Perceived Difficulty and User Control in Mouse Usage

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the relative perceived difficulty of performing different mouse tasks (pairings of mouse actions with button combinations). Right-handed individuals with various types of computer experience used a 3-button mouse to perform 49 simple target acquisition tasks. Perceived difficulty judgments varied with tasks. Significant groupings of tasks along the difficulty dimension were also apparent. For most mouse tasks, the left and center buttons were judged to be relatively easier to use than the right button. Additionally, chorded use of the left and center buttons was perceived to be easier than use of the right button alone. The results suggest that systems should not rely upon the right mouse button as a default setting for system-related functions. Other considerations for mouse usage are discussed.