RE: Usability study of tables sorted across vs. down

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

Kevin Elmore asked:
> 
> I've been having a discussion about presenting a table of links.
> Since there are no borders, this looks more like two columns online,
> so the term, "table," is used on the authoring side.
> 
> Right now, I have 17 links in two columns. It has always been laid out
> alphabetically from left to right.  I think it would look better being
> sorted alphabetically from top to bottom instead.
> 
> I wonder if there have been any usability studies on the layout of
> these types of tables (columns).  I know that I personally prefer a
> table that lists everything down first and then across, but I could
> possibly be in the minority.  Any ideas of these studies?
> 
> Kevin


If they are not large, and the whole thing fits on one screen, 
then I'd say it's purely a matter of taste. 

Where I get resentfull is when tables or multiple columns 
extend below the fold, and I have to scroll down, then 
back up, then down again.

If I already know exactly what I'm looking for, it's 
not as much of an annoyance. The problem comes when 
I'm confronted with a table / columns and I don't 
know that the entry I'm after exists, or I don't 
know if the authors referred to it by the term that 
begins with "k" or the term that begins with "r"... 
meaning that I have to scroll to the alphabetical 
location that should contain one or the other, before 
I can know it's not there.

I'm of an age where I encounter the same little annoyance 
with PDFs, too. As soon as the doc is zoomed enough to make 
the text comfortably large, a page no longer fits vertically 
onscreen.  Yes, that depends on fonts, backgrounds, 
and many other usuability/visibility considerations 
in the document, but it happens more and more. 

Eh? What's that ye say, sonny? Where's my cane? 
What did I do with my teeth!?  What smell? Musta 
been the dog... mumble, grumble...


 - Kevin

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