Tuesday, 32nd February 1997
09.00 am - 10.30 am

University of Glasgow

DEGREES OF BSc, MA, and MA (SOCIAL SCIENCES)

COMPUTING SCIENCE PAPER HCI 1

(Answer both questions.)

1.(a) Identify two ways in which the following menu supports the transition between novices and experts.

(b) Briefly explain how the previous menu uses chunking to reduce the cognitive loading on both expert and novice users.

[8 marks, Sample solution]

(c) The Johnson-Dunlop Corporation have been hired to design a menu-based interface to the room booking system for the University. One interview with the potential users revealed the following:

"Well none of us knows how to use a computer and we're all a bit scared of them... Oh yes, we've all been doing this for a few years now and well, basically, we just have busy periods when we book all of the rooms for the next year. We spend every minute of the day making bookings. Then it goes quiet for a few months..."

Briefly explain why your user group would be experts, novices or some blend of the two.

[16 marks, Sample solution]

(d) Sketch a potential screen layout for the new system. You should show the items in at least two menus. These must enable the user to view all of the bookings for a particular lecture theatre. You should also be able to add and delete bookings. Briefly write a justification or rationale for the design that you have produced. In particular, you should link your design to the comments made in your answer to part (c).

[20 marks, Sample solution]

2. [Question on user interface devices/evaluation].