CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 1 of 8

Set 2
Please answer all five (5) questions.

Question 1 (20 marks)

Difficulty level: (a) Average (b) Average (c) Difficult
Topics Covered: Human Factors and Theories, Principles and Guidelines

a) Explain the following four (4) criteria that form part of the goals of system
engineering by giving an example.

i) Standardization
ii) Integration
iii) Consistency
iv) Portability
(8 marks)
Answer:
i) Standardization refers to the usage of common user-interface
features across multiple applications. For example, all Microsoft
Application has similar interface layout.
ii) Integration refers to the ability for different application packages
and software tools to integrate with one another to form the
interface. For example, we can use many different programming
languages to develop software on a particular platform.
iii) Consistency refers to common action sequences, terms, units,
layout, colors typography etc. in an application. For example,
within Microsoft Word, All the icons and menus have consistent
color usage and size.
iv) Portability refers to the potential to convert data and to share user
interfaces across multiple software and hardware environments.
For example, any software designed and programmed using Java
can be used on any platform.
(2 marks each)

b) Using the high level rule schemas given below, identify the consistent
grammar produced for the following task:

1. task [Direction,Unit] -> symbol [Direction] +

letter [Unit]
2. symbol [Direction=upward] -> "UP"
3. symbol [Direction=downward] -> "DOWN"
4. letter[Unit=line] -> "L"
5. letter[Unit=paragraph] -> "P"

i) Move cursor one line downward.

ii) Move cursor one line upward.
iii) Move cursor one paragraph downward.
iv) Move cursor one paragraph upward.
(8 marks)

Answer:
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 2 of 8
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i) DOWN – L
ii) UP – L
iii) DOWN – P
iv) UP – P

(2 marks each)

c) Describe how to design a system to enable novice or first-time users perform

their task properly.
(4 marks)
Answer:

Restrict the vocabulary to a small number of familiar, consistently used concept

terms.

The number of actions should be minimal.

Informative feedback including extended error messages should be available.

Provide carefully designed manuals and online tutorials

(1 mark each)

Question 2 (20 marks)

Difficulty level: (a) Average (b) Average (c) Difficult
Topics Covered: Evaluation during use, Expert Review and Software Tools

a) What are the three (3) advantages and disadvantages of using interviews and
focus-group discussion to evaluate an interface design in use?
(7 marks)
Answer:

Advantages
Interviewer can pursue specific issues of concern. (1 mark)
Focus group helps determine universality of comments. (1 mark)
Direct contact with users leads to specific, constructive suggestions. (2 marks)

Disadvantages:
Costly (1 mark)
Time consuming. (1 mark)
Only a small fraction of user community can be involved. (1 mark)

b) What is the task involved in performing formal usability inspection on an

interface design?
(3 marks)
Answer:

Gather experts to hold courtroom-style meeting with a moderator or judge, to

present the interface and discuss its merits and weaknesses.
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 3 of 8
Set 2

c) The syntax below describes the use of Backus Naur Form to outline the
grammar of a program or software.

<non-terminal> ::= <non-terminals> terminals

Using the notation described above, outline the representation of a person’s

full name as used in your program.
(10 marks)
Answer:

<Name> ::= <Last name>, <First name>

<Last name> ::= <string>
<First name> ::= <string>
<string> ::= <character>|<character><string>
<character>::= A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|
U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(2 marks each)

Question 3 (20 marks)

Difficulty level: (a) Average (b) Average
Topics Covered: Menu Selection and Command and Natural Languages

a) For the following scenarios, Illustrate (with a diagram) what type of menu will
you use in your design to represent the interaction and why?
i) To guide a user through a set of actions needed to customize your
software.
ii) To allow users to select one (1) option out of five (5) displaying
only the selected option at the end.
iii) To provide grouped set of actions that is categorized and visible
upon clicking action by the user.
iv) To turn a feature on or off using a single component.
(16 marks)
Answer:

i) I will use a dialog box with three buttons to move to and fro and one
button to cancel to. (2 marks)
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 4 of 8
Set 2

(2 marks)

ii) I will use combo box with a drop down list that will show all five option
and only the selected item upon choosing. (2 marks)

(2 marks)

iii) I will use menu bar with all groups visible and drop down menu upon the
user’s clicking action. (2 marks)

(2 marks)

iv) I will use a toggle button that changes its text and appearance according to
the mode selected by the user. (2 marks)
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 5 of 8
Set 2
(2 marks)

b) Provide an example comparing two sets of commands which portrays the use
of consistent and inconsistent order of arguments.
(4 marks)
Answer:

Inconsistent order of arguments (2 marks)

SEARCH file no, message id no
TRIM message id, segment size
REPLACE message id, code no
INVERT group size, message id

Consistent order of arguments (2 marks)

SEARCH message id, file
TRIM message id, segment size
REPLACE message id, code no
INVERT message id, group size

Question 4 (20 marks)

Difficulty level: (a) Easy (b) Average (c) Easy
Topics Covered: Interaction Devices, Response Time and Display Rate,
Presentation Styles

a) For the following devices, describe their input characteristics and sample
applications in which it is worthy of use.
i) Button.
ii) Mouse.
iii) Joystick.
(9 marks)
Answer:

i) Button –
Simple discrete input (1 mark)

Command execution or attribute specification (2 marks)

ii) Mouse –
Grasped with hand, one or more buttons, large arm movement, analog.
(2 marks)
Pointing and selecting in 2D space (1 mark)

iii) Joystick –
Grasped with hand, pushed or twisted, one or more buttons,
constrained movement in three dimensions, analog (2 marks)
Setting direction of movement in virtual space, continuous zooming
(1 mark)
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 6 of 8
Set 2

b) What are the suggestions of user-centered phrasing strategy applied to user

controls of the system?
(4 marks)

Answer:

Suggests user controls system:

 messages should avoid imperative forms, should focus on user control
 user should have control over amount of information system provides
 context-sensitive HELP important

(Each key point, 1 mark)

c) List the seven (7) non-anthropomorphic guidelines.

(7 marks)

Answer:

Avoid presenting computers as people.

Choose appropriate humans for introductions or guides.
Use caution in designing computer-generated human faces or cartoon characters.
Design comprehensible, predictable, and controllable interfaces.
Provide user-centered overviews for orientation and closure.
Do not use 'I' pronouns when the computer responds to human actions.
Use "you" to guide users, or just state facts.

(1 mark each)

Question 5 (20 marks)

Difficulty level: (a) Difficult (b) Difficult
Topics Covered: Hypermedia and WWW, Voice Recognition

a) The diagram below shows the interface of MSN Hotmail. Discuss the use of
the eight (8) golden rules in its design, and identify the areas in which these
rules were not addressed.
(10 marks)
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 7 of 8
Set 2

Answer:
The following criteria needs to be discussed by the students, the evaluation may vary
based on their observation.
1. Strive for consistency. (2 marks)
 Terminology
 Prompts
 Menus
 Help screens
 Color
 Layout
 Capitalization
 Fonts
2. Enable frequent users to use shortcuts (1 mark)
 Abbreviations
 Special keys
 Hidden commands
CCB 1043/ Human Computer Interaction /Final Exam/ Mar - Jul 2017 Page 8 of 8
Set 2
 Macro facilities
3. Offer informative feedback (1 mark)
4. Design dialogs to yield closure (2 marks)
 Sequences of actions should be organized into groups
 Beginning, middle, and an end
5. Offer error prevention and simple error handling (1 mark)
6. Permit easy reversal of actions (1 mark)
7. Support internal locus of control (1 mark)
8. Reduce short-term memory load. (1 mark)

b) Give three (3) benefits and three (3) problems of voice recognition input.
(10 marks)
Benefits:
1. Useful in conditions such as the speaker’s hands are busy or the
speaker’s eyes are occupied. (2 marks)
2. Benefit handicapped users. (1 mark)
3. Using voice for identification purposes could be a benefit for
security systems. (1 mark)

Problems:
1. Poor recognition (1 mark)
a. humans < 1% error rate on dictation (1 mark)
b. top recognition systems get 5-10% error rates (1 mark)
2. Background noise (1 mark)
a. even worse recognition rates (20-40% error) (1 mark)
3. Slow (1 mark)