UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2013/2014
ORDINARY EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT 2308HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION
(DISTANCE LEARNING)
DATE: APRIL, 2014 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question ONE and any other TWO
QUESTION ONE
a) Define the following terms. (4 Marks)
i. User interface.
ii. Human computer interface (HCI).
b) Discuss the challenges that are faced by HCI designers as a result
of technology changes? (6 Marks)
c) Explain the goals of HCI (6 Marks)
a) Explain the meaning of the following terms in the context of HCI (4 Marks)
i. cognition
ii. attention
d) Describe three design principles in relation to Human Computer Interaction (6 Marks)
e) Differentiate between input and output devices giving two examples for each.
(4 Marks)
QUESTION TWO
a) (i) Define the term “perception”. (2 Marks)
(ii) State and briefly explain the assumptions of the two theories of perception.
(4 Marks)
b) State and briefly explain the factors that affect HCI Usability (4 Marks)
c) Differentiate a verbal metaphor from an interface metaphor. Giving an example for
each. (4 Marks)
d) Explain the following styles of interaction between human and a computer system,
an advantage and disadvantage for each. (6 Marks)
(i) Menus and navigation.
(ii) Command entry.
QUESTION THREE
a) Explain classification of Computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) system
giving examples in each. (6 Marks)
b) Usability measures the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product
or system-whether a Web site, a software application, mobile technology, or any
user-operated device.
Required;
Explain the factors that are measured in usability testing (6 Marks)
c) Discuss FOUR disciplines that have contributed to HCI (8 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR
a) State and explain three guidelines to catching user’s attention when structuring
information at the interface. (6 Marks)
b) State and explain the 3 types of icons used in HCI (6 Marks)
c) Describe approaches to task analysis in the context of HCI Design (8 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE
a) Describe the HCI usability engineering lifecycle. (10 Marks)
b) Explain the concept of “user-centered design” (7 Marks)
c) Differentiate between Interaction Design versus Interface Design (3 Marks)
