UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2011/2012
YEAR II EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT 2308 HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION
DATE: APRIL 2012 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One and Any other Two Questions
QUESTION ONE
a) Describe, using an examples, the principles of [4 Marks]
i. Visibility
ii. Affordance
b) There are a large number of factors which should be considered in the analysis and design of a
system using HCI principles. Many of these factors interact with each other, making the analysis
even more complex. State any three of these factors [3 Marks]
c) List any four Jacob Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics principles for Commercial Web sites [4 Marks]
d) One of the techniques used in the usability life cycle is task analysis. In relation to task analysis,
explain the concept of GOMS [4 Marks]
e) State any three goals of carrying out evaluation in human computer interaction [3 Marks]
f) Describe participatory design approach in HCI [3 Marks]
g) Explain any three facilities included in an interactive system that allows users to recover from their
mistakes [3 Marks]
h) State and briefly explain any two problems of Adaptive Help system [4 Marks]
i) Cognition is the process by which we gain knowledge. List any four processes that contribute to
cognition [2 Marks]
QUESTION TWO
a) Design rationale is information that explains why a computer system is the way it is. List any two
benefits of design rationale [2 Marks]
b) Groupware can be classified by “Function”. Discuss [5 Marks]
c) Using a table, compare and contrast User-Centred and Usage-Centred design paradigm [5 Marks]
d) Define cognitive aids and their applications in systems design [2 Marks]
e) Enumerate and explain briefly any four principles affecting flexibility principle [4 Marks]
f) Differentiate between Multi-modal system and multimedia system [2 Marks]
QUESTION THREE
a) The process of interaction design involves four basic activities. Discuss [4 Marks]
b) Describe Norman’s Model of Interaction [4 Marks]
c) List the Usability Engineering Lifecycle phases [4 Marks]
d) Produce an HTA for the process of buying a book from an online store [3 Marks]
e) Outline the ecological theory of perception and explain how it has influenced HCI designers
[3 Marks]
f) Explain, using a suitable example, the concept of a Composite metaphor [2 Marks]
QUESTION FOUR
a) Jakob Nielen describes top quality as HOMERUN. Discuss the meaning [7 Marks]
b) Compare and contrast the concept of Groupware and computer Supported Cooperative Work in
HCI [4 Marks]
c) State any three essential differences between the HCI design model and the Software Engineering
design model [3 Marks]
d) Define “Cognitive Walkthrough” concept [2 Marks]
e) Describe rule-based techniques for knowledge representation in an Adaptive Help
System [2 Marks]
f) Discuss any four problems associated with interface metaphors [2 Marks]
QUESTION FIVE
a) The focal point of Gestalt theory is the idea of “grouping,” or how we tend to interpret a visual
field or problem in a certain way. Explain briefly the four main factors that determine grouping
[4 Marks]
b) List and explain the stages of Knowledge Analysis of Task [5 Marks]
c) Discuss direct manipulation as used in HCI [2 Marks]
d) Direct manipulation interaction style describes systems that have certain features. Enumerate such
three core features [3 Marks]
e) Describe by use of a diagram the Extended human information processing [6 Marks]
