Deck 8: Design Principles and Guidelines

Question 1

The functionality of an information system is about:

A) the services and operations it provides to users
B) the efficiency of the system
C) how easy the system can be operated
D) how comfort it is to use the system
E) how satisfied that users are with the system

Answer 1

the services and operations it provides to users

Question 2

Adding options in a system menu provides users with:

A) enhanced satisfaction
B) additional functionality
C) additional task requirements
D) extended task time
E) increased system budget

Answer 2

additional functionality

Question 3

Which of the following is a usability issue in the development of an information system?

A) How much do users need to spend to get the system?
B) Who will be the developers of the system?
C) Can the system help users enhance their efficiency in doing a task?
D) Does the system have a search feature for users to look for information?
E) What is the equipment configuration of the system?

Answer 3

Can the system help users enhance their efficiency in doing a task?

Question 4

Enhance the ease of use of an information system is a/an ___ issue of the system.

A) functionality
B) usefulness
C) investment
D) usability
E) timing

Question 5

Which of the following is an appropriate statement about design principles and guidelines?

A) Design principles are dependent on the platform of a computer system;
B) The transition from design guidelines to principles can be thought as the transition from theory to practice;
C) Design guidelines are context free design goals;
D) Design principles are based on theories of human-computer interaction
E) Design principles are dependent on the characteristics of the expected users

Question 6

Design principles are:

A) high level and largely context-dependent design goals in the HCI design of a system
B) specific and largely context-dependent design goals in the HCI design of a system
C) for designers to fulfill in order to achieve the design guidelines
D) specific but largely context-free design goals in the HCI design of a system
E) high-level and largely context-free design goals in the HCI design of a system

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of design principle?

A) The interface of a computer system should help maintain consistent interaction with users;
B) A computer system should be able to provide users with control over the human-computer interaction;
C) Metaphors should be used properly in system design to enhance the cognitive fit;
D) If possible, direct manipulation should be enabled in a computer system to make users' operations easier;
E) A computer system should be able to support diverse users.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of design guideline?

A) A good computer system should help improve users' tool-level task performance;
B) A good interface between users and a computer system should enable enjoyable and satisfying interactions;
C) Good interface of a computer system should promote users' trust in the system;
D) Feedback should be provided for users to support their control in the interaction process;
E) The interface of a computer system should be able to support diverse users.

Question 9

In HCI context, a user's effort spent on a task refers to:

A) the user's human resources utilized in doing the task
B) the user's emphasis in doing the task
C) the user's method of doing the task
D) the user's attitude in doing the task
E) the user's preference in selecting the task-performing approach

Question 10

Which of the following can help reduce a user's effort in doing a task with an information system?

A) changing developers of the information system
B) enhancing the usability of the information system
C) installing he system at a different location
D) designing the system interface with large amount of texts, pictures, animations, and bright colors
E) utilizing equipments that need a lot of body movement in use

Question 11

In HCI, cognitive fit is an optimal state between:

A) a system's representation of a problem and a user's strategies for solving that problem
B) a user's mental model for solving a problem and system designers' conceptual model for solving the same problem
C) system designers' conceptual model for solving a problem and the system's representation of that problem
D) a system's representation of a problem and the task requirements for solving that problem
E) the task requirements for solving a problem and a user's strategies for doing the task

Question 12

To compare the human cognitive efforts required by different system representations for the same problem, which of the following methods can be utilized?

A) survey
B) GOMS
C) user analysis
D) context analysis
E) usefulness analysis

Question 13

Affordances are the aspects of an object that a user perceived as indicating:

A) what needs to be paid for using this object;
B) what the object should be called;
C) who should use the object;
D) why the object should be used;
E) what the object should be used for.

Question 14

Affordance refers to the aspects of an object that users perceive as indicating how to use the object. Which of the following examples can best demonstrate this concept?

A) a raised button that invites a user to click on it
B) a dialog window that show warning to a user
C) an instruction file that tells user how to use a software
D) a snapshot of an animal that shows its biological characteristics
E) a pie chart that shows the market share of a product

Question 15

For system designers, a principle they should follow in dealing with concerns about errors is:

A) A system should have a mechanism to punish error makers;
B) A system should be able to help a user correct or undo an error;
C) A system should give a lesson to a user after an error is made;
D) A system should automatically report all errors made by system users to the system administrator;
E) A system should exaggerate impacts from errors to users so that they won't make them again.

Question 16

Which of the following system design features is good for indicating an occurred error to a system user?

A) affordance
B) metaphor
C) upgrade
D) feedback
E) auto play

Question 17

A well designed information system should provide users an enjoyable and satisfying interaction with it. In regard to this design principle, flow in the interaction may produce a ___ experience.

A) plain
B) frustrating
C) fulfilling
D) exhausting
E) smooth

Question 18

The flow of HCI can be affected by:

A) the developer of an information system
B) the organization that a user works in
C) the number of computers that a user can access
D) the adaptability of a system's human-computer interface
E) the users wage offered by an organization

Question 19

The pleasing interaction in HCI emphasizes on the ___ aspect in system design.

A) intelligent
B) physical
C) cognitive
D) technological
E) affective

Question 20

Which of the following can be an indicator of a pleasing interaction between a user and an information system?

A) flow
B) fast task performing speed
C) high score obtained for doing a task
D) the leading position of a user in an organization
E) the high education level that a user has

Question 21

A pleasing interaction that a user has with an information system can contribute to:

A) the user's attitude toward joining the system developing team
B) the user's attitude toward using the system
C) developer's redesign of the system
D) dismiss of the system developing team
E) an organizational decision on personnel change

Question 22

In the following aspects of an information system, which one can affect users' trust with the system?

A) networking technology
B) CPU speed
C) security assurance solution
D) speakers volume
E) service space capacity

Question 23

Which of the following descriptions about trust with an information system is appropriate?

A) Cognitive trust consists of feelings that are part of an affective bound;
B) Emotional trust is based on knowing enough about a system to have good reasons for trust;
C) Cognitive trust is associated with established or close relationships between a user and the system developers;
D) Behavioral trust obtained in using the system can feed back to a user's original cognitive and emotional trust with the system;
E) Users' trust with the system doesn't change once it is formed.

Question 24

The design guidelines for HCI development can be applied to different levels of human-computer interaction, such as:

A) task level
B) organizational level
C) user level
D) international level
E) environmental level

Question 25

In general, an information system with properly designed consistency would lead to:

A) repeated errors
B) increased body movement in finishing the same operation
C) fatigue in reading the same contents
D) impatience in task-doing
E) quicker transfer between different applications

Question 26

To make the same appearance, meaning, and operation hold true for all user's interactions within the same application is a/an ___ concern in system development.

A) internal consistency
B) external consistency
C) analogical consistency
D) digital consistency
E) unit consistency

Question 27

Analogical consistency refers to the consistency between:

A) the real-world phenomenon and its representation in human mind
B) the real-world phenomenon and its representation in an information system
C) the representations of a real-world phenomenon in human mind and in an information system
D) the representations for real-world phenomenon in the mind of different users
E) the representations for a real-world phenomenon in different information systems

Question 28

___ demonstrates the idea of analogical consistency.

A) the same frame appearance used across a website
B) the "save as" dialogs in MS Word and MS PowerPoint
C) the "recycle bin" designed in Windows ® environment
D) the "clock" feature used in both Windows and Mac operating systems
E) the web browsing functionality that is provided by both Internet Explorer and Firefox

Question 29

A measure of task performance in the HCI context could be:

A) the people that a user worked with in doing a task
B) the equipment(s) that a user used in doing a task
C) the requirements that should be met in doing a task
D) the accuracy with which a task is done
E) the cost of doing a task

Question 30

Which of the following plays a positive role in improving the performance of a task supported by an information system?

A) replacing current system equipments with the most expensive ones on the market;
B) sending out the task-doers to do a market study on other similar systems
C) changing the work partner of the task doer
D) relocating the task-doer to a never-been place to perform the task;
E) enhancing the (internal, external, and analogous) consistency of the system

Question 31

In a user's interaction with a computer, what can give him/her more control over the interaction?

A) feed back from the computer
B) larger display
C) high-end equipment
D) professional settings of the interaction environment
E) a cup of coffee

Question 32

For a user, the optimal control over his/her interaction with the system relies on:

A) the place that the interaction happens;
B) who is supervising the user-system interaction;
C) what type of activities (e.g. automatic vs. controlled) the user is taking with the system;
D) how much time the user wants to spend on the interaction
E) what is the reward that the user will have after the interaction

Question 33

Which of the following is a quality that a well-designed feedback should have to provide users better control over the interaction with an information system?

A) always being frequently presented to ensure user control
B) demanding minimum cognitive resources from the user while ensuring accurate processing
C) being general in expression so it is applicable in as many situations as possible
D) being designed from the perspective of the system developers
E) using the most advanced technology in the presentation of the feedback

Question 34

For users of a computer system, feedback from the system can support their interactions with the computer system in terms of:

A) alleviating the fatigue caused by computer use
B) saving investment on implementing the computer system
C) helping users cope with unexpected system reactions
D) giving users optimal control over the human-computer interaction regardless of the interaction level
E) reminding users of a task deadline

Question 35

For users of a computer system, which of the following incorrectly describes the supports that feedback from the system can provide:

A) Feedback from the computer system can support users' motivation;
B) Feedback from the computer system is always good for users to have optimal control over the human-computer interaction, no matter at which level the interaction takes place;
C) Feedback from the computer system can support users' learning;
D) Feedback from the computer system can help users cope with system reactions that are different from what are expected;
E) Feedback from the computer system can help uses cope with system reactions that cannot be predicted due to changing conditions.

Question 36

Which of the following is a principle for choosing the format of a feedback in system design?

A) The feedback should draw as little attention as possible from users;
B) The feedback should be as fancy as possible;
C) The feedback should use as many colors as possible;
D) The feedback must have audio information in it;
E) The feedback should demand minimal cognitive resources from users;

Question 37

In the following statements about feedback format, which one is appropriate?

A) The format of a feedback should have the ability to draw maximal users' cognitive resources to process it;
B) A feedback should always be embedded in the background, which would take minimal attention from users;
C) The choice of feedback format does not rely on the context that a feedback is needed;
D) The format of a feedback depends on the type of activities it supports;
E) Text is always the best format for feedbacks in all situations.

Question 38

The content of a feedback is dependent on:

A) the technology utilized to present the feedback
B) the personality of the user to whom the feedback is provided
C) the activity it supports
D) the system designer that develops the feedback
E) the time that this feedback should be provided

Question 39

When a user is trying to completely delete a file from a system, an appropriate feedback content for this action would be:

A) "This is a beautiful day!"
B) "Good job!"
C) "The system will be turned off."
D) "The selected file will be permanently removed from the computer. Do you want to proceed?"
E) "You are the only user on this computer."

Question 40

Using metaphor in information system design is a way to associate the idea presented in the system with:

A) the creative idea developed by the designer
B) the unique idea sent to the world from the outer space
C) the hard-to-understand knowledge printed in a book
D) mythical stories from old people
E) its real-world parallel that people are familiar with

Question 41

An example of metaphor in information system design can be:

A) a dialog window that presents warning for a mistaken operation
B) a trash can placed on the desktop for containing unwanted files
C) a text marquee on a Web page that displays real-time news
D) a USB hub the expands the USB port numbers for a computer
E) a credit card which can be used world wide for both in-store and online purchases

Question 42

Using metaphors in the design of a computer system is a multi-step task, which includes the step of:

A) identifying candidate metaphors
B) identifying users of the computer system
C) identifying members of the metaphor developing team
D) designing alert for errors
E) defining the configuration of the computer equipments that will be used

Question 43

Which of the following description about metaphor in HCI is appropriate?

A) Meanings delivered through using metaphors are free from misperception;
B) Metaphors relate user actions to already familiar concepts;
C) The command window in MS Windows XP is a metaphor for operating a computer;
D) Metaphors usually require more cognitive efforts from user to understand ideas presented in an information system;
E) Metaphors only benefit users but not system designers.

Question 44

As a guideline in information system design, direct manipulation refers to:

A) the direct operation of a machine
B) the operation on a system directory
C) an interaction style that objects are represented and manipulated analogously to their real-world existence
D) users' direct interaction with the system codes
E) developers control over users' cognitive activities

Question 45

An example of direct manipulation in the use of an information system could be:

A) typing a full "delete" command to delete a file
B) constructing an SQL statement to run a query
C) writing the codes for the interface of the system
D) dragging a file to the trash can icon to delete it
E) presenting one's work with the help of transparencies and a overhead projector

Question 46

Please select the appropriate statement about aesthetic design of an information system from the following.

A) Aesthetic design is a standalone issue that needs not to be concerned with other HCI issues (e.g. usability, functionality, etc.);
B) A system interface that is aesthetic pleasing in developers' eyes will for sure to please users as well;
C) In some situations, aesthetic pleasing system makes itself more useable;
D) Aesthetic design never conflicts with usability concerns in a system design;
E) Aesthetic design never conflicts with functionality concerns in a system design.

Question 47

"Order elements to correspond with hierarchy of perceptual prominence" is an aesthetic rule for the criterion of:

A) balance
B) equilibrium
C) symmetry
D) order
E) unity

Question 48

Which of the following examples reflects the aesthetic concern in density in the design of user interface?

A) Two moving elements on the screen should move at the same pace;
B) Leaving about half of the screen area as white space is pleasing to the eye;
C) Three text boxes roughly of the same size but misaligned are usually disturbing to the eye;
D) Do not place heavy elements on one side of the screen and light elements on the other side;
E) Place the center of the layout on the center of the screen.

Question 49

In recent HCI design and research, there appears a new notion of user empowerment, which refers to a support from an information system for users to:

A) exert a strong control over all other users of the system;
B) establish a broader network among his/her colleagues than before;
C) reach a higher level position within an organization;
D) have more control over his/her after-work time;
E) creatively solve new situations and problems unforeseen by the system designer(s).

Question 50

Which of the following is a way to empower users in their interaction with an information system?

A) providing users with a toolset that enables them to work creatively on unforeseen problems;
B) predefining the procedures for solving specific known problems;
C) letting a user log into a system as an organizational leader/administrator given the environment created in the system;
D) assigning fictitious staff to a user in the environment of the system to make him/her feel more in power;
E) asking users' authorization for every action taking place in the system.