week 7-8 Flashcards
(24 cards)
Name Shneiderman’s 8 Golden Rules of Interface Design.
Strive for consistency.
Enable frequent users to use shortcuts.
Offer informative feedback.
Design dialogs to yield closure.
Offer simple error handling.
Permit easy reversal of actions.
Support internal locus of control.
Reduce short-term memory load.
How does “Strive for consistency” improve usability?
Ensures that identical actions and elements behave consistently, reducing the learning curve.
Why is enabling frequent users to use shortcuts important?
It increases productivity and efficiency by allowing experienced users to perform tasks faster using customizable tools or keyboard shortcuts.
Provide an example of simple error handling.
A form field indicating an error (e.g., “Invalid email address”) and suggesting corrections.
List Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics.
Visibility of system status.
Match between system and the real world.
User control and freedom.
Consistency and standards.
Error prevention.
Recognition rather than recall.
Flexibility and efficiency of use.
Aesthetic and minimalist design.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors.
Help and documentation.
What is the principle of “Visibility of system status”?
Keeping users informed about what is happening through timely feedback, such as loading indicators or progress bars.
Explain “Recognition rather than recall” with an example.
Interfaces should display available options to reduce memory load. Example: Showing recently accessed files in a dropdown menu.
How does “Aesthetic and minimalist design” improve usability?
By reducing clutter and focusing on essential elements, it prevents users from being overwhelmed and ensures clarity.
Define usability testing and its primary goal.
Usability testing involves observing real users interacting with a system to identify usability issues. The goal is to gather qualitative and quantitative data to improve the interface.
What is A/B testing, and how is it conducted?
A/B testing compares two versions of an interface to determine which performs better. Users are divided into groups, each exposed to one version, and performance metrics like click-through rates are analyzed.
What is the purpose of Shneiderman’s 8 Golden Rules?
To provide foundational principles for creating effective and user-friendly interfaces.
Why is “Reducing Short-Term Memory Load” important in UI design?
It minimizes cognitive effort by providing users with necessary guidance and information within the interface, reducing the need for users to memorize details.
What is the heuristic “Visibility of System Status”?
It ensures users are always informed about the current state of the system through timely feedback or status updates.
Explain the heuristic “Recognition Rather Than Recall.”
It reduces the cognitive load by making options, actions, and information visible, so users don’t need to remember them.
What does “Aesthetic and Minimalist Design” emphasize?
Keeping interfaces clean and simple, showing only essential components to avoid overwhelming users.
What is the goal of usability testing?
To identify usability issues by observing actual users interacting with the system and gathering both qualitative and quantitative data.
Name three measures used in usability testing.
Task success rate.
Time spent on a task.
Error rate.
Explain the concept of a cognitive walkthrough.
A detailed evaluation where experts simulate a novice user’s actions to identify usability issues, focusing on learnability and discoverability.
What is heuristic evaluation, and what are its benefits?
Heuristic evaluation is an expert-based assessment using usability principles to identify issues without involving users. It is economical, rapid, and provides early insights in the design phase.
Describe how you would use A/B testing to improve an e-commerce site’s landing page.
Divide users into two random groups.
Display two versions of the landing page (A and B).
Measure performance metrics such as conversion rates and click-through rates.
Analyze results for statistical significance to determine the better design.
If a mobile app has a confusing navigation system, which evaluation technique would you use to assess its usability for new users?
Cognitive walkthrough, as it focuses on learnability and discoverability from a novice user’s perspective.
While evaluating a website, you notice error messages are unclear. Which heuristic does this violate, and what improvement would you suggest?
Violated Heuristic: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors.
Improvement: Provide clear error messages that explain the issue, suggest fixes, and guide the user in resolving it.
Compare a well-designed and poorly designed UI using Nielsen’s heuristics. Provide one strength and weakness for each.
Well-Designed UI Strength: Clear visibility of system status through progress bars.
Poorly Designed UI Weakness: Lacks error prevention, allowing users to input invalid data without validation.
A user is unable to find the logout button on a dashboard. Which design rule could help resolve
Strive for consistency by ensuring that key actions like logout are predictably placed across all pages.
