1.
a) Identify the main differences that affect user interface development for Extranet and Intranet applications.
[4 marks]
b) Briefly explain the usability problems that often stem from the need to maintain the security of Extranet applications.
[6 marks]
c) The following image presents the web access statistics for the
Intranet of a US Government agency.
The following statistics were also returned for this web site over the
same period.
Hits:
| Entire Site (Successful) | 3,930 |
| Average per day | 126 |
| Page Views | 2,823 |
| Average per Day | 91 |
| Average per unique visitor | 6 |
| Document views | 2,823 |
| Average per Day | 24 |
| Average Visit Length | 00:03:56 |
| Median Visit Length | 00:02:28 |
| International Visits | 0.00% |
| Visits of Unknown Origin | 0.40% |
| Visits from US sites | 99.59% |
| Visits Referred by Search Engines | 0 |
| Visits from Spiders | 2 |
| Unique Visitors | 426 |
| Visitors Who Visited Once | 305 |
| Visitors Who Visited More Than Once | 121 |
Use these statistics to write a technical report to the senior management of the US Government Department commenting on the apparent usage patterns of their Intranet. In particular, you should identify any areas of concern that this data suggests ought to be investigated in more detail.
[15 marks]
2.
a) Explain why it is important to identify the dependent and independent variables in a formal evaluation of an interactive system.
[4 marks]
b) Briefly describe how you would identify a suitable user population to participate in the testing of a new e-commerce site for a major high-street electrical retailer. The proposed site will sell everything from fridges through to DVD and home cinema equipment. How would you determine the number of users to recruit for this study?
[6 marks]
c) You have been asked to design a formal evaluation that will be used to determine whether users find it `easier' to navigate between the pages on the existing web site, mentioned in part b) and a new, revised design. Write a brief technical report outlining the main features of the experimental designing. Ensure that you identify the measures that will be made and the statistical tests that you might use to determine the significance of your results. Finally, ensure that your report comments on the strengths and weaknesses of such evaluations as an indicator of the eventual usability of a web-based application.
[15 marks]
3. Question on second half of the course.
[Total 25 marks]
4. Question on second half of the course.
[Total 25 marks]
[end]