UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2012/2013
EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT 2308 HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION
DATE: AUGUST, 2013 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question ONE and any other TWO Questions
QUESTION ONE (30 Marks)
a) Differentiate the terms “affordance” and “visibility” as used in usability principle . ( 2 Marks)
b) Norman describes three differences between knowledge in the world and knowledge in the
head. Explain the difference. (3 Marks)
c) Differentiate “recognition rather than recall” as used in HCI (4 Marks)
d) Using an example discuss the concept of Hierarchical task analysis. (4 Marks)
e) Briefly describe three usability goals
f) There are mainly five types of user participation. Describe
g) Enumerate any three barriers for knowledge integration
h) List Shneiderman’s Golden Rules of design (2 Marks)
i) Explain the concept of “organic Interfaces” (2 Marks)
QUESTION TWO (20 Marks)
a) Explain the concept of “user experience” in design (4 Marks)
b) Describe any three approaches to user support (6 Marks)
c) With the help of comments, explain briefly any three usability heuristics. (6 Marks)
d) Explain the four main issues involved in the process of Interaction Design.
(4 Marks)
QUESTION THREE (20 Marks)
a) A Security Services company is designing an intranet system to ensure that sales staff always
have the most up-to-date information on products and special offers, and have immediate
access to insurance quotations. Give a root definition for this system using the CATWOE elements (5 Marks)
b) Describe the steps in the Usability Engineering Life cycle (5 Marks)
c) Explain the way in which menus favour knowledge in the world over knowledge in the head.
(3 Marks)
d) Explain any four facilities included in an interactive system that allows users to recover from their mistakes
(4 Marks)
e) Describe any three essential differences between the HCI design model and the Software
engineering design model (3 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR (20 Marks)
a) Discuss features of direct manipulation interaction style (4 Marks)
b) Differentiate the terms Groupware and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) (4 Marks)
c) Using an example define and describe the concept of GOMS (4 Marks)
d) To do a walkthrough four things are needed. List and explain (4 Marks)
e) List the main goals of Evaluation in HCI (4 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE (20 Marks)
a) Compare and contrast “composite metaphor” and “verbal metaphor” (4 Marks)
b) List and briefly explain any three Principles of Flexibility that support usability. (6 Marks)
c) Brief discuss any two techniques for knowledge representation in an Adaptive Help System.
(4 Marks)
d) List any four HCI goals ( 2 Marks)
e) Explain, using an examples, the principles HTA (4 Marks)
