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CIS 475: EVALUATION OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Prerequisites: A course in probability and statistics, or a course


in social science research methods.
Fall 2007 Slla!us
C"#ta$t I#%"r&ati"#:
I#stru$t"r: Kathleen Higginbotham
O%%i$e: Virtual
O%%i$e '"urs: Monday-Friday 10 am 11 am or anytime you see me in !eb"oard
O#li#e '"urs: Monday-Friday 10 am - 11 am
IM: #athleen$higginbotham%yahoo.com
(e! Site: http:&&'eb.n(it.edu&)#h*+
Tele)*"#e: ,-./0 .+.-1/+. ,1oicemail a1ailable0
E+&ail: #h*+%n(it.edu
C"urse ,es$ri)ti"#: . Methods 2or identi2ying usability problems and 2or testing the relati1e
merits o2 alternati1e designs 2or interacti1e systems. Follo'ing a re1ie' o2 usability heuristics,
students read (ournal articles about and practice 2i1e di22erent methods: semi-structured
inter1ie's, protocol analysis, cogniti1e 'al#throughs, user sur1eys, and controlled e3periments.
C"urse O!-e$ti.es:
1. 4earn to e1aluate computer applications, including human and organi5ational aspects o2
per2ormance, in a scienti2ic and ob(ecti1e 'ay.
*. 6e1elop s#ills to:
1. 7arry out a case study.
*. 6esign a 8uestionnaire.
9. 6o inter1ie's.
:. 7arry out a controlled e3periment.
9. ;he course 'ill introduce:
1. Methods o2 analy5ing data.
*. Ho' to analy5e an in2ormation system:
1. !ebsite.
*. <roup'are.
9. 4egacy organi5ational so2t'are.
9. Ho' to identi2y usability problems.
:. Ho' to test the relati1e merits o2 alternati1e designs.
:. =tudents 'ill read (ournal articles about, discuss and practice the 2ollo'ing types o2
methods:
1. =emi-structured inter1ie's.
*. >ser sur1eys.
9. ?3periments.
Readings:
1. ;e3t boo#: H. @ussell "arnard, Social Research Methods, *000 , 1
st
e/iti"#0 =age
Aublications, B="C: -+.0+D1-1:09+.
*. A number o2 recent articles 2or each 'ee#. ;hese articles 'ill contain e3amples o2
di22erent research methods being applied to analy5e and impro1e so2t'are usability. ;he
articles are chosen 2rom A7M and other publications. ;hese publications are a1ailable
online to CEB; students through the digital library 2acilities. As a student you can ha1e
access by do'nloading the 7isco =ystems VAC client. B 'ill include instructions in
!eb"oard on ho' to 2ind it and, also, set up a con2erence 'here 'e can deal 'ith
problems encountered 'ith its use.
Assessment
7ourse assessment ,sub(ect to modi2ication0 is +0F course 'or# and 90F e3ams, bro#en do'n as
2ollo's:
Assess&e#t All"$ati"# 1ra/e/ Out O%
Assignment 1: Research Design
10% 100
Assignment 2: Protocol Analysis
15% 100
Final Project.
20% 100
ro!" Presentation
10% 100
#lass Partici"ation
15% 100
Mid$%erm
15% 100
Final &'am
15% 100
;G;A4
100F

C"urse Outli#e:
* Assignment 1. Research Design
* Assignment 2. Protocol Analysis
* Final Project
* Group Presentation ;his is a presentation o2 the 2inal document. Bt is due one 'ee# a2ter the
2inal pro(ect. ;he ob(ecti1e o2 this assignment is to gi1e the group a time to
synthesi5e the 1arious indi1idual 'or# that has created the 2inal pro(ect and to
present the pro(ect in a po'erpoint presentation. =ince this is a distance course
and 'e 'ill not be presenting our pro(ects in a classroom, B 'ill e3pect that a
1oiceo1er narrati1e 'ill be pro1ided 'ith each presentation. B 'ill pro1ide
instructions in a !eb"oard con2erence on ho' to do this and entertain any
8uestions you may ha1e on the mechanics.
* lass ParticipationH;his class is presented in a 1irtual 2ormat ma#ing you a member o2 a
1irtual community.. My philosophy o2 education is simple: IB2 you can say it,
then you o'n it.J Another 'ay to put it might be, IB 'ant you to 2ind your 1oice
on this sub(ect.J As such, B 'ill e3pect you to contribute to the !ebboard
discussions and acti1ities. ;his is 1/F o2 your grade. For this purpose, the
grading 'ee# 'ill run 2rom =unday morning through =aturday night. A
topic 'ill be set up 2or each reading assignment in the @eadings
7on2erence or the 4ectures 7on2erence. Kou are re8uired to ha1e in each
topic, one comment on the material and at least one response to someone
else in the pre1ious 'ee#Ls postings. ;his is /0F o2 the participation
grade, the other /0F 'ill in1ol1e the le1el o2 your participation in these
con2erences. B donLt 'ant to orchestrate this participation, but 2or those
ne' to !eb"oard, B 'ant to clari2y e3pectations. For a per2ect
participation grade, B 'ould e3pect to see the 2ollo'ing types o2
interactions:
Message: Kou ma#e a good point, but B 'onder i2 this might also ha1e a
bearing on MMM. Kou #no', MMM seems to be related to KKK
and it e1en seems you canLt ha1e one 'ithout considering the
other.
Message @esponse: Co, B thin# they ha1e 1ery little interaction. B thin#
it is more li#ely that NNN is in1ol1ed here. Bt says in the article
by A"7, that. . . .
Ceedless to say this participation le1el can ta#e many 2orms: personal
opinion, 8uotes 2rom the boo#, 8uotes 2rom the readings, etc. ;he more
interaction, the more you 2ind your 1oice, the better your participation
grade. B 'ill post your participation grade 'ee#ly. ;his is to gi1e you
immediate 2eedbac# and to help you prepare 2or the test. Ans'ers to test
8uestions 'ill in1ol1e this same le1el o2 2amiliarity 'ith the material and
the ability to 1erbali5e it ,on paper0. My (ob is to help you become
articulate on this sub(ect.
* !id"#erm
* Final $%am
#he &ollo'ing !atri% represents a (rea)do'n o& the the course re*uirements:

O
Less"# Rea/i#2

Part I0
I#tr"/u$ti"#


30
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L3++I#%"r&ati"#
sste&s resear$*0
Pualitati1e 1s.
8uantitati1e methods,
?pistemology,
@ationalism,
?mpiricism,
positi1ism,
interpreti1ism,
cogniti1e approachQ
Te5t: AA@; GC?: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 3--About =ocial =cience

P"sti#2: Bnitial Aosting in 6iscussion on !1 ,71 R 410
Assi2#&e#t 3: @esearch 6esign--"egin


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t"
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L26
S$ie#ti%i$ &et*"/
$"#$e)ts:
Variables
measurement
unit o2 analysis
1alidity
reliability
hypotheses
causal relationships
?thics o2 social research
Te5t: AA@; GC?: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 2--;he Foundations o2 =ocial @esearch
C*a)ter 7--Areparing 2or @esearch
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !1 posting,71 R 410
Bnitial Aosting on !* ,7*, 79 R 4* R S<ood'in 1-.+T0
Assi2#&e#t 3: @esearch 6esign--7ontinue
Arti$le:
Cancy 7. <ood'in F!nctionality and (sa)ility
7A7M March 1-.+, **--*99.
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mUidV*1:+/.RcollVportalRdlVA7M
,@emember: Kou 'ill need VAC client to access, see !eb"oard0


Part II 8ualitati.e
Resear$*

70
3429
t" 247
L7++
I#ter.ie:i#2:
>nstructured inter1ie's
=emi-structured
inter1ie's
AA@; ;H@??: 6A;A 7G44?7;BGC
C*a)ter ;6Bnter1ie'ing
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !* posting ,7*, 79 R 4*0
Bnitial Aosting on !9 ,7D R 490
Assi2#&e#t 3: @esearch 6esign--7ontinue
Arti$le:
4. !ood, I=emi-structured inter1ie'ing 2or user-centered designJ, *nteractions,
March-April 1--+, p. :.-D1
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mUidV*:/19:
,VAC accesss0

40
244
t"
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L4++Parti$i)a#t
O!ser.ati"#:
Gbser1ation,
Arotocol analysis,
7ase and 2ield studies
AA@; ;H@??: 6A;A 7G44?7;BGC
C*a)ter <6Aarticipant Gbser1ation
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !9 posting ,7DR 490
Bnitial Aosting on !9 ,7- R 4:0
Assi2#&e#t 3: @esearch 6esign--7ontinue
Arti$le:
Maloney-Krichmar and Areece, IA multile1el analysis o2 sociability, usability and
community dynamics in an online health community,J A#M %+#,*, 1*, * , Eune
*00/0, pp. *01- *9*.
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mU
idV10D+.D0.10D+.D:RcollV<>B6?RdlV<>B6?R7FB6V./.-:0R7F;GK?CV-9+09
0D+
,VAC Access0

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t"
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$"#ti#ue
L4++Parti$i)a#t
O!ser.ati"#:
Gbser1ation,
Arotocol analysis,
7ase and 2ield studies
AA@; ;H@??: 6A;A 7G44?7;BGC
C*a)ter 306 6irect and Bndirect Gbser1ation
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !: posting ,7- R 4: R Article SMaloney-Krichmar *00/T0
Bnitial Aosting on !/ ,710 R Articles S"oren *000T R SHol5inger *00/T0
Assi2#&e#t 2: Arotocol Analysis--"egin
Arti$les:
"oren, M. ;ed and @amey, Eudith. I;hin#ing Aloud: @econciling theory and
practice.J *&&& %ransactions on Pro-essional #omm!nication. :9, 9, =ept. *000, *D1-
*+..
http: &&ieee3plore.ieee.org&Mplore&login.(spUurlV&iel/&:+&1.++.&00.D+-:*.pd2
,VAC Access0

=#im: Ho5inger, A. I>sability engineering methods 2or so2t'are de1elopers.J
#omm!nications o- the A#M :., 1 ,Eanuary *00/0, +1- +:.
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mUidV109-/:1
,VAC Access0
;0
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E5a& 3 Assi2#&e#t 2: Arotocol Analysis--7ontinue
Test 3
PART III
8UANTITATIVE
MET'O,S: ,ATA
COLLECTION


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Sa&)li#2:
=ampling 2rame,
population,
sampling methods,
sample si5e,
central limit
theorem and
con2idence
inter1als.
Te5t: AA@; GC?: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 5H=ampling
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !/ ,7100 posting
Bnitial Aosting on !* ,7/ R 4+0
Assi2#&e#t 2: Arotocol Analysis--7ontinue
Arti$le:
"ailey and Aearson. W6e1elopment o2 a ;ool 2or Measuring and Analy5ing 7omputer
>ser =atis2actionW Management Science, , May 1-.9, p/90-/:/.
http:&&'''.(stor.org&1ie'&00*/1-0-&di01*.1.&01p09-::&0

90
744
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8uesti"##aires a#/
sur.es:
Puestion 'ording,
2ormat,
response rate problem,
sur1ey techni8ues.
S$ales a#/ s$ali#2:
=imple,
AA@; ;H@??: 6A;A 7G44?7;BGC
C*a)ter 76 =tructured Bnter1ie'ing
C*a)ter 96=cales and =caling
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !+ posting ,7- R 4: R Article SMaloney-Krichmar *00/T0

comple3,
<uttman,
4i#ert,
semantic di22erential,
t-testing
unidimensionality
Bnitial Aosting on !. ,7+, 7. R Article S4ederer 1--.T0
Assi2#&e#t 2: Arotocol AnalysisH6ue
Fi#al Pr"-e$t: Bssued--"egin
Arti$les:
4ederer A.4. et. al W;he role o2 ease o2 use, use2ulness and attitude in the prediction o2
'orld 'ide 'eb usageW A#M #PR , unde2ined 1--., p1-/-*0:.
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mUidV*+-*11
<0
7432
t"
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S)ri#2 =rea>
C"ul/ !e a 2""/ ti&e t" :"r> "# Fi#al Pr"-e$t0
300
743<
t"
7424
E5)eri&e#tal /esi2#
Te5t: AA@; GC?: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 4H@esearch 6esign
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !. posting ,7+ R 7. R Article S4ederer 1--.T0
Bnitial Aosting on !- ,7: R 4- R Article SHoadley 1--0T0
Fi#al Pr"-e$t++7ontinue
Arti$le:
?llen Hoadley, IBn1estigating the e22ects o2 color,W 7A7M, 99, * ,February 1--00,
1*0-1*/.
http:&&portal.acm.org&citation.c2mUidV+//+.RcollVportalRdlVA7M
,VAC Access0





Part III0 ,ATA
ANAL?SIS


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8ualitati.e a#/
qua#titati.e a#alsis++
U#i.ariate a#alsis
a#/ $"rrelati"#:
@a' data,
2re8uency distributions,
measures o2 central
tendency and dispersion,
graphing 1ariables,
5-scores and
chi-s8uare test
Te5t: AA@; FG>@: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 33HBntroduction to Pualitati1e and Puantitati1e Analysis
C*a)ter 34H>ni1ariate Analysis
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !- posting ,7: R 4- R Article SHoadley 1--0T0
Bnitial Aosting on !10 ,711, 71* R 410 R Article SFogg *001T0
Fi#al Pr"-e$t++7ontinue
Arti$le:
". E. Fogg et. al I!hat ma#es !eb sites credibleU: a report on a large 8uantitati1e
studyJ, Proceedings o- the S*#,* con-erence on ,!man -actors in com"!ting
systems, p.D1-D., March *001, =eattle, !ashington, >nited =tates
http:&&captology.stan2ord.edu&pd2&pD1-2ogg.pd2

320
443
t"
447
L330 =i.ariate A#alsis
3:
t-test,
ACGVA,
cross-tabs,
4ambda,
chi-s8uare,
<amma
Te5t: AA@; FG>@: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 35, pp. /:/-/+D
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !10 posting ,711, 71* R 410 R Article SFogg *001T0
Bnitial Aosting on !10 ,71/ pp. /:/-/+D R 411 R Article SMue *009T0
Fi#al Pr"-e$t++7ontinue
Arti$le:
Mue, K., =an#ar, 7.=., and Mbari#a, V.!., ,*0090, WMultimedia and Virtual ;eams:
@esults o2 an ?3perimental @esearchW, American Society -or &ngineering &d!cation
=outheast =ection 7on2erence, Macon, <A, April *009.
http:&&'''.auburn.edu&research&litee&media&pd2s&e1al$con2$papers&*009se$luc#y.pd2

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449
t"
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L320 =i.ariate A#alsis
2: 7orrelation,
=pearmanLs r,
AearsonLs r,
@egression,
=igni2icance,
?ta
Pla# ar"u#/ Easter =rea>@ #"t*i#2 is /ue Fri/a "r Su#/a@ :*i$* are s$*""l
*"li/as@ s" :e s*"ul/ !e ">a0 ?"u #"r&al )"sti#2s are /ue ! Satur/a@ s"
)la# a*ea/ i% "u are !us "# Satur/a0 T*ere is #" rea/i#2 %"r t*is :ee>0 I
*")e t*is &a>es t*e *"li/as "% Pass".er a#/ Easter &"re e#-"a!le0
Te5t: AA@; FG>@: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 35 pp. /+D-D1*
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !11 posting ,71/ pp. /:/-/+D R 411 R Article SMue *009T0
Bnitial Aosting on !1* ,71/ pp. /+D-D1* R 41*0
Fi#al Pr"-e$t--7ontinue

340
4435
t"
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L370 Multi+.ariate
A#alsis:
Aartial correlation,
Multiple regression,
Aath analysis,
Factor,
7luster and
6iscriminant analysis
Te5t: AA@; FG>@: "A7K<@G>C6 ;G @?=?A@7H
C*a)ter 3;6Multi-1ariate Analysis
P"sti#2:
@esponse to !1* posting ,71/ pp. /+D-D1* R 41*0
Bnitial Aosting on !1* ,71D R 4190
Fi#al Pr"-e$tH6ue

350
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Re.ie: A
Fi#al E5a&
7ircumstances 2or Final to be determined at a later date.


opying+heating

All students are e3pected to 2ollo' published guidelines on academic honesty and integrity. Kou
'ill 2ind these at: http:&&'''.n(it.edu&academics&honorcode.php. Kou must ac8uaint yoursel2
'ith these policies be2ore submitting any assignments. All 'ritten 'or# must be original.
Violations o2 CEB; policies 'ill be reported to the 6ean o2 =tudents and may result in 2ailure on a
particular assignment, 2ailure in the course, 2ailure in the course and probation, or 2ailure in the
course and e3pulsion. Honor 7ode 1iolations 'ill be pursued immediately and aggressi1ely.

,sing -#,R./#/..0!-
A copy o2 all indi1idual assignments, including the 2inal pro(ect, 'ill be re8uired to be submitted
to the Wturnitin.comW 'eb site. ;his is in addition to paper copies that may be supplied to the
pro2essor, or to posting a copy o2 the assignment 2or the class, according to detailed instructions
that 'ill be gi1en 2or assignments. ;his ser1ice chec#s your 'or# against e1erything a1ailable on
the 'orld 'ide 'eb and in the archi1es 2or all sections o2 D+/ past and present, and gi1es a report
on e3actly 'here your 'or# is similar to that o2 other 'or# that can be 2ound. ;his is an ob(ecti1e
'ay to help determine 'hether plagiarism has occurred.
;he last thing B 'ant 2or any o2 you is that you 2ind Isomeone elseLs 1oiceJ. B can assure you that
ho'e1er good ;urnBtBn may be, B am better. <oogle and B 'ill personally sit do'n 'ith each
assignment and loo# 2or sources o2 e3act matches. Ma#e sure i2 you use material 2rom a source,
that you 8uote it i2 e3act. B2 you integrate the material into your 'or#, please cite it. !hen you
are 'riting a paper 2or a pro(ect, you are building a case 2or the premise o2 your paper. Bt is much
less 'or# 2or you i2 you cite pieces o2 in2ormation 2rom a source than ha1ing to actually ma#e a
case 2or the material. B 'ant you to lea1e this educational e3perience being able to 2eel con2ident
in tal#ing about the material you ha1e assimilated. B 'ant us to ha1e a great semester.
=ee you in classX
Kathleen
,is$lai&er: B do reser1e the right to ma#e any changes B deem necessary.
#mh

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