HCI 210: Introduction to HCI
Fall 2006
Individual Assignment 2
Describing and Analyzing an Interaction
Due Wednesday October 18 for in-class students
Due Sunday October 22 for DL students
Overview
For this assignment, you will be describing a user's interaction with two
products. The goal is to practice identifying and describing how the
user accomplishes each step when completing a task.
Choosing your products and tasks
For this assignment, you should choose two products from the following
list:
- SSH File transfer client
- UNIX command terminal
- Web Browser (IE, Firefox or Opera)
- Microsoft Word
- Notepad or Textpad
- VCR, DVD Player or DVR (e.g. Tivo)
- Microwave oven
- CTA Fare Card machine
- An email client (e.g. Thunderbird, Outlook, Gmail)
With each of your products, choose a task. Examples of good tasks
include correcting a typo in a file, reheating leftover pizza,
programming Tivo to record a specific program, and buying a CTA
card worth a particular amount.
Describing your interaction
Determine the steps needed to accomplish each task. Each step should be
at the level of detail needed to make a total of roughly 5 to 10 steps
to complete the task.
For each step, provide the following:
- Your name for the step.
- What user action is needed to complete the step.
- What information does the interface provide for the user to help
the user complete the step.
- What knowledge does the user have in order to complete the step.
Comparison
Provide a one-paragraph comparison that highlights an important
similarity or difference between what was needed of the user when
completing the two tasks.
Questions?
Send me email (cmiller@cs.depaul.edu) if you have any questions. I am
also willing to provide some feedback on your choice of task or on
one or two of your steps, but please don't wait until the last day
for my help. For email messages, I generally work best with simple
text (as opposed to attachments).
Grading
This assignment is worth 15 points. A report that reasonably
responds to all of the instructions will generally receive 12 or 13 points. A
report that consists of thoughtful and well-edited answers will merit
14 points and, for some outstanding reports, 15 points.
Submission
Submit your report using any widely available format (e.g. Word, PDF,
HTML) to dlweb.