Diminishing returns?: revisiting perception of computing performance

The computing performance literature offers guidelines and frameworks, but data on the limits of user appreciation for performance are scarce. This paper presents a study of user satisfaction with different levels of computing performance. Thirty-five participants performed common computing tasks such as creating email and Web surfing. They rated computing performance for specific task elements - such as application launching and menu responsiveness - that occurred during those tasks. They repeated the tasks under varying levels of computer performance. Results include user ratings as a function of computing performance for each of the task elements. The results have implications for system designers who create products that must meet user expectations for performance.