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Total questions: 55
Worksheet time: 55mins
Which one of the following about conducting a design critique is incorrect?
Comments and issues raised should relate to the user’s problem.
Comments about poor design should be specific.
Critiques of design should be backed by reference to principles and theories of good design in HCI.
Questions and comments should lead to constructive improvements to the design.
None of the above.
Which of the following statements about the Task-Artifact Cycle is correct and why?
True - The Task-Artifact Cycle explains how users adapt to new tools and technologies, and through their adaptation create new demands, creating a continuous loop of improvements in technology.
False - The Task-Artifact Cycle describes how technology evolves independently without considering user adaptation, meaning that artifacts do not change based on human interaction.
True - The cycle focuses on the study of user behavior without taking into account the effect of technological advancements on human tasks and interactions.
False - The cycle states that artifacts dictate user behavior in a fixed manner, preventing any modifications or refinements in user interfaces based on user feedback.
Douglas Engelbart’s demonstration did not introduce real-time collaborative editing, as the concept of multiple users working on the same document remotely was only developed decades later.
True - Real-time collaborative editing was not part of Engelbart’s demo, as multi-user editing technologies only emerged with modern cloud-based applications.
False - Engelbart’s demo showcased one of the earliest implementations of real-time collaborative editing, where multiple users could work on the same document remotely, visualize changes instantly, and interact via shared on-screen content.
True - The concept of real-time collaboration was introduced only after the advent of the internet and modern networking protocols, making it impossible for Engelbart to demonstrate it in 1968.
False - Engelbart’s demonstration primarily focused on hardware advancements and did not include software-based collaborative interaction features.
Fitts's Law is a predictive model of human movement, which states that the time required to move to and select a target (such as clicking a button) is a function of the distance to the target and the size of the target.
True - Fitts’ Law explains that as the distance to a target increases or as the target size decreases, movement time increases. This principle is crucial in UI/UX design, where interactive elements should be sized appropriately and positioned to minimize user effort.
False - Movement time remains constant regardless of target size or distance, meaning that users take the same amount of time to reach a target irrespective of its placement and dimensions.
True - Fitts’ Law primarily applies to physical movements in sports and does not have any relevance to digital interfaces, making it unnecessary for UI designers to consider.
False - The law is applicable to aviation and military applications and does not influence modern interaction design in computing devices, mobile interfaces, or touchscreen systems.
The Object-Action Interface (OAI) paradigm improves usability by allowing users to select an object before choosing an action.
False - The Object-Action Interface requires users to specify an action first before selecting an object, making it similar to command-line interfaces rather than graphical user interfaces.
True - The OAI paradigm does not influence usability and is mainly a theoretical framework that has little to no practical application in interface design.
False - The OAI paradigm is applicable to physical hardware controls and does not apply to modern software interfaces, meaning that UI designers do not need to consider it when designing digital interfaces.
True - In the Object-Action Interface model, users first select an object and then choose an action to perform on it, making interactions more intuitive and aligned with natural human behavior. This is in contrast to Action-Object interfaces, where users specify an action before selecting an object.
A company designs a new self-checkout system for a supermarket. During initial user testing, many customers accidentally select the wrong item on the touchscreen due to small button sizes. According to Norman’s Seven Stages of Action, at which stage is this error most likely occurring?
Forming the goal: The user identifies what they want to achieve.
Translating the goal into tasks: The user determines the actions needed to achieve the goal.
Executing the action sequence: The user performs the actions.
Perceiving the system state: The user observes the system's response to their actions.
The 'gulf of expectation' is a concept from Donald Norman's framework of human-computer interaction, outlined in his book The Design of Everyday Things. It refers to the gap between a user's intentions and the actions they need to take to achieve their goals with a system or device. Essentially, it measures how well a system translates the user's goals into actionable steps.
True
False
In user interface (UI) design, affordances are the properties of an object or element that suggest how it can be used. Essentially, they give users clues about what actions are possible.
True - Affordances limit user interactions by restricting available options.
False - Affordances define how users feel about an interface, not how they interact with it.
True - Affordances indicate possible actions users can take based on object properties.
False - Affordances refer to cost-effectiveness in UI development.
One example of poor UI leading to serious errors is the Therac-25 radiation therapy machine incident in the 1980s. The machine, used for cancer treatment, had a poorly designed user interface that contributed to several patients receiving massive overdoses of radiation, resulting in severe injuries and even deaths. One example of an error in the Therac-25 incident involved a race condition in the software. This occurred when operators quickly entered commands to change the treatment mode (e.g., from X-ray to electron beam). If the operator made the change too fast, the software failed to properly update the machine's state. As a result, the machine could deliver a high-energy electron beam without the necessary safety mechanisms in place, leading to massive overdoses of radiation. The type of error described above is:
A slip, because this is a skill-based error involving incorrect execution, such as accidentally pressing the wrong button or clicking the wrong link. Slips occur when the user knows what they need to do but fails to perform it correctly which in this case is to correctly compensate for race condition.
A lapse, because this is a skill-based error characterized by forgetting to perform an intended action or losing track of the current goal—for example, forgetting to save a file before closing a program, or to change the machine’s mode from producing X-rays to producing a high energy electron beam.
A rule-based mistake, because the machine operator applied the wrong or inappropriate rule to a situation. The machine operators followed the normal procedure for inputting commands, but the system did not handle their input as expected due to the race condition. The operators were likely to be unaware of the system's limitations or the 'rules' governing safe operation under such conditions, leading to unintended consequences.
A knowledge-based mistake, because the operators were likely to be unaware of the race condition, and assumed the system would handle rapid input changes safely, which reflects a lack of knowledge or incomplete understanding about the race condition.
What is the role of rapid prototyping in the ideation process, and what value does it bring?
Rapid prototyping is employed to quickly create low-fidelity representations of design concepts, facilitating early testing and iteration, and its value is in uncovering insights, exploring ideas, and reducing risk.
Rapid prototyping serves as a replacement for user testing, saving time and resources during the design process.
Rapid prototyping helps validate user feedback during the 'Define' phase of the design thinking process.
Rapid prototyping is used to document final design decisions, and its value lies in creating detailed specifications.
Which design representation is characterized as a rough, freehand drawing that provides a basic visual representation of an idea?
Sketch
Wireframe
Prototype
Mock-up
What is the key difference between a wireframe and a mockup in the design process?
A wireframe is a static, visual blueprint that lacks visual design elements, while a mockup is a more visual representation with more detail of the final design.
A wireframe is a detailed and high-fidelity representation, while a mockup is a simplified, low-fidelity outline.
A wireframe focuses on the visual aesthetics and details of the design, while a mockup emphasizes the structural layout and functionality.
A wireframe serves as a project management tool, while a mockup is primarily used for user testing.
What is the primary distinction between a mockup and a high-fidelity prototype in the design process?
A mockup is a polished yet static design representation, while a high-fidelity prototype is a highly detailed and interactive model closely resembling the final product.
A mockup is a dynamic and interactive model, while a high-fidelity prototype is a static representation of a design.
A mockup is primarily used for project documentation, while a high-fidelity prototype is employed for initial design exploration.
A mockup focuses on visual aesthetics, while a high-fidelity prototype emphasizes structural layout and functionality.
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the 'Keyhole Problem' as described in intelligence and investigative analysis?
Analysts have a large volume of structured data, but struggle to visualize the relationships between entities.
Analysts receive fragmented, incomplete data streams, making it difficult to build a complete situational picture.
Analysts lack sufficient computational power to process large datasets in real-time.
Analysts are overwhelmed by contradictory sources and must determine which source is most recent.
An analyst uses a tool that provides data summaries but frequently misses critical but subtle connections between data points. Which improvement direction aligns most with human-centered design principles?
Focus development efforts on speeding up data loading and reducing interface animations.
Increase machine learning automation so the system makes decisions without user input.
Enhance visual representation and interactive exploration to make relationships and patterns clearer to human analysts.
Limit the number of features to reduce distractions, even if it removes exploration functionalities.
When applying Design Thinking, why is it important to involve extreme users, such as children or the elderly, in the design process?
They represent typical users whose needs will mirror the majority of the population.
They help designers identify outlier needs that often reveal hidden usability problems and design constraints.
They require more advanced technological solutions, making the design process more futuristic.
They help confirm that the product design is already suitable for all age groups without needing iteration.
According to ISO 9241-210:2019 (Ergonomics of human-system interaction), which of the following is NOT listed as a characteristic of Human-Centered Design?
The design is based on an explicit understanding of users, tasks, and environments.
The design process is linear and follows a strict sequence of steps.
The design is driven and refined by user-centered evaluation.
The design addresses the whole user experience.
A multidisciplinary team is designing an interface for intelligence analysts who must process large amounts of fragmented data from multiple sources. During usability testing, analysts reported that:
- They often struggle to maintain situation awareness due to information overload.
- The interface shows charts and graphs but fails to highlight critical relationships between entities.
- They are unable to retrace the steps that led to certain conclusions, especially after days or weeks.
- There is no mechanism to capture how they arrive at decisions or to verify the reliability of key evidence.
The team initially proposed:
1. Increasing system performance by upgrading servers.
2. Adding interactive storytelling elements to help analysts reconstruct decision journeys.
3. Reducing the number of displayed datasets to avoid visual clutter.
4. Integrating automated AI-based decision suggestions that remove the need for analysts to verify steps manually.
Based on the challenges described, which design action most appropriately addresses the root problems using human-centered design and design thinking principles?
Prioritize backend system upgrades so analysts never experience delays, ensuring faster data delivery reduces cognitive overload.
Reduce the number of visible data sources to simplify the interface, allowing analysts to focus only on pre-filtered 'most important' data points.
Introduce interactive visual storytelling and provenance-tracking tools so analysts can see how conclusions were reached, verify relationships, and justify decisions.
Fully automate the decision pathway with AI-based recommendations, reducing analysts’ responsibility for tracing and verifying conclusions manually.
During the problem analysis phase of a project, a client complains about delays in the project delivery and expresses dissatisfaction with the final product's features. Which of the following approaches should be used to correctly identify the core problem and avoid addressing the wrong issue?
Analyze the client's complaints about delays and dissatisfaction as the causes, considering the need for faster delivery and more features.
Treat complaints as symptoms, and distinguish between needs, symptoms, and underlying causes to avoid confusing the problem with its effects.
Focus on meeting the client's demand for more features and faster delivery, since their needs are clear and should be addressed immediately.
The lack of certain features is the primary problem and propose a solution based on the need for additional functionality.
According to the Norman Nielsen Group, what are the 6 steps in the Design Thinking cycle?
Observe, Create, Analyze, Evaluate, Implement, Refine
Research, Conceptualize, Design, Validate, Document, Deploy
Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test, Implement
Plan, Design, Develop, Test, Release, Maintain
What is the Semantic Mapping Principle used for in design, and how does it benefit users?
It’s used for generating random visual elements without specific meaning.
It’s used for mapping user interactions with a system.
It’s used for designing visual representations of processes to identify semantically meaningful relationships, providing user with context and problem-solving support.
It is used for creating abstract and non-contextual visual representations.
What is whiteboarding in the context of design, and when is it typically used in the design thinking double diamond process?
Whiteboarding is the final presentation of a design project.
Whiteboarding is the process of sketching and discussing concepts on a whiteboard to externalize mental models, and it is used during the 'Define' phase of the double diamond process.
Whiteboarding is a term for documenting project progress, and it is used at the beginning of the process.
Whiteboarding is a technique for coding software, and it is used in the final 'Deliver' phase of the double diamond process.
What is storyboarding in the context of design, and when is it typically used in the design thinking double diamond process?
Storyboarding involves drawing and explaining design concepts through pictures and sketches, and it is used during the 'Define' phase of the double diamond process.
Storyboarding is the process of creating a visual timeline for project management, and it is used at the beginning of the process.
Storyboarding is a technique for data visualization, and it is employed during the 'Develop' phase of the double diamond process.
Storyboarding is the final documentation stage of a design project.
What is storytelling in the context of design, and when is it typically used in the design thinking double diamond process?
Storytelling involves weaving information into a narrative that stimulates the reader's imagination, and it is often used during the 'Research' phase of the double diamond process.
Storytelling is a method for project management documentation, and it is primarily used in the 'Test' phase of the double diamond process.
Storytelling is the final presentation of a design project.
Storytelling is a process of creating fictional narratives for entertainment purposes, and it is used in the 'Prototype' phase of the double diamond process.
Which of the following best illustrates how storytelling enhances the design process within the Double Diamond framework?
It provides entertainment for users, making presentations more engaging and less formal.
It simplifies technical language, making it easier for stakeholders to approve design proposals.
It eliminates the need for user testing by predicting user behavior through imagined scenarios.
It fosters a shared understanding of design intent by weaving complex information into a narrative during ideation and development.
Which design decision would most effectively enhance visual search performance in a flight tracking App UI, based on Tullis' principles?
Using a dark-themed UI with colored icons and maximal use of space to highlight key info.
Including animations and transitions to make changes in flight status more noticeable and engaging.
Presenting all available flight data in a single scrollable view with reduced spacing and bold fonts.
Organizing flight entries using consistent grid structures with ≤40% overall density and well-grouped related data.
When applying the golden ratio in a wireframe layout for a mobile flight tracking app, which rationale aligns best with this design choice?
To visually balance elements like logos and menus in fixed positions at the corners of the screen against important content presented in the middle of the display.
To structure the interface so that content blocks follow a mathematically pleasing and perceptually harmonious ratio for improved visual harmony and layout balance.
To support users' cognitive load by reducing decision-making time across various UI views by improving layout balance.
To meet industry aesthetic standards, while ensuring that designs comply with accessibility guidelines.
Which of the following best defines the 'Container' in the Content–Container–Controls framework for UI design?
The interface element that organizes and holds data presented to the user, such as a form, webpage, or AR space.
The hardware device that renders visual elements and processes user input.
The input mechanism used to control the flow of data between the user and the system, such as buttons and sliders.
The interface logic determines how users navigate between different UI views and screens.
You are tasked with designing a mobile UI for travelers to monitor both arrivals and departures at a busy international airport. Early testing reveals users often struggle to quickly find relevant flight updates, especially when scanning for changes like delays or cancellations. Some users complain that the screen feels 'cluttered,' and they miss important information during quick glances. Which design improvement would best address the users' difficulty in locating important flight updates based on visual search performance principles?
Increase the font size of all flight information and center all content to attract the user's attention equally across the screen.
Display a live ticker at the top of the screen that scrolls recent updates while keeping the rest of the interface unchanged.
Use a multi-tabbed interface to separate arrivals and departures, highlight changes with color coding, and apply a grid layout with consistent spacing.
Present all flights in a continuous scroll list with detailed descriptions for each flight, including weather and runway details.
While evaluating a productivity app, usability experts notice that users frequently forget the steps to generate reports, especially after periods of inactivity. The report generation option is nested deep within a menu, and users must recall the path to access it. Which usability heuristic is most likely being violated, and why?
Recognition rather than recall, because the system requires users to remember how to reach the reporting feature instead of making it easily discoverable.
Flexibility and efficiency of use, because the system does not provide keyboard shortcuts or customizable access for experienced users.
Consistency and standards, because the design of the report menu differs from the rest of the interface, causing user confusion.
Help and documentation, because users are not provided with a help feature explaining the steps to generate reports.
During a cognitive walkthrough of a clinic's self-service check-in kiosk, evaluators observed that users could see a button labeled 'Proceed,' but many hesitated to press it because they were not confident it would confirm their appointment. Which question in the cognitive walkthrough framework does this usability issue most directly relate to?
Will the user recognize progress toward their goal?
Will the user associate the correct action with the result they’re trying to achieve?
Will the user try to achieve the correct outcome?
Will the user notice the correct action is available?
Which of the following best describes the concept of learnability in the context of usability?
The ability of a system to prevent users from making mistakes by restricting certain interactions.
The degree to which a user can recall how to use a system after a period of not using it.
The extent to which users can quickly and effortlessly become proficient in using a system.
The system’s ability to provide feedback that helps users understand whether their actions were successful.
Nielsen/Norman’s usability heuristic evaluation workbook lists 10 heuristics where users of a piece of software might experience difficulties. One of these heuristics is the “Aesthetic and Minimalist Design” heuristic which is explained as: “Interfaces should not contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in an interface competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.” The following questions provide an explanation of the theories or principles relating to this usability. Which answer best explains the principle or theory’s contribution to the usability heuristic?
Research by Gestalt psychologists provides us with a number of Gestalt Principles of Visual Design, such as the Principle of Proximity, Similarity, Common Fate, or Figure-Ground. These principles can help us minimise user memory load by:
Research by Gestalt psychologists provides us with a number of Gestalt Principles of Visual Design, such as the Principle of Proximity, Similarity, Common Fate, or Figure-Ground. These principles can help us minimise user memory load by: Creating visual groupings using white space, thereby reducing visual clutter and other irrelevant data and visual markings, and by aligning visual groups so as to facilitate visual comparison without having the need for additional instructions or additional interactions to drill down into details needed for comparing the attributes. When appropriate enabling visual comparisons can reduce the demands on users’ working memory.
Creating designs based on the focus+context concept where users can focus on detail of an item of interest, while retaining important contextual relationships using figure and ground effects such as blurring the ‘background’ information or reducing the visual size of the contextual information. Such designs can reduce the demands on the user’s working memory by reducing the need to remember connections and dependencies between elements of the system while observing changes in the area of interest.
Creating designs using the principle of similarity can quickly draw a user’s attention to anomalies or significant changes to a system’s state, e.g. delays in a project’s delivery. This is a visual design technique commonly known as highlighting. It reduces the demands on user’s memory attracting the user’s attention to only the information that has changed according to a given criteria.
All the above.
None of the above.
Which of the following correctly describes the different aspects of a task? Select all that is correct.
Tasks are associated with goals and intentions.
A task is performed on a system, with mechanisms that can be manipulated, leading to changes in the variables and system state.
To complete a task, the user has to formulate a sequence of actions and then perform those actions.
To successfully perform an action, the user needs to be aware of the changes in the system state.
Which of the following correctly describes attributes of usability? Select all that apply.
Ease of learning
Ease of remembering
User friendliness
Ease of intuitiveness
A website for online shopping has inconsistent navigation menus and terminology across different sections, causing confusion and frustration among users trying to find specific products. Identify the usability principle that has been violated in the scenario described above and explain how this violation hinders the proposed system's ability to address the problem statement effectively.
The violation is related to 'Match Between System and the Real World,' as the website uses inconsistent terminology and navigation.
The violation is related to 'Flexibility and Efficiency of Use,' as the website does not provide shortcuts for users to navigate between sections.
The violation is related to 'Error Prevention,' as the website does not warn users about potential navigation difficulties.
The violation is related to 'User Control and Freedom,' as the website restricts users' ability to customize their shopping experience.
A banking app requires users to enter their account details multiple times during a single transaction, leading to user frustration and errors in completing transactions. Identify the usability principle violated in the scenario described above and explain how this violation impacts the proposed system's usability.
The violation is related to 'Recognition Rather Than Recall,' as users are required to recall account details repeatedly.
The violation is related to 'Visibility of System Status,' as users are not adequately informed about the transaction progress.
The violation is related to 'User Control and Freedom,' as users are not given the option to save their account details for easier access.
The violation is related to 'Error Prevention,' as the system fails to prevent the error-prone condition of entering account details multiple times.
How does integrating Nielsen and Molich's usability heuristic 'Minimize user memory load' enhance the usability of prototypes?
It ensures that users can easily recall past interactions, reducing cognitive strain.
It helps in designing interfaces that require users to remember complex sequences of actions.
It focuses on providing shortcuts to reduce the need for users to remember specific steps.
It emphasizes the use of consistent language to aid users in recalling interface elements.
Refer to the diagram.
A person is looking at the word 'Hello' from 30 cm. The height of the letter 'H' is denoted as h, and the angle of visibility θ from the eye to the top of the letter is shown in the diagram.
What is the minimum height h of the letter 'H' (in cm) required for it to be visible to the human eye, assuming the minimum angle of resolution for human vision is approximately 0.016°?
(a)
In Kirsh’s coin-counting study, which result most strongly supports the claim that physical manipulation of information reduces cognitive load?
Participants who grouped coins into piles completed the task faster and with fewer errors than those who kept the layout static.
Participants who memorized coin values before starting showed equal accuracy to those who used piles.
Card layouts that resembled familiar cash-register trays produced identical error rates across all conditions.
Verbal explanations of strategy were longer when no physical grouping was allowed.
In Kirsh’s coin-counting study, which result most strongly supports the claim that physical manipulation of information reduces cognitive load?
Participants who grouped coins into piles completed the task faster and with fewer errors than those who kept the layout static.
Participants who memorized coin values before starting showed equal accuracy to those who used piles.
Card layouts that resembled familiar cash-register trays produced identical error rates across all conditions.
Verbal explanations of strategy were longer when no physical grouping was allowed.
A new tablet app arranges several action buttons so close together that users frequently trigger the wrong one. Referring to the Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) study on optimal touch-target size and spacing for iPad apps, which redesign is most likely to reduce fat-finger errors while still conserving on-screen information density?
Radial gesture overlay – Replace the fixed button row with a press-and-drag radial menu: a single finger-down anywhere in the cluster reveals a circular fan of options, letting users glide to the intended choice and removing the need for static hitboxes.
Minimalist icons plus contextual hints – Keep the buttons small but reduce icon detail to simple glyphs; display a labelled pop-over only after a half-second press, giving clarifying feedback without enlarging the interface footprint.
Error-highlight learning loop – Leave button sizes and spacing unchanged but flash the accidentally tapped button in vivid red and vibrate the device, encouraging users to refine their tap accuracy through immediate, attention-grabbing feedback.
Scaled-up targets with guided spacing – Expand every button to roughly 1 cm × 1 cm (the NN/g minimum for dependable selection) and add a slim, uniform margin—about 6-8 pixels—around each, creating clearly separated activation zones that remain visually compact.
Which description best captures the core difference between controlled settings involving users and natural settings involving users?
In controlled settings, user activities are orchestrated to test predefined hypotheses, whereas natural settings allow activities to unfold in everyday contexts with minimal interference.
In controlled settings, evaluators rely exclusively on heuristic inspection, whereas natural settings combine inspection with automated analytics.
Controlled settings emphasize ethnographic observation in the field, while natural settings focus on laboratory-based rapid prototyping.
Natural settings always exclude data logging technologies, while controlled settings forbid video recording of sessions.
Which one of the Gestalt Principles is described as follows:
"Description: Elements that appear to move together are grouped together. Example: In an animated user interface, users perceive them as part of the same action or group when related items slide or fade in simultaneously. This principle is used to communicate the interconnection of elements during transitions."
Common Fate
Closure
Symmetry
Figure-Ground
What key benefits are associated with designing information around a grid for visual predictability?
It includes a high number of groups and complex layouts for better visual predictability
It maximizes local density to facilitate visual search
It increases overall density to improve visual search speed
It can enhance Visual Search Performance (Tullis)
All of the above
Heuristic evaluation and cognitive walkthrough are classified as usability inspection methods. What is the difference in purpose between a heuristic evaluation vs. a cognitive walkthrough? Select all that apply.
A heuristic evaluation purpose is to assess the learnability of a UI.
A heuristic evaluation purpose is to identify issues or deficiencies with the usability of a UI/system.
In a cognitive walkthrough the purpose is to identify issues or deficiencies with the usability of a UI/system.
In a cognitive walkthrough the purpose is to assess the learnability of a UI.
You are conducting a Critical Decision Method (CDM) interview with a paramedic who managed a mass casualty incident. After gathering their initial unstructured account of the event, you begin asking them to help re-arrange the sequence of events using sticky notes. The paramedic becomes more relaxed and starts identifying key moments where decisions were made.
Which step of the CDM interview procedure are you currently applying?
Conducting a structured group discussion to gather multiple perspectives on decision outcomes.
Constructing the incident timeline and engaging the participant in identifying decision points for further probing.
Collecting hypothetical scenarios to explore how the situation could have differed under other conditions.
Analyzing themes from transcript data to compare decisions across multiple incidents.
Which of the following best describes the elements of the concept of usability as proposed by Jonathan Grudin?
ease of use, ensure minimalist design, avoid errors, ensure flexibility of use, speak the users language, and user satisfaction.
ease of remembering, ease of recall, ease of use, ease of error recognition, ease of system help, and user satisfaction.
ease of learning, ease of error recovery, ease of remembering, ease of use, and user satisfaction.
ease of control and freedom, ease of learning, match between system and the real world, user satisfaction, and ease of recognition.
How many usability evaluators do you need to assess and identify most (more than 80%) of the usability issues in a system?
5-8 novice evaluators
5 expert evaluators
3-5 novice evaluators
8 expert evaluators
What are the analysis criteria for a cognitive walkthrough? Select all that apply.
Will users see the button or menu item, e.g. by which the next action is actually achieved? Ie will the button for the next action be visible to the user?
Will users try to achieve the right or intended result?
Once the users find the correction action at the interface: Will users associate the correct action with the result they’re trying to achieve?
Will users notice the correct action is available? Is the correct action obvious to the user?
According to Tullis (1990), there are several parameters that can be controlled to improve Visual Search Performance. Which of the following statements best describes relationships between these parameters?
Reference - Tullis, T. S. (1990). The formatting of alphanumeric displays: A review and analysis. In M. Venturino (Ed.), Selected Readings in Human Factors (pp. 371-396). CA: The Human Factors Society.
Layout complexity is a way to assess the predictability of finding data on an information display and is the least important because visual symmetry is more important than item position predictability.
As long as the global density is less than 50%, there can be as many separate visual groups of data as needed.
When headings of sections of data or a fill-in form are clear, and the data does not occupy more than 62% of the display space that is within an area subscribed by a 5 degree visual angle, we can expect that a reader will be faster at finding information.
Visual search performance will decrease if we have few visual groups of data that are occupy as much display space as possible to ensure as much information as possible is located within the group.
An emergency services researcher is applying the Critical Decision Method (CDM) to investigate how ambulance commanders make decisions during high-stress incidents. During interviews, one participant repeatedly refers to a prior, similar incident when explaining their current decision-making process. What does this primarily reveal about the participant’s cognitive strategy, and how should it influence the design of support systems?
The reference to prior experiences shows a reliance on statistical training outcomes, suggesting that future systems should include predictive analytics and performance metrics on screen.
The participant relies on analogical reasoning, suggesting that system designs should incorporate case-based prompts or visualizations to support memory-based retrieval in dynamic contexts.
This pattern demonstrates a gap in real-time data interpretation, meaning that decision aids should prioritize live sensor feeds over historical information to reduce overreliance on outdated knowledge.
The participant’s recall of past incidents indicates a preference for procedural consistency, which implies the need for standardized operating protocols displayed prominently during incident response.
A senior emergency dispatcher is managing a large-scale road traffic accident involving multiple casualties. During the retrospective CDM interview, the dispatcher describes the following moment:
"As soon as I heard it involved a school bus, I immediately dispatched two ambulances and a supervisor without checking how many injuries were confirmed. I’ve seen similar calls escalate rapidly. It reminded me of the train crash we had two years ago, same time of day, lots of kids involved. I didn’t want to waste time verifying if the call was exaggerated."
Which of the following strategies is most likely being demonstrated by the dispatcher?
Systematically evaluating multiple response options before deciding on the optimal one.
Applying a predefined protocol that mandates the same response regardless of context.
Waiting for real-time verification and numerical confirmation of casualties before initiating action.
Drawing on prior experience to recognize a familiar situation and rapidly act without comparing multiple options.
Which of the following is an advantage of using the Critical Decision Method (CDM) in field research?
It is designed to statistically validate decision-making models across large populations.
It requires advanced recording technology and multiple analysts for accurate results.
It is portable, easy to learn, and provides useful insights from a small number of interviewees.
It prioritizes hypothetical scenario evaluation over real-world experience.
In which of the following scenarios is the Critical Decision Method (CDM) most suitable for use?
Evaluating how clerical staff follow standardized steps to complete payroll forms each week.
Investigating how an experienced air traffic controller handled an unexpected aircraft emergency during peak traffic hours.
Measuring how often customer service representatives adhere to call scripts in routine inquiries.
Analyzing how warehouse staff remember inventory codes during typical daily operations.
