Understanding VAI Metrics

Comprehensive guide to Visual Attention Index (VAI), Hold, Speed, and Reach metrics - the complete attention measurement system

✓ VAI Composite Score ✓ Time-Based Analysis ✓ Attention Analytics ✓ Statistical Insights

Visual Attention Index (VAI)

VAI is our comprehensive composite metric that combines Hold, Speed, and Reach measurements to provide a single, actionable score representing the overall attention-grabbing and retention power of any visual element

VAI = (Hold + Speed + Reach) / 3.0

Simple average of three normalized attention components (0.0 - 1.0 range)

Two Types of Attention Scores

📊 Cell Attention Scores

Individual values within attention matrices

Range: 0.0 - 1.0 (float32)
Pixel-level attention intensity
Used for statistical analysis (avg, min, max, std)

🎯 AOI Attention Scores

Proportion of total attention captured by an Area of Interest

Range: 0% - 100% (percentage)
Formula: (AOI sum / Total sum) × 100
Measures attention concentration

Core Attention Metrics

⏱️

Hold

Average Gaze Duration

Measures the average duration participants spend looking at specific areas, indicating sustained interest and engagement depth.

Calculation Method:

Sum fixation durations within time limit per area
Average across participants who fixated that area
Min-max normalized to 0.0-1.0 range
Formula: (sum_durations / participant_count)

Interpretation:

High Values: Engaging, compelling content
Low Values: Quickly scanned or overlooked
Package Design: Logo, product image, key claims
Web Design: Content engagement, call-to-action effectiveness

Time Analysis:

500ms 1000ms 3000ms 5000ms 10000ms

Analyze attention evolution over time

⚡

Speed

Time to First Fixation (TTFF)

Measures how quickly areas are first noticed, indicating immediate visual impact and attention-grabbing power.

Calculation Method:

Average time to first fixation per area
Penalty TTFF (2 × time_limit) for non-fixating participants
Formula: 1.0 - (avg_TTFF / penalty_TTFF)
Normalized to 0.0-1.0 range (higher = faster)

Interpretation:

High Values: Immediately attention-grabbing
Low Values: Noticed later in exploration
Package Design: Logo recognition, visual hierarchy
Web Design: Button prominence, headline impact

Speed Categories:

Fast (0-1s): Immediate impact

Medium (1-3s): Quick discovery

Slow (3s+): Later exploration

👁️

Reach

Participant Coverage

Measures the proportion of participants who noticed specific areas, indicating overall visibility and discoverability.

Calculation Method:

Count unique participants who fixated each area
Divide by total valid participants
Formula: (participants_fixated / total_participants)
Natural 0.0-1.0 range (proportion)

Interpretation:

High Values: Broadly visible to most viewers
Low Values: Missed by significant portion
Package Design: Brand visibility, message delivery
Web Design: Navigation discoverability, content reach

Visibility Benchmarks:

90%+ Excellent visibility - Universal notice

70-90% Good visibility - Majority notice

<70% Needs optimization - Many miss it

Technical Specifications

Statistical Measures

For any selected Area of Interest (AOI), we provide:

Average: Mean cell attention score within AOI
Maximum: Highest cell attention score in AOI
Minimum: Lowest cell attention score in AOI
Standard Deviation: Attention distribution variability
AOI Score: Percentage of total attention captured

Time Range Analysis

500ms: Initial visual capture 1000ms: First second exploration 3000ms: Short-term engagement 5000ms: Medium-term patterns 10000ms: Comprehensive viewing

Each time range provides cumulative attention data from 0ms to the specified limit.

Industry Applications & Use Cases

📦 Product Packaging

VAI: Overall package shelf effectiveness

Hold: Brand name engagement and message processing time

Speed: Logo recognition speed and visual hierarchy

Reach: Key information visibility coverage

Optimization Goals:

Logo Speed > 0.7 (fast recognition)
Brand name Hold > 0.5 (sustained engagement)
Key claims Reach > 80% (broad visibility)

🌐 Web Design & UX

VAI: Page element importance and effectiveness

Hold: Content engagement depth and reading time

Speed: Call-to-action prominence and navigation speed

Reach: Content discoverability and accessibility

Optimization Goals:

CTA buttons Speed > 0.8 (immediate notice)
Key content Hold > 0.6 (reading engagement)
Navigation Reach > 90% (universal access)

📢 Advertising & Marketing

VAI: Ad component performance and overall impact

Hold: Message retention potential and engagement

Speed: Headline impact and initial attention capture

Reach: Brand visibility and message delivery coverage

Optimization Goals:

Headlines Speed > 0.75 (instant impact)
Brand logo Reach > 85% (recognition)
Key message Hold > 0.4 (processing time)

🛍️ E-commerce & Retail

VAI: Product listing effectiveness and conversion potential

Hold: Product image engagement and detail examination

Speed: Price and offer visibility in search results

Reach: Product information and reviews discoverability

Optimization Goals:

Product images Hold > 0.6 (exploration)
Price/offers Speed > 0.7 (quick find)
Buy buttons VAI > 0.8 (conversion focus)

A/B Testing & Optimization Workflow

Baseline Analysis

Generate VAI metrics for current design

Identify Issues

Find low-performing elements using individual metrics

Design Variations

Create alternatives targeting specific metrics

Compare Results

Analyze improvements across all attention metrics

Ready to Apply These Metrics to Your Designs?

Discover how VAI, Hold, Speed, and Reach can transform your visual optimization process with data-driven insights

📊

Statistical Analysis

Get detailed metrics with avg, min, max, std dev for every AOI

🎯

Time-Range Analysis

Track attention evolution from 500ms to 10 seconds

🔬

Advanced Analytics

Based on comprehensive attention modeling and analysis

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