needs of all users are met, so this was a strong incentive for recommending clicking/tapping.