Copyright Chris Johnson, 2003.
Xday, XX May 2003.

00:00 am - 00:00am



University of Glasgow





DEGREES OF BEng, BSc, MA, MA (SOCIAL SCIENCES).





COMPUTING SCIENCE - 3W:
Interactive Systems 3

(Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B).




Section A (Chris' Questions)

1.

a) Briefly explain how graph theory has been used to provide static metrics for the usability of an interactive web site.

[5 marks]

b) Outline the main features of a graph theoretic algorithm that can be used to assess the navigational structure of a web site. What are the principle limitations of this approach?

[10 marks]

c) A major UK Bank has recently discovered that many users are so focussed on finding their account information that they miss the links and other features that designers provide to help them navigate around the Bank's web site. As a result, staff members spend much of their time responding to telephone calls and email helping customers find information even though those customers have visited pages that include links to this information. You have been commissioned to write a brief technical report for the bank's site manager. This document will provide ten guidelines on how to address the problem of users missing important navigational information.

[12 marks]

 

2.

a) Describe three different metrics for subjective satisfaction with interactive web sites.

[4 marks]

b) Briefly explain why web logs cannot be relied upon as an indicator of subjective satisfaction and usability for many web sites.

[6 marks]

c) A recent survey of E-commerce usability has identified a number of different tasks that users have to perform whenever they make a purchase over the Internet:
  1. Order one or several products.
  2. Compare product prices and features.
  3. Search to find a product and its price.
  4. Find related or similar products.
  5. Login and trace the status of an order.
  6. Bookmark a page and return to find it again.
  7. Email the location of a product to a friend.
  8. Subscribe to email about products or special offers.
  9. Post a product review or provide website feedback
  10. Request information about a product or service.
  11. Find products with certain features (eg red kettles)
  12. Find site using a search engine
  13. Find out about shipping charges and terms of sale.
  14. Browse the site to find products of interest.
You have been asked to write a brief technical report for a company that is planning to launch a new E- commerce site. The company will sell electrical products ranging from TV's to kettles. The report must describe a testing strategy that is intended to ensure that the eventual site supports a majority of these tasks. The company are, however, also concerned that to ensure that resources are focussed on evaluating those tasks that will have the greatest impact on the usability of their eventual site.

[15 marks]

Section B (Rob's Questions)

3. Question on second half of the course.

[Total 25 marks]

4. Question on second half of the course.

[Total 25 marks]

[end]