ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an introduction to the design of information displays based on our knowledge of the sensory capabilities of human operators. A central issue in human factors concerns how to convey information efficiently and accurately to the users to support their behavioral goals. Displays are central to this process, as they are the primary means by which users acquire information about a system, including its current state and feedback regarding the effect of the user's inputs. There are many different types of visual displays, and it is useful to make a distinction between static and dynamic displays. Symbols or pictographs are pictorial figures used to represent information. They have found a wide use in modern graphical user interfaces and are an effective means of conveying information. The size of alphanumeric characters is specified by their visual angle or the angle subtended by the stimulus on the retina rather than the character's physical width or height.
