Exam 1 Flashcards
What are human factors?
characteristics of users that affects how they use a system
What are some goals of HF?
eliminate human error, make things easier to use, improve productivity, safety, and user satisfaction
what are affordances?
relationship b/w user’s capabilities and physical properties of object - determines how the object is used
ex. teapot - handle, top
What is the human-machine system? (6)
- perception
- cognition
- action
- controls
- operation
- displays
What are the foundations of science? (4)
empiricism, observation, self-correcting over time, scientific method
What is the scientific method?
logical approach to obtaining answers to questions
What are the 3 goals of science?
- Describe
- Predict
- Explain/understand
What is a theory?
best explanation with compelling evidence for something that can’t be proven
What is an operational definition?
describes abstract concepts in concrete terms
What is reliability?
Consistency of measurements
Ex. test-retest reliability
What are the two types of reliability?
True effects (IQ test), random error (didn’t drink coffee that morning)
What is validity?
degree to which it represents what it’s supposed to
What is construct validity?
Is the measurement relevant? ex. diabetes self-care and # veggies eaten
What is internal validity?
can you draw a conclusion?
What is external validity?
can the results be generalized?
What is ecological validity?
do observed behaviors reflect actual behaviors in a natural setting?
What is descriptive research?
want to examine a situation that can’t be replicated
What is experimental research?
test a hypothesis that makes a causal statement about relation among variables
must have manipulation and random assignment
What is knowledge in the world?
Maps, labels, signs, etc.
What is knowledge in the head?
affordances
What is a gulf of execution?
gap b/w goal of user and means to execute that goal
ex. elderly can’t figure out how to print from iPad
What is a gulf of evaluation?
not adequate feedback
ex. generic error message
What is response compatibility?
Part of mapping. Movement of control should match outcome goal
ex. turn steering wheel left, car should turn left
What is an example of exploiting the power of constraints?
Giving one option leads to fewer errors
Ex. putting a sock on v. a toga