Midterm Exam - IS U570 Human Computer Interaction - Nov 2nd, 2004

Professor Futrelle

The exam is 100 minutes in length, closed book, closed notes.

It counts for 18 points out of your total of 100 course points.

Put all your answers in your exam booklet. You may keep this exam sheet.

General advice: Wherever possible, use technical language and specific examples (that you're welcome to make up). Vague and unspecific ramblings will lead to low grades on your answers.

Question 1 (Chapter 4) 25 points: Compare and contrast expert reviews with evaluations by users.

Question 2 (Chapter 4) 20 points:

• Discuss some specific types of user activities and system design that would have to be addressed and evaluated differently for first-time user interactions as compared to seasoned users.
• How would the evaluations have to change in such circumstances?
• How might such differences might be picked up by a Help Center?

Question 3 (Chapter 5) 20 points: Create and explain a transition diagram for a simple menu system. You can use any style for your diagram that you choose, as long as you explain and draw it clearly. The menu is one in which a user can choose Help or Open a resource, or Close the current resource. The Help item is a submenu for Local Help or Net Help. The Open item is a submenu for a Local File or Web Page. The Close item is a simple item with no submenu.

Extra credit for Question 3, 3 points: Include keyboard shortcuts in your diagram for the Open Local File and Open Web Page and Close items.

Question 4 (Chapter 5) 15 points: Briefly describe some of the advantages and disadvantages of interface building tools.

Question 5 (Chapter 6) 20 points: Discuss some of the problems of direct manipulation.

Question 6 (Chapter 6) 5 points extra credit: Three principles behind the advantages of direct manipulation are described in the textbook (pg. 234). Describe at least one of these and how it relates to the OAI model.