
User experience (UX) research relies heavily on survey scales to measure users' subjective experiences with technology. However, repeatedly raised concerns regarding the improper use of survey scales in UX research and adjacent fields call for a systematic review of current measurement practices. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review, screening 153 papers from four years of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems proceedings (ACM CHI 2019 to 2022), of which 60 were eligible empirical studies using survey scales to study users' experiences. We identified 85 different scales and 172 distinct constructs measured. Most scales were used once (70.59%), and most constructs were measured only once (66.28%). The System Usability Scale was the most popular scale, followed by the User Experience Questionnaire, and the NASA Task Load Index. Regarding constructs, usability was the most frequently measured, followed by attractiveness, effort, and presence. Furthermore, results show that papers rarely contained complete rationales for scale selection (20.00%) and seldom provided all scale items used (30.00%). More than a third of all scales were adapted (34.19%), while only one-third of papers reported any scale quality investigation (36.67%). On the basis of our results, we highlight questionable measurement practices in UX research and suggest opportunities to improve scale use for UX-related constructs. Additionally, we provide six recommended steps to promote enhanced rigor in following best practices for scale-based UX research.
literature review, user experience (UX), Electronic computers. Computer science, survey scales, measurement, QA75.5-76.95, questionnaires, constructs
literature review, user experience (UX), Electronic computers. Computer science, survey scales, measurement, QA75.5-76.95, questionnaires, constructs
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 25 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
