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Research methodEstablished researchAdvanced

Eye Tracking

Measuring where people look, which is expensive, frequently over-interpreted, and occasionally irreplaceable.

Definition

Eye tracking records gaze position over time, producing fixation data, scan paths and aggregate heat maps. It measures where attention landed, not what was understood.

Established research. Originates in published research and has been replicated. The effect is real. Its size in your product still needs measuring.

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  1. Definition
  2. When it earns its cost
  3. Continue from here

When it earns its cost

  • Comparing attention across layout variants where the difference is subtle.
  • Studying scanning behaviour on dense information displays.
  • Diagnosing why a prominent element is being missed.
  • Research into reading patterns and visual hierarchy, where it produced the well-known F-pattern findings.

Continue from here

Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.

Principles behind this

The reasoning this solution is an application of.

Often used with

These usually appear in the same screen or the same decision.

Related concept

Connected closely enough to change how you apply this.