

Store
Devices Microsoft Surface PCs & tablets Xbox Virtual reality Accessories Windows
phone Microsoft Band Software Office Windows Additional software Apps All apps
Windows apps Windows phone apps Games Xbox One games Xbox 360 games PC
games Windows games Windows phone games Entertainment All Entertainment
Movies & TV Music Business & Education Business Store Education Store Developer
Sale Back-to-school essentials Sale Products
Software & services Windows Office Free downloads & security Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge Skype OneNote OneDrive Microsoft Health MSN Bing Microsoft
Groove Microsoft Movies & TV Devices & Xbox All Microsoft devices Microsoft
Surface All Windows PCs & tablets PC accessories Xbox & games Microsoft Band
Microsoft Lumia All Windows phones Microsoft HoloLens For business Cloud
Platform Microsoft Azure Microsoft Dynamics Windows for business Office for
business Skype for business Surface for business Enterprise solutions Small business
solutions Find a solutions provider Volume Licensing For developers & IT pros
Develop Windows apps Microsoft Azure MSDN TechNet Visual Studio For students
& educators Office for students OneNote in classroom Shop PCs & tablets perfect
for students Microsoft in Education Support
Sign in


Research Research
o Research Home
o Research areas
 Algorithms
 Artificial intelligence and machine learning
 Computer systems and networking
 Computer vision
 Data visualization, analytics, and platform
 Ecology and environment
 Economics
 Graphics and multimedia
 Hardware, devices, and quantum computing
 Human-centered computing
 Mathematics







o
o
o
o
o



Medical, health, and genomics
Natural language processing and speech
Programming languages and software engineering
Search and information retrieval
Security, privacy, and cryptography
Social Sciences
Technology for emerging markets
Products & Downloads
Programs & Events
 Academic Programs
 Events & Conferences
People
Careers
About
 About
 Microsoft Research blog
 Asia Lab
 Cambridge Lab
 India Lab
 New England Lab
 New York City Lab
 Redmond Lab
 Applied Sciences Lab
Research areas
o Algorithms
o Artificial intelligence and machine learning
o Computer systems and networking
o Computer vision
o Data visualization, analytics, and platform
o Ecology and environment
o Economics
o Graphics and multimedia
o Hardware, devices, and quantum computing
o Human-centered computing
o Mathematics
o Medical, health, and genomics
o Natural language processing and speech
o Programming languages and software engineering
o Search and information retrieval
o Security, privacy, and cryptography
o Social Sciences
o Technology for emerging markets
Products & Downloads
Programs & Events
o Academic Programs
o



Events & Conferences
People
Careers
About
o About
o Microsoft Research blog
o Asia Lab
o Cambridge Lab
o India Lab
o New England Lab
o New York City Lab
o Redmond Lab
o Applied Sciences Lab
Primary Tasks and Peripheral Awareness:
A Field Study of Multiple Monitor Use
September 1, 1999

Download PDF

BibTex
Authors

Jonathan Grudin
Publication Type
TechReport
Pages
6
Number
MSR-TR-99-72

Abstract

Related Info
Abstract
This paper describes a field study of people who use multiple monitors for a variety of tasks. The
size of a standard computer display has increased slowly, but the amount of information that we
can access has increased dramatically. Two monitors on a single computer is a relatively
inexpensive improvement that is available today: operating systems now support the dragging of
windows and objects across multiple monitors. Interviewing and observing people who use a
variety of configurations for a range of tasks, I conclude that people do not use a second monitor
as extra workspace. They use it in different ways, generally for “peripheral awareness― of
information that is not their main focus of activity. Secondary monitors often display the status
of background tasks, events in the world, and communications from coworkers, family, and
friends. The conditions are right for rapid growth in multiple monitor use, providing an
opportunity for application developers.
Related Info
Related Files
 tr-99-72.doc
Research Labs
 Microsoft Research Lab - Redmond
Follow Microsoft Research


Follow @MSFTResearch

Share this page


Tweet

Learn

Windows

Office

Skype

Outlook

OneDrive

MSN
Devices

Microsoft Surface

Xbox

PC and laptops

Microsoft Lumia

Microsoft Band

Microsoft HoloLens
Microsoft Store

View account

Order tracking

Retail store locations

Returns

Sales & support
Downloads

Download Center

Windows downloads

Windows 10 Apps

Office Apps

Microsoft Lumia Apps

Internet Explorer
Values

Diversity and inclusion

Accessibility

Environment

Microsoft Philanthropies

Corporate Social Responsibility

Privacy at Microsoft
Company

Careers

About Microsoft

Company news

Investors

Research

Site map

English (United States)

Contact us

Privacy & cookies

Terms of use

Trademarks

About our ads

© 2016 Microsoft
​