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Impact of progress feedback on task completion: first impressions matter

Published: 02 April 2005 Publication History

Abstract

Designers routinely provide feedback about task progress in order to persuade users not to abort the task (break off). However little is known about the effectiveness of such "progress indicators." Two experiments are presented that evaluate progress indicators in web surveys. In the first, progress is displayed at different speeds. When the early feedback is slow, break-off rates are higher and users' subjective experience more negative than when early feedback is fast. In the second experiment, intermittent presentation seems to minimize the costs while preserving the benefits of feedback. Overall, progress indicators can increase completion rates. However, not using them should be as deliberate a decision as using them.

References

[1]
Couper, M., Traugott, M.& Lamias, M. (2001). Web survey design and administration. Public Opinion Quarterly, 65, 230--253.
[2]
Crawford, S.D., Couper, M. P., & Lamias, M. J. (2001) Web Surveys: Perception of burden. Social Science Computer Review, 19,146--162.

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  • (2024)Digital game-based learning: Pedagogical agent and feedback types on achievement, flow experience, and cognitive loadEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-023-12368-229:10(12943-12968)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
  • (2022)Understanding the Design Effects of Progress Indicators on Online Surveys[ ] With Design: Reinventing Design Modes10.1007/978-981-19-4472-7_92(1420-1439)Online publication date: 6-Nov-2022
  • (2015)Exploring the effectiveness of a novel feedback mechanism within an intelligent tutoring systemInternational Journal of Learning Technology10.1504/IJLT.2015.07235810:3(220-236)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2015
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  1. Impact of progress feedback on task completion: first impressions matter

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    CHI EA '05: CHI '05 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    April 2005
    1358 pages
    ISBN:1595930027
    DOI:10.1145/1056808
    Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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    New York, NY, United States

    Publication History

    Published: 02 April 2005

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    Author Tags

    1. progress feedback
    2. task completion
    3. web surveys

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    Cited By

    View all
    • (2024)Digital game-based learning: Pedagogical agent and feedback types on achievement, flow experience, and cognitive loadEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-023-12368-229:10(12943-12968)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2024
    • (2022)Understanding the Design Effects of Progress Indicators on Online Surveys[ ] With Design: Reinventing Design Modes10.1007/978-981-19-4472-7_92(1420-1439)Online publication date: 6-Nov-2022
    • (2015)Exploring the effectiveness of a novel feedback mechanism within an intelligent tutoring systemInternational Journal of Learning Technology10.1504/IJLT.2015.07235810:3(220-236)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2015
    • (2013)Where Am I? A Meta-Analysis of Experiments on the Effects of Progress Indicators for Web SurveysSocial Science Computer Review10.1177/089443931349746831:6(744-762)Online publication date: 19-Aug-2013
    • (2012)A framework for monitorable services implementation2012 Sixth Brazilian Symposium on Software Components, Architectures and Reuse10.1109/SBCARS.2012.20(91-100)Online publication date: Sep-2012
    • (2009)Effects of Different Types of Progress Indicators on Drop-Out Rates in Web SurveysSocial Psychology10.1027/1864-9335.40.1.4340:1(43-52)Online publication date: Jan-2009
    • (2007)A Study on Effects of Waiting Period in Software Operation on the Operator's Psychophysiological StateIEEJ Transactions on Electronics, Information and Systems10.1541/ieejeiss.127.1770127:10(1770-1779)Online publication date: 2007

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