CSE 171:USER INTERFACE DESIGN: SOCIAL AND TECHNICAL ISSUES

Midterm Exam, 7 May 2003

It is highly preferable to use a blue book for your answers, but you may also write answers on this sheet, and some extra paper will be available. Be sure to write your name on every page you hand in!
Each essay question has a short, correct answser; you may be penalized for overly wordy answers.
  1. [30 pts] After each phrase write the letter of the phrase that most closely matches its meaning.

    phrase answer phrase
    1. convergence   a. phrasing that decreases social force
    2. synchronous communication    b. the act of speaking
    3. iconic sign   c. user talking aloud
    4. transition diagram   d. related by law to its object
    5. mitigation     e. phrasing with audience in mind
    6. protocol   f. computation plus communication  
        g. having similar structure to what it represents
        h. an utterance that accomplishes something
        i. nodes for states, edges for events
        j. designing in cycles
        k. pervasive presence of computing devices
        l. sent and received at same time

  2. [20 pts] Give three different ways to represent terms involving addition and multiplication (as operations with two arguments), then say which is worst, which is best, and (most importantly) explain why.
     
  3. [20 pts] Explain the notion of recipient design, and then use it to explain why the Microsoft flag (near the upper right corner) flutters in the Explorer browser while a page is loading.
     
  4. [30 pts] (a) Give two key advantages and two key disadvantages of using a multiple choice questionaire to evaluate an existing user interface. (b) Explain why questions in such a questionaire should include "other" as one choice. (c) Give an example illustrating your explanation.