INF3720
EXAMPACK
Notes. Questions.
Answers. Memo
,INF3720
May/June 2015
MEMO
1 QUESTION 1 51
1.1 Consider any SIX of the user experience goals In Preece et al For each of these Identify
(name) and explain each user experience goal clearly (12)
1.1.1 Give and describe an example of it being used In the design of your cell phone (12)
1.1.2 For each of these SIX user experience goals Identify one difference between cell phones
and conventional desktop Interfaces that are Important to usability designers or
evaluators. Explain clearly why and how these differences matter (12)
User Experience Goals Usability Goals Desktop Cell Phone
Satisfying
Helpful: As a user, I Effective, Utility The desktop app Helpful in making a
would like to feel that provides a different call, messaging,
the product offers me set of helpfulness. It setting alarms
help and is an aid rather helps me create
than a hinderence. spreadsheets, Letters,
and presentation
Engaging: Engagement Learnability, Can be very engaging Can be very engaging
as perceived by the user memorable when on when when messaging with
means that time flies working on a problem a friend or on a
when interacting with a in excel and finding a workgroup
device and the user has good formula to work
the pry themselves away with.
from it. Closely related
to flow.
Enjoyable: Effective and Efficient Very enjoyable when Enjoyable in that I can
As a user I want to enjoy working with a pick up my phone and
the product I bought. I product that works use it any time, and at
need to derive and does great things. socially awkward
satisfaction from using e.g. Excel times.
it.
Pleasurable Effective and Efficient
Exciting Effective and Efficient
Motivating: Learnabilty, Safe Excel motivates one to Motivates me to learn
Motivation can come in Memorability want to learn more all the functionality
different forms, about its functionality my phone can
however, a device that is perform.
easy to learn and
effective to use, can
motivate me to want to
try more advanced
features and even go as
far to do training on the
product.
Challenging Utility
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Enhancing Sociability: Effective Facebook desktop app Enhances sociability
A device that enables a is lovely to use more because phones
user to socialise and especially when are portable.
experience a sense of wanting to comment However, commenting
connectedness to the on posts because of is a long-winded
world provides me with the use of keyboards process
the experience of being
part of something
bigger.
Supporting Creativity Efficient
Cognitively Stimulating Safe
I experience the feeling
of being rewarded when
I figure out how to do
something and it works.
Fun Memorability
Provocative Efficient
Surprising Efficient Excel always suprises I am surprised at the
me with new new functionality of
functionality that it my phone. I can now
comes up with that use my phone to
really support me in complete forms and
my job and I am send without having
always surprised at to download, fill in
what they thought up. and then scan and
then mail.
Rewarding: Effective and Efficiency Excel is rewarding and
It creates a rewarding emotionally fulfilling
feeling or when the desktop app. It has
device I purchased does huge functionality.
what it is supposed to
do.
Emotionally Fulfilling Efficient, Safe
These differences matter because their usability, functionality, aesthetics, their content, look and feel
and sensual and emotional feel are different for each device. The users needs and goals when using
these products are different.
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1.2 Consider Preece et al's five design principals. For each of the five design principals
1.2.1 name and explain It briefly, and
1.2.2 also give an example of how the specific design principle can help to achieve one or more
of the SIX user experience goals you have Identified in question
Design Principles
Feedback Feedback provide provides confirmation that the user is on the right
track which is rewarding and motivating and often surprising.
Visibility Visibility of the status of my friends and pictures of their lives
enhances sociability and engagement as the user can see the
results of their interactions.
Affordance Affordance in knowing what to do next makes the experience of
learning a device enjoyable
Consistency The fact that an interface is design with consistency makes it very
helpful in that a users knows what to expect
Constraints Constraints are helpful in preventing errors
2 QUESTION 2 49
2.1 Briefly compare the use of notes, audio and video when recording usability study data
[6]
2.2 Discuss and explain the differences between paradigms, theories, models and
frameworks as It relates to human-computer interaction Give appropriate examples
where possible
Paradigm: A paradigm is general approach that has been accepted by a community of
researchers or designers for carrying out their work that share the same assumptions, values,
concepts and practices.
e.g. How to design user-centred applications for the desktop computer. The WIMP paradigm
was born out of how to design for a single user for an interface based on their cognitive abilities.
Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers. We now use the GUI paradigm where designers decided
along with the advancement of technology to go beyond the desktop would led to a whole new
paradigm shift.
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Framework: is a set of interrelated concepts/questions used to inform task domain, on-line
communities or analytics.
e.g. Norman’s conceptual framework in which the user uses the system in the way that the
designer intended to and the system image enables the user to use the system in the way it was
designed.
Theory: Is a well-substantiated explanation on some aspect of a phenomenon.
eg. distributed cognition, Cognitive theories based on human memory were used to depict
operations to reduce memory load
Vision: Is a future aspiration of some form of technology that guides research and aspirations of
designers
e.g. The Internet of Things, a teleportation device usually expressed in the form of a video.
Model: a model is a simplification of some aspect of human-computer interaction that enable
designers to predict and evaluate alternative designs.
e.g Newell's keystroke model, Norman’s model of emotional design
Oretel et el’s model of emotional design:
Products can be designed at the visceral level, having a good look, feel and design. At the
behavioural level, they can have a certain functionality/usability and at the Reflective level, a user
can be amazed at the meaning, the personal value and how brand loyalty a customer has for a
product. How it appeals to their value system and cultural beliefs.
2.3 Identify and briefly discuss four typical problems or challenges that may occur during a
heuristic evaluation. Use examples to Illustrate the problem.
User Evaluation and Heuristic evaluation often yield very different results. Heuristics often miss
critical errors e.g. A match between the system is obvious to the evaluator but not to the user.
Experts tend to report problems that don’t exist. In the past experts predictions have been
wrong.
What one expert views as important might not be as important to a user and the expert might
focus heavily on the item perceived as important to him, missing out on the big picture or user’s
perspective. i.e. find problems where there aren’t any but miss out on actual problems.
In a study performed, Only 33% of actual usability problems reported from Heuristics evaluations
were actual problems, whilst 21% of actual user problems were missed entirely.
43% of usability errors by Heuristic evaluators turned out to be false alarms.
The original guidelines were designed for PC’s. There are so many new devices and the
Heuristics have to be adapted to take that into account.
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