EECS 478 - Spring 1999 Midterm

Question 1 (exam a):

Redraw the following dialogue box using the existing elements but putting them into a more effective design based on the principles discussed in class. Note which principles you are using and how they affect your redesign.

Question 1 (exam b):
Redesign the following interface by providing the same functionality but in a more effective design based on the principles discussed in class. Note which principles you are using and how they affect your redesign.

Question 2:
Critique the following presentation graphic based upon the principles discussed in class.

Question 3:
On the following 2 pages you will find some java code. Draw the resulting frame and all of its elements in their appropriate positions assuming the java code is correct.

Question 4:
Given the following dialogue box and mouse position, and assuming that the user’s hands are currently on the keyboard, use the keystroke level model to predict the users execution time assuming he/she wants to print 15 copies of pages 2 through 6.


K - Keystroking ( 0.12 sec)
B - Mouse button (down or up 0.10 sec, click 0.20 sec)
P - Moving the mouse at a target (average 1.10 sec)
H - Homing (0.40 sec)
M - Mentally preparing (1.35 sec)

Describe this activity of printing in terms of the 7 stages of action:

Forming the goal
Forming the intention
Specifying an action
Executing the action
Perceiving the state of the world
Interpreting the state of the world
Evaluating the outcome


EECS 478 - Spring 1999 Final Exam


Question 1:

Given all of the layouts for the UIC campus information kiosk presented in class and your personal experience from the project, draw what you think is the best layout for the main information screen – the screen that allows you to click on buildings on the map, locate buildings by name or abbreviation, or find where departments are located. This may be your design, another group’s design, a combination, or something new. The same restrictions (e.g. screen size) apply as in the project. Draw it well enough that I can see what is meant to be aligned and what each of the components is meant to be. Defend your design – convince me it is the most appropriate one. Write the swing code to position all of the components.

Question 2:

If your UIC campus information kiosk programs were actually going to be put into service it would be important to perform a set of user studies on both the applet and the management application before they were put into use. Given the following conditions what do you think would, realistically, be the most effective was to evaluate the interfaces.

- Assume your group has 2 weeks and no money to perform the evaluation
- Assume your group has 2 months and no money to perform the evaluation
- What about after the units are in place?
- If you had a year to design and build the system (ie its not built yet) how would you approach the evaluation

Note: this question is not asking you to just pick the one ‘magic’ appropriate method, I want you to describe in sufficient detail what you think the most appropriate method / process would be and defend your decision.

Question 3:

Given all of the discussion and designs for the departmental information kiosk presented in the class, pick one of the 4 sections, and draw what you think is the best layout for it. This may be one or more screens. This may or may not be what was presented in class. Draw it well enough that I can see what is meant to be aligned. Defend your design – convince me it is the most appropriate one. Write the swing code to position all of the components.