BIB-VERSION:: CS-TR-v2.0
ID:: UMCP-CSD//CS-TR-1879
ENTRY:: September 27, 1996
TITLE:: Top-down and bottom-up processes in sorting computer menu 
system commands 
AUTHOR:: Chin, John P.
DATE:: July 1987
ABSTRACT:: 
Hierarchical menu trees can be generated by either top-down 
sorting, i.e. successive divisions of groups of commands into smaller 
subgroups, or bottom-up sorting, i.e. successive aggregation of small 
groups of commands into larger superordinate categories.  Previous 
researchers have used a hybrid sorting technique employing both top-
down and bottom-up procedures together.  The present paper 
examined the effects of top-down and bottom-up sorting tasks 
separately.  Native English speakers, 14 males and 36 females, sorted 
25 Automated Teller Machine commands twice.  Although sorting time 
for top-down and bottom-up did not differ, both tasks were 
performed faster with practice.  Top-down and bottom-up sorting 
tasks were expected to result in different hierarchical trees and 
mental models:  top-down should emphasize differences between 
commands, while bottom-up should favor similarities among 
commands being sorted.  As predicted, top-down sorting created 
trees with a greater number of terminal nodes, while bottom-up 
sorting produced trees with a larger mean number of commands per 
terminal node.  In addition, bottom-up sorting generated trees with 
greater breadth.  Moreover, mean breadth increased for both top-
down and bottom-up from the first sort to the second sort while 
depth decreased.  Surprisingly, depth was not a factor determining 
the differences between top-down and bottom-up conditions.  Multi-
dimensional scaling solutions revealed 3 underlying polarities: 1) 
object vs. action oriented commands, 2) change vs. no change in 
account balances, and 3) possession of money.  Unexpectedly, top-
down and bottom-up generated mental models did not converge 
toward a common model from the first sort to the second sort, but 
tended to diverge.  The results suggest that bottom-up trees are 
superior to top-down.  These findings indicate that interface 
designers should utilize bottom-up sorting in hierarchical menu tree 
construction.
(Also crossed referenced as CAR-TR-303)
END:: UMCP-CSD//CS-TR-1879