Title: Feedback mode preference and performance improvement with a handheld scanning device

Authors: Elizabeth Copeland Beckham; Reuben F. Burch; Lesley Strawderman; Kari Babski-Reeves; Linkan Bian; Katherine King

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Mississippi State University, 260 McCain Engineering Building, 479-2 Hardy Rd., P.O. Box 9542, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine if combining feedback modes is beneficial for operator performance on a handheld scanning device within the services distribution industry. An industrial handheld scanner was used to examine four feedback conditions: 1) auditory; 2) auditory-visual; 3) auditory-tactile; 4) auditory-visual-tactile. Participants completed one trial under each experimental feedback condition during one experimental session. In each trial, participants scanned 50 boxes during a simulated box scanning task. Task completion time, completion time ranks, hit rate and false alarms were recorded and analysed. While the auditory-visual-tactile feedback combination produced the fastest task completion time, there was no significant improvement in operator performance between the four feedback settings tested. Through further understanding of the most preferred feedback modes, or combination of such, identification of improved scanner settings for this device and task can be made.

Keywords: feedback modalities; redundant feedback; handheld device; wand form factor; haptic feedback; audible feedback; visual feedback; industrial scanning; service industry; distribution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2020.105374

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2020 Vol.35 No.3, pp.321 - 338

Accepted: 29 Dec 2017
Published online: 26 Feb 2020 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article