Human-computer Interaction Quiz Questions & Answers

Human-computer interaction refers to the study of how humans interact with machines. It involves understanding the design and usability of computer systems, as well as the impact of technology on human behavior and society. This field focuses on creating user-friendly interfaces and improving the overall user experience with technology.

Summarizing and presenting large volumes of data in a graphical chart or diagram is an effective way because it allows for easy visualization and understanding of complex information. Graphical representations can help identify patterns, trends, and outliers in the data, making it easier to interpret and draw insights. Additionally, charts and diagrams can be used to compare and contrast different data sets, making it easier to make data-driven decisions.

The correct answer is bar charts and pie charts. Bar charts are used to compare different categories or groups of data, where each category is represented by a rectangular bar. Pie charts, on the other hand, are used to show the proportion or percentage of different categories in a whole, where each category is represented by a slice of the pie. Both chart types are widely used in data visualization to present information in a clear and concise manner.

The correct answer is "Offer informative feedback." This is because including an electronic "click" sound for keyboard and mouse activities provides users with immediate auditory feedback, informing them that their input has been registered by the system. This feedback helps users understand that their actions are being recognized and can help improve the overall user experience.

An executive report is used primarily for strategic decision-making. It provides high-level information and analysis to top-level management, allowing them to make informed decisions that align with the organization's long-term goals and objectives. This type of report typically includes key performance indicators, financial summaries, market trends, and other relevant data that help executives understand the current state of the business and identify areas for improvement or growth. By focusing on strategic decision-making, the executive report helps leaders steer the organization in the right direction and achieve long-term success.

Screen output can be updated dynamically, meaning that the information displayed on the screen can be changed or refreshed in real-time. Unlike printed output, which is static and cannot be easily modified once it is printed, screen output allows for interactive and dynamic content. This advantage makes screen output more flexible and adaptable to changing data or user inputs.

Including cancel buttons on dialog boxes allows users to easily reverse any actions they may have taken. This feature provides a sense of control and flexibility to the users, as they can backtrack and undo any unintended or incorrect actions without any hassle. It helps in enhancing the overall user experience by preventing frustration and allowing users to correct their mistakes easily.

The dialog metaphor in human-computer interaction refers to the concept of interacting with a computer system as if having a conversation. This metaphor implies that the interaction between the user and the computer is more dynamic and interactive, similar to a back-and-forth dialogue. It suggests that the computer system responds to user input and prompts the user for further actions or information, creating a conversational flow in the interaction. This metaphor is used to design interfaces that are more intuitive and user-friendly, enabling users to communicate with the computer system in a natural and conversational manner.

This statement describes a situation where users are not receiving timely feedback on their actions. As a result, they may become frustrated and attempt to interact with the system again, leading to processing errors. This suggests a lack of feedback, as users are not being informed about the status or progress of their actions.

An exception report is a type of report that specifically focuses on nonstandard or out-of-bound conditions. These conditions refer to situations that deviate from the normal or expected behavior of a system or process. By highlighting these exceptions, the report helps identify and address any errors or issues that may have occurred during runtime. Therefore, the correct answer for this question is "exception."

Affordance refers to the design of an object or interface that suggests its functionality or how it can be used. It is not a method to help users find and utilize hidden controls or actions that are not obvious. Visual diagrams can provide a visual representation of the interface and its features, tooltips offer additional information when hovering over an element, and grouping of icons helps organize related controls. However, affordance is not specifically aimed at helping users discover hidden controls or actions.

The principle of feedback is important in this context because it helps designers ensure that users receive a clear indication or response when they interact with web page objects. Feedback can take the form of visual cues, such as highlighting or changing the appearance of clickable elements, or providing auditory or tactile feedback to confirm that the user's action has been recognized. By applying the principle of feedback, designers can make the user experience more intuitive and help users understand which elements on the webpage are clickable.

Electronic reports can provide a "hot spot hyperlink" on the report to activate a lower-level report, which provides more detailed information. A hot spot hyperlink is a clickable area on a webpage or document that, when clicked, takes the user to another location or activates a specific function. In this case, the hot spot hyperlink allows the user to access a lower-level report that contains more detailed information.

The correct answer is "document." This is because the metaphor of human-computer interaction described in the question involves browsing and entering data on electronic documents. The interaction with the computer is similar to how one interacts with a physical document, such as reading and writing on it. This metaphor is commonly used in user interfaces, where electronic documents are represented on the screen and users can interact with them in a similar way as they would with physical documents.

Across users is not a type of consistency that is important in user interface design. Consistency across users refers to maintaining a consistent user experience across different individuals using the same interface. However, in user interface design, consistency is important across platforms (ensuring a consistent experience across different devices or operating systems), across a suite of apps (maintaining consistency within a collection of related applications), and within an app (ensuring consistency within different screens or features of the same application).

Affordance is the correct answer because it refers to the principle in HCI that states the appearance of a control should suggest its functionality. In other words, the design of a control should visually indicate how it can be used or what actions it enables. This principle helps users understand how to interact with a system or interface more intuitively, reducing the need for explicit instructions or learning.

Designing dialogs to yield closure means that each dialog within the system should be organized with a clear sequence - a beginning, middle, and end. This ensures that the user understands the flow of the interaction and can easily follow along. It helps in providing a sense of completion and satisfaction to the user, as they can see the progression and conclusion of the dialog. This rule is important for creating a seamless and user-friendly interactive interface.

Drill down refers to the ability to link a summary field to the supporting detail and view that detail dynamically on a screen. It allows users to access more detailed information by clicking or selecting specific data points. This feature is commonly used in reporting and data analysis to explore data at different levels of granularity.

The correct answer is the Dialog metaphor. This is because the software is essentially conducting an interview with the user, engaging in a back-and-forth conversation to gather information and guide the user through the tax preparation process. The software prompts the user with questions and options, allowing them to provide input and make decisions. This interaction closely resembles a dialogue between two individuals, hence the Dialog metaphor.

Consistency is a key principle of human-computer interaction (HCI) that states that all controls should be noticeable. This means that users should be able to easily recognize and understand the purpose and functionality of different controls or elements in a user interface. Consistency helps in creating a predictable and familiar user experience, where users can easily navigate and interact with the system without confusion or ambiguity. It ensures that controls have a clear and consistent design, behavior, and placement, making it easier for users to learn and use the system effectively.