PROJECT:

PROJECT:

Visual Search & Decision-Making in Data-Intensive Business Tasks

Visual Search & Decision-Making in Data-Intensive Business Tasks

CONTEXT:

CONTEXT:

Master’s Thesis, HEC Montréal & Tech3Lab

Master’s Thesis, HEC Montréal & Tech3Lab

TOOLS & METHODS:

TOOLS & METHODS:

Eye Tracking (Tobii Pro Fusion, Tobii Pro Lab), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), Face Reader, Psychological Paradigm "Visual Symbol Search", PsychoPy, Surveys (NASA TLX, SAM, NCS-6), Interviews, Quantitative Data Statistical Analysis (SAS), Controlled Lab Experiment

Eye Tracking (Tobii Pro Fusion, Tobii Pro Lab), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), Face Reader, Psychological Paradigm "Visual Symbol Search", PsychoPy, Surveys (NASA TLX, SAM, NCS-6), Interviews, Quantitative Data Statistical Analysis (SAS), Controlled Lab Experiment

PARTNERS:

PARTNERS:

ERPsim Lab & SAP Analytics Cloud

ERPsim Lab & SAP Analytics Cloud

ROLE & YEAR:

ROLE & YEAR:

User Researcher, 2026

User Researcher, 2026

Cover

Visual Search & Business Performance

Visual Search & Business Performance

Visual Search & Business Performance

    overview.

    This experimental user research was conducted at Tech3Lab, HEC Montréal, in collaboration with ERPsim Lab and Ontario Tech University. Using SAP Analytics Cloud and the Business Builders (Maple Heir) simulation, the study investigated how people interpret business data and make decisions in data-intensive environments.

    Showcase image
    objective.

    The goal of this project was to understand how users interact with complex business dashboards with visual data. I studied how people find relevant information, interpret data, and make business decisions. My ultimate goal was to identify opportunities for improving enterprise user experiences.

    method & tools used.

    I conducted an experimental UX research study with 31 participants in a controlled laboratory setting. Participants completed psychological visual symbol search paradigm tasks followed by analytical business decision-making tasks while I collected behavioral and physiological data using the tools eye-tracking, EDA, Face Reader and a survey.  

    Through this research, I wanted to answer two questions: 1) to what extent do individuals with higher visual search propensity perform better when solving complex analytical problems and 2) what other individual factors affect users’ performance when solving such problems.

    I conducted an experimental UX research study with 31 participants in a controlled laboratory setting. Participants completed psychological visual symbol search paradigm tasks followed by analytical business decision-making tasks while I collected behavioral and physiological data using the tools eye-tracking, EDA, Face Reader and a survey.  

    Through this research, I wanted to answer two questions: 1) to what extent do individuals with higher visual search propensity perform better when solving complex analytical problems and 2) what other individual factors affect users’ performance when solving such problems.

    findings & recommendations.

    The findings showed that analytical performance depends on more than a single ability. Participants with stronger visual search skills achieved greater accuracy, but they also spent more time solving the problems. Similarly, greater task complexity increased completion time without reducing accuracy, suggesting that participants often invested additional effort to maintain the quality of their decisions.

    Performance was also shaped by attention, cognitive load, emotional state, and motivation. Positive emotional states were associated with better performance, while excessive perceived workload and highly focused attention reduced efficiency. Participants with a stronger motivation for effortful thinking were also better able to sustain their engagement as tasks became more demanding.

    Overall, these findings show that effective analytical reasoning emerges from the interaction of perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors.

    findings & recommendations.

    Good dashboard design is about supporting how people think. Clear visual hierarchy and progressive disclosure help users focus on the right information without feeling overwhelmed. By balancing attention, mental effort, and engagement, dashboards can make complex data easier to understand and business decisions more accurate.

    takeaways.

    This project strengthened my ability to design and execute controlled research while preserving the complexity of a real-world business environment. I learned to translate theoretical concepts into measurable variables, coordinate a multimodal data-collection process, and analyze repeated behavioral observations using appropriate statistical models. Working with eye-tracking, physiological, self-reported, and performance data also taught me how different forms of evidence can complement or challenge one another.

    The research deepened my ability to interpret complex findings with nuance. Several results did not follow the expected pattern, reinforcing the importance of questioning assumptions, distinguishing statistical evidence from initial hypotheses, and treating non-significant or contradictory findings as opportunities for insight. I also developed a stronger appreciation for the trade-offs between experimental control and ecological validity, as well as the need to communicate limitations, alternative explanations, and future research directions transparently.

    Most importantly, I learned to translate behavioral research into practical, human-centred recommendations. The findings showed me that effective dashboards and analytical systems should not be designed around a single “average user.” Differences in visual-search ability, attentional style, cognitive load, emotional state, and motivation can meaningfully shape how people engage with complex information. This perspective strengthened my ability to connect research evidence with inclusive product decisions, such as clearer visual hierarchies, progressive disclosure, adaptive guidance, and personalized learning support.

    This project strengthened my ability to design and execute controlled research while preserving the complexity of a real-world business environment. I learned to translate theoretical concepts into measurable variables, coordinate a multimodal data-collection process, and analyze repeated behavioral observations using appropriate statistical models. Working with eye-tracking, physiological, self-reported, and performance data also taught me how different forms of evidence can complement or challenge one another.

    The research deepened my ability to interpret complex findings with nuance. Several results did not follow the expected pattern, reinforcing the importance of questioning assumptions, distinguishing statistical evidence from initial hypotheses, and treating non-significant or contradictory findings as opportunities for insight. I also developed a stronger appreciation for the trade-offs between experimental control and ecological validity, as well as the need to communicate limitations, alternative explanations, and future research directions transparently.

    Most importantly, I learned to translate behavioral research into practical, human-centred recommendations. The findings showed me that effective dashboards and analytical systems should not be designed around a single “average user.” Differences in visual-search ability, attentional style, cognitive load, emotional state, and motivation can meaningfully shape how people engage with complex information. This perspective strengthened my ability to connect research evidence with inclusive product decisions, such as clearer visual hierarchies, progressive disclosure, adaptive guidance, and personalized learning support.

    feedback.

    Congratulations Aizhan,

    We are very pleased to inform you

    that you have been awarded a grade of A.

    Well done, you can be very proud!

    Once again, congratulations on this excellent achievement.

    Congratulations Aizhan,

    We are very pleased to inform you

    that you have been awarded a grade of A.

    Well done, you can be very proud!

    Once again, congratulations on this excellent achievement.

    Author image
    Pierre-Majorique Léger

    Professeur Titulaire Chaire en Expérience Utilisateur Co-Fondateur et Chercheur Tech3Lab Directeur Laboratoire ERPsim Lab Chercheur IVADO