UE-SECOND-END-SEM-REGULAR-17-18


Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
Work-Integrated Learning Programmes Division
Second Semester 2017-2018
Comprehensive Examination (EC-3 Regular)

Course No.                   : SS ZG547  
Course Title                   : USABILITY ENGINEERING
Nature of Exam              : Open Book
Weightage                      : 45%
Duration                         : 3 Hours
Date of Exam                 : 22/04/2018 (AN)
Note: 
1.       Please follow all the Instructions to Candidates given on the cover page of the answer book.
2.       All parts of a question should be answered consecutively. Each answer should start from a fresh page.  
3.       Assumptions made if any, should be stated clearly at the beginning of your answer. 

Q.1.        There is a command-line based function, diff:

diff file1.txt file2.txt > diffs.txt

This command compares a text file file1.txt with a second text file file2.txt and outputs a list of all  lines that contain any differences to a third file, diffs.txt.
As part of a design team considering developments to a desktop graphical user interface (e.g. Windows), you have been tasked to implement this function. Outline TWO distinct design solutions. You should use sketches or diagrams where appropriate and justify your solutions.     [6]

Q.2.        What is the role of prototype in usability design? Design user interface for a ticket booking system to sell train tickets and make this system as unusable as possible, however a very determined user should be able to buy a ticket if s/he works hard.  Justify your decisions.                      [6]

Q.3.        Explain, with the aid of diagrams, what is meant by the following website navigation schemes: (a) Linear
(b)             Hierarchical
(c)             Matrix

List weakness of below given website structure:

Redesign the navigation of this website using a more efficient scheme, and represent this scheme by redrawing the navigation diagram, explaining BRIEFLY the key changes that have been made. 
        [6]

Q.4 (a)   How could you as a designer make use of users’ prior experience and existing knowledge?
                    Explain with an appropriate example.                                                                               [3]

Q.4 (b)  Assume you are a member of a large software development team.
(i)      How could you involve users at an early stage in systems development?
(ii)    What problems and attitudes might you encounter?
(iii)  How would you get users practically involved, and when?                                      [3]

Q.5. The digital design company for which you work has landed the contract to design and build an engaging app to promote latest James Bond movie. Your responsibility in the development team is to test and evaluate the interface in terms of the user experience. This includes the usability of the interface, but also covers compatibility of the design in terms of market and user demographics and the overall look and feel of the movie.
(a)             List and briefly describe three different types of QUANTITATIVE evaluation data that you could collect to test the interface. 
(b)             List and briefly describe three different types of QUALITATIVE evaluation data that you could collect to test the interface.
(c)             Outline the structure of a suitable test plan for evaluating this interface. Your answer should consider the test environment, the protocols for data collection, the kinds of data you will collect and how the data will be useful to the design team.           [6]

Q.6. Interaction designers advocate the development of interfaces based on recognition rather than recall.
(a)             Differentiate between recognition and recall in this context. 
(b)             Modern interaction is typically by means of graphical user interfaces (GUI), as opposed to command line interfaces (CLI). Explain the ways in which a GUI embraces the principle of
                           recognition rather than recall.                                                                                      [5]

Q.7. List and describe various visual design principles to be considered for developing better usability design. How well does below UI communicate? Can you make it communicate more effectively?
             More natural and friendly?                                                                                                     [5]

Q.8. The University has a policy that all students must have new iPads for a specific course. From the perspective of an Interaction Designer, how would you apply a recognized design method to the process of designing a suitable application for students to use to access local university information and to participate in a wide range of class and campus activities? Provide mock-ups of
your design solution. Briefly critique your design.                                                                [5] ***********

 


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