Computer Science Homework Help

Part I: Definitions and Interface Design Example (15 points total – 5 points each)

Provide a clear definition for each of the following underlined concepts and provide a “real life” example of how each concept might best be considered and/or applied in interface design decisions – and your rationale/reasons. Be sure to describe the key attributes of each core theory/concept in your answer.

Answers for Part I should be approximately 1/3 page per question below:

• When providing visualizations for social networking-focused applications, and how their members might influence one another, what important elements of a social network would you display in your design? Be specific.
• Under what conditions does reliance on automatic processing provide opportunities for user errors/mistakes when using software?
• The importance of a MoSCoW analysis when determining design requirements for an application.

Part II: The HCI Toolkit – choosing the best tool for the application! (40 points total – 10 points each)

As part of this class, you have learned about and used a variety of “tools” that are helpful in understanding and optimizing user experience. For each pair of tools (“Tool Sets”) listed below, compare and contrast when you might use one tool as compared to another. To do so, provide a brief description of each tool and its purpose, and then provide an example of when you might you one tool when compared to the other tool.

Answers for Part II should be approximately 1/3 page per Tool Set below:

Tool Set #1: Use of qualitative versus qualitative techniques to assess user satisfaction.

Tool Set #2: Use of “lo-fi” versus “hi-fi” prototyping techniques.

Tool Set #3: Use of talk-aloud versus unobtrusive measurement techniques.

Tool Set #4: Elaboration versus reduction methods when sketching.

Part III: The Design Corner – Design Analysis (20 points – 10 points each)

Below are two design examples: 1) Creatio – website for a “low code” development platform; and 2) The US Census website. Your job is to identify a total of three unique HCI design principles/concepts (circle and number them 1, 2, 3) that are demonstrated in these aplication designs – AND identify three design flaws/issues that you think can be improved (number them 4, 5 and 6). The unique design features are ones that you think are particularly important/beneficial to the design; the flaws/issues are things that you think detract or hinder the usability/experience of the user.

Note: Please use the draw feature (or equivalent) in MS Word to circle and number the areas directly on the picture provided for each design. You may do this with your mouse/other drawing tool.

Then, at the bottom of each design picture, include your brief description of the HCI design principle/concept you are referencing (for #1 through #3), and also provide a brief critique for each of the two design flaws/areas to be improved (for # 4 through #6). Again, you should have a total of six areas identified/circled for each of the three designs.

Important: Please do not “reuse” the same HCI concept/theory repeatedly through bpth problems. Instead, provide unique concepts that you think might be most critical to recognize for the intent/goals of each of the two designs. Be sure to consider the elements of a PACT analysis as you evaluate these sites.

Design Example #1 – Vendor Website for Intelligent Low-code Development Platform – Below is a snippet from a website (a company called “Creatio”) to help create awareness, and sell, their “low code” platform solution for developing applications that address custom business problems within an organization. As you know, much software gets developed for internal use by a company/organization that will likely never be seen – or used – by others outside of a company. Oftentimes, such software is critical and reflects the company’s “secret sauce” to help them maintain a competitive edge. Only those inside the company will you ever use the software.

See the web site: Intelligent low-code business process management software (creatio.com)

Brief description of the design principle/issues for the Creatio main page of the web site. You may provide additional design snippets from this web page in your answer as you scroll down from the top.

Provide your list (#1 through #6) here: (One to two lines per listed item.)

#1: (featured HCI concept) =

#2: (featured HCI concept) =

#3: (featured HCI concept) =

#4: (design flaw/issue) =

#5: (design flaw/issue) =

#6: (design flaw/issue) =

Design Example # 2: The 2020 Census See the web site: Data (census.gov)

Given the importance US Census data, and the upcoming releases of new data and information (think about the data, information, knowledge and wisdom continuum…), your job is to identify key usability features and limitations that you see on this page. Your task is to identify the purpose of the page and determine how the design elements (and overall design) helps the user achieve its intended purposes. Here is a snippet from the site that should serve as a reference for this question. You may provide additional design snippets from this web page as you scroll down from the top.

Brief description of the design principle/issues for the US Census Data page shown above. Limit your review to only the main page. Provide your list (#1 through #6) here: (One to two lines per listed item.)

#1: (featured HCI concept) =

#2: (featured HCI concept) =

#3: (featured HCI concept) =

#4: (design flaw/issue) =

#5: (design flaw/issue) =

#6: (design flaw/issue) =

Part IV: Individual Research Proposal and Group Project UI/UX Design Enhancement (25 points total)

1) In your HCI research topic assignment (HCI #4 – Research Interest – Short Proposal) you provided an HCI topic that would be of interest to you. You also provided an example of its use. For this question, provide a methodology/way that you might actually measure the impact of the design idea/approach as it applies to real-world design. For this problem, include the following:

• The title/topic of your research – and short description of its relevance to HCI design (5 points) (title + one paragraph)
• Identify two different metrics that you might use to understand the impact/efficacy of your research idea on design. This should include a clear definition of the each metric – and an approach that would be used to collect actual data and “calculate” the metric. Also include a short description of how this metric will be used to inform you about future designs/uses ( the “actionability” if each metric. (10 points) (two to three paragraphs total)

2) You have just completed your work on your group project – hopefully providing many opportunities for strengthening your knowledge and experience with HCI design principles.

Provide a sketch that shows a possible improvement that could still be made to your application that is beyond what was designed and presented in your PowerPoint/Final Report. This should be something that is of particular interest to you – and should represent a “next phase/version” of the proposed software. Again, it should be something that is different from what your group has already done – and represent your design “intuition” and use of techniques as described in the course.

Be sure to include a brief justification/rationale for this improvement (referring to appropriate HCI concepts/theories/processes/etc.) as it might relate to an aspect of PACT. You should include a “before” and “after” sketch of the design. The “before” sketch/UI” can be directly from your group’s presentation; the “after” sketch is the new, more advanced design. If you are designing a “brand new” feature or UI for your app, you do not need to include a “before” design but should be clear on the intended benefits of the new feature. Be specific.

MY GROUP # = _______________

MY Group Name/Project = __________________________________________________________

PLACE DESIGN SKETCH HERE: (Use a photo/digital image – include a “before” sketch/UI as appropriate.)

My design rationale for the improvement in the above sketch is ….? (one to two paragraphs)