INF3720
HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION II
PAST EXAM PACK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(2020 – 2014)
2020 MAY/JUNE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2020 SUMMARISED NOTES
DISCLAIMER: Extreme care has been used to create this document, however the contents are provided “as is” without any
representations or warranties, express or implied. This document is to be used for comparison, research and reference
purposes ONLY. Directly submitting and/or reselling/ distribution / reproduction any part of this document is not permitted.
, INF3720
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION II
PAST EXAM PAPERS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(2019 – 2014)
UNISA
,October November 2019
Question 1
1.1
Interaction design is concerned with designing interactive products to support the way
people communicate and interact in their everyday and working lives
1.2
Identify
Develop
Build
Evaluate
1.3
a) Effectiveness – how good a product is at doing what it supposed to, e.g., my UNISA is successful as a
communication tool by using Announcements and Discussion and the facility to inform students via
email of important announcements
b) Efficiency – the way a product supports users in carrying out their task, e.g. navigation on my Unisa
can be a bit clumsy/cumbersome: a user has to go back to the topic list in Discussion to see other items
(the forward arrows do not work)
c) Safety – how the system protects users from dangerous conditions and undesirable situations, e.g.
mention how myUnisa prevents a student from making a serious error, or to recover from one
d) Utility – the extent to which the product provides the right kind of functionality so that users can do
what they have to, e.g. mention how myUnisa enables students to do and submit assignments
e) learnability – how easy is a system to use, e.g. first year student can easily start using myUnisa and do
not need training since the software is intuitive to use
f) Memorability – how easy is it to remember how to use a product once learned, e.g. since myUnisa
follows a standardised format and structure and structure for all models, it is quite easy to remember
how to use the system for other modules once you have learned how to use it for one module
Question 2
2.1
, Problem space-understanding and conceptualising what is currently the user experience or product and how this
is going to be improved or changed
2.2
Conceptual space
conceptual spaces are suggested as an appropriate framework for non-symbolic
models. Conceptual spaces consist of a number of ’quality dimensions’ that often are
derived from perceptual mechanisms.
2.3
Anthropomorphism is attributing human qualities to objects and has been used in
interaction design to design applications that have human-like qualities A number of virtual
characters and robot pets have been developed to motivate people to learn, buy, and
listen.
2.4
Paradigm: Refers to a general approach that has been adopted by a community of
researchers and designers for carrying out their work, in terms of shared assumptions,
concepts, values and practices
2.5
Theory: Well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of a phenomenon.
Question 3
With reference to emotional interaction, compare pleasurable interfaces (and other
positive design elements) with annoying interfaces (and other negative design elements).
(10)
Expressive forms like emoticons, sounds, icons, and virtual agents have been used at the
interface to (i) convey emotional states and/or (ii) elicit certain kinds of emotional
responses in users, such as feeling at ease, comfort and happiness.
The design of aesthetically pleasing interfaces has become of central concern to interaction
design. Empirical studies have shown that the aesthetics of an interface can have a positive
effect on people’s perception of the system’s usability. When the look and feel of an
interface is pleasing and pleasurable – e.g. beautiful graphics, nice feel to the way the
elements have been put together, well-designed fonts, elegant use of images and colour,
a good sense of balance – users are likely to be more tolerant, e.g. they may be prepared
HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION II
PAST EXAM PACK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(2020 – 2014)
2020 MAY/JUNE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2020 SUMMARISED NOTES
DISCLAIMER: Extreme care has been used to create this document, however the contents are provided “as is” without any
representations or warranties, express or implied. This document is to be used for comparison, research and reference
purposes ONLY. Directly submitting and/or reselling/ distribution / reproduction any part of this document is not permitted.
, INF3720
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION II
PAST EXAM PAPERS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(2019 – 2014)
UNISA
,October November 2019
Question 1
1.1
Interaction design is concerned with designing interactive products to support the way
people communicate and interact in their everyday and working lives
1.2
Identify
Develop
Build
Evaluate
1.3
a) Effectiveness – how good a product is at doing what it supposed to, e.g., my UNISA is successful as a
communication tool by using Announcements and Discussion and the facility to inform students via
email of important announcements
b) Efficiency – the way a product supports users in carrying out their task, e.g. navigation on my Unisa
can be a bit clumsy/cumbersome: a user has to go back to the topic list in Discussion to see other items
(the forward arrows do not work)
c) Safety – how the system protects users from dangerous conditions and undesirable situations, e.g.
mention how myUnisa prevents a student from making a serious error, or to recover from one
d) Utility – the extent to which the product provides the right kind of functionality so that users can do
what they have to, e.g. mention how myUnisa enables students to do and submit assignments
e) learnability – how easy is a system to use, e.g. first year student can easily start using myUnisa and do
not need training since the software is intuitive to use
f) Memorability – how easy is it to remember how to use a product once learned, e.g. since myUnisa
follows a standardised format and structure and structure for all models, it is quite easy to remember
how to use the system for other modules once you have learned how to use it for one module
Question 2
2.1
, Problem space-understanding and conceptualising what is currently the user experience or product and how this
is going to be improved or changed
2.2
Conceptual space
conceptual spaces are suggested as an appropriate framework for non-symbolic
models. Conceptual spaces consist of a number of ’quality dimensions’ that often are
derived from perceptual mechanisms.
2.3
Anthropomorphism is attributing human qualities to objects and has been used in
interaction design to design applications that have human-like qualities A number of virtual
characters and robot pets have been developed to motivate people to learn, buy, and
listen.
2.4
Paradigm: Refers to a general approach that has been adopted by a community of
researchers and designers for carrying out their work, in terms of shared assumptions,
concepts, values and practices
2.5
Theory: Well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of a phenomenon.
Question 3
With reference to emotional interaction, compare pleasurable interfaces (and other
positive design elements) with annoying interfaces (and other negative design elements).
(10)
Expressive forms like emoticons, sounds, icons, and virtual agents have been used at the
interface to (i) convey emotional states and/or (ii) elicit certain kinds of emotional
responses in users, such as feeling at ease, comfort and happiness.
The design of aesthetically pleasing interfaces has become of central concern to interaction
design. Empirical studies have shown that the aesthetics of an interface can have a positive
effect on people’s perception of the system’s usability. When the look and feel of an
interface is pleasing and pleasurable – e.g. beautiful graphics, nice feel to the way the
elements have been put together, well-designed fonts, elegant use of images and colour,
a good sense of balance – users are likely to be more tolerant, e.g. they may be prepared
