# Design Strategies for Mobile Click-and-Load Waiting Scenarios
## 3 Methodology
### Experiment Design  
This study employed a mixed factorial design of 3 transition scenarios (tab page, content page, half-screen overlay) \(\times\) multiple strategy types to investigate user waiting experiences within click-to-load scenarios on mobile applications. Three sequential sub-experiments were systematically constructed, each corresponding to a distinct design strategy dimension: an interface strategy, loading indicator strategy, and layout strategy. In each experiment, the waiting time was uniformly set to 4 s, and the typical context of click-based page transitions was used as the experimental basis. This design progressively examines the application effects and user perceptual differences in various design strategies across multiple click-to-transition scenarios. In this design, the click-to-transition scenario functions as a within-subject variable, while the strategy type is implemented as a multi-level design. The dependent variables encompass five key user experience metrics: time perception, loading speed, satisfaction, emotional valence, and arousal level. Through systematic comparisons of different strategy combinations, this study elucidates the impact mechanisms of various factors on users' subjective waiting perceptions and behavioral responses, thereby providing both theoretical support and practical guidance for optimizing the loading experience in mobile device interfaces. The specific experimental designs are as follows:  
* Experiment 1: Interface Strategy Experiment  
This experiment investigates the impact of different waiting screen formats on user experience. Five types of waiting interfaces are set up: 1. blank screen; 2. loading screen; 3. skeleton screen; 4. loading screen + skeleton screen (1:1 combination); and 5. blank screen + loading screen (1:1 combination). These are tested across the three transition scenarios: tab page, content page, and half-screen overlay. * Experiment 2: Loading Indicator Strategy Experiment  
Building on Experiment 1, this experiment further focuses on the design of loading indicators within the interface. Three types of icons (no icon, hedonic-style icons, and regular icons) are combined with three types of text (no text, personified text, and regular text) to form a total of nine symbol combination types, which are then tested across the three transition scenarios. * Experiment 3: Layout Strategy Experiment  
Based on the findings from Experiments 1 and 2, this experiment explores the effect of content layout during page loading on the waiting experience. Two layout strategies were set up: 1. Segmented Loading (text first, then images); 2. Full Loading (text and images presented simultaneously). These were also tested within the three transition scenarios. Each experiment employed a consistent set of dependent variables:1. Time Perception: Participants used the keyboard to replicate the perceived waiting duration. 2. Loading Speed: Participants provided a subjective rating of the loading speed, ranging from very slow (1) to very fast (7). 3. Satisfaction: Participants rated their satisfaction with the current waiting experience, with scores ranging from very dissatisfied (1) to very satisfied (7). 4. Emotional Valence: Participants rated their current emotional state during the waiting phase, with values ranging from very unhappy (1) to very happy (9). 5. Arousal Level: This rating reflects the intensity of the participants' emotions, ranging from low arousal level (1) to high arousal level (9). The three experiments were designed to be sequentially progressive. The experimental materials (see Figure 4) and variable configurations are detailed in Table 1. By conducting systematic comparative experiments across the three transition scenarios, this study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the mechanisms by which design strategies affect user waiting experiences, thereby providing empirical evidence and strategic recommendations for optimizing mobile interface design.