INF1520 Assignment 3
2024 - DUE 15 July
2024
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE ANSWERS
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, INF1520 Assignment 3 2024 - DUE 15 July 2024
Question 1 [13]
1.1 Explain why the keys on a computer keyboard are arranged in the order of QWERTY.
(4)
1.2 There are, potentially, many mistakes that designers can make when designing
interfaces. Specify what are the most problematic mistakes designers make. (3)
1.3 Name and explain three common design mistakes users make when designing
interfaces? (6)
1.1 Why the keys on a computer keyboard are arranged in the order of QWERTY
The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed in the 1870s by Christopher Latham Sholes, who
invented the typewriter. The reasons for this specific arrangement include:
1. Typewriter Jamming: Early typewriters would jam if adjacent keys were pressed in
quick succession. The QWERTY layout was developed to reduce the likelihood of
jamming by spacing out commonly used letter pairs.
2. Typing Efficiency: The layout places frequently used letters in positions that can be
easily reached to improve typing speed and efficiency, considering the mechanics of
early typewriters.
3. Adoption and Standardization: Once the layout was adopted and typewriters became
widely used, it became a standard. Changing the layout would have required significant
retraining and redesign of typewriters, so it remained as the default.
4. Economic and Practical Factors: As QWERTY keyboards became standard,
manufacturers continued to produce them, reinforcing their use despite the existence of
potentially more efficient layouts like Dvorak.
1.2 Common Mistakes Designers Make When Designing Interfaces
Designers can make various mistakes when creating user interfaces. The most problematic
mistakes include:
2024 - DUE 15 July
2024
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE ANSWERS
[DATE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[Company address]
, INF1520 Assignment 3 2024 - DUE 15 July 2024
Question 1 [13]
1.1 Explain why the keys on a computer keyboard are arranged in the order of QWERTY.
(4)
1.2 There are, potentially, many mistakes that designers can make when designing
interfaces. Specify what are the most problematic mistakes designers make. (3)
1.3 Name and explain three common design mistakes users make when designing
interfaces? (6)
1.1 Why the keys on a computer keyboard are arranged in the order of QWERTY
The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed in the 1870s by Christopher Latham Sholes, who
invented the typewriter. The reasons for this specific arrangement include:
1. Typewriter Jamming: Early typewriters would jam if adjacent keys were pressed in
quick succession. The QWERTY layout was developed to reduce the likelihood of
jamming by spacing out commonly used letter pairs.
2. Typing Efficiency: The layout places frequently used letters in positions that can be
easily reached to improve typing speed and efficiency, considering the mechanics of
early typewriters.
3. Adoption and Standardization: Once the layout was adopted and typewriters became
widely used, it became a standard. Changing the layout would have required significant
retraining and redesign of typewriters, so it remained as the default.
4. Economic and Practical Factors: As QWERTY keyboards became standard,
manufacturers continued to produce them, reinforcing their use despite the existence of
potentially more efficient layouts like Dvorak.
1.2 Common Mistakes Designers Make When Designing Interfaces
Designers can make various mistakes when creating user interfaces. The most problematic
mistakes include:
