Human Computer Interaction (COMP352/552)

Food For Thought 3

Exercise 1

You have been asked to choose the most appropriate style of interaction for a new Cash Dispenser machine. This new machine will have the usual options plus some extra facilities that will allow the users to perform other operations, such as: The machine will be located inside the branch, and the users will have access to it by using their cards, as for the usual ATM.

You have to:

  1. produce a brief report analysing the various styles of interaction with users, briefly highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each of them for the new cash dispenser design
  2. express your recommendation for the new cash machine, with justification for your decision.

Exercise 2

You have to design the menu for a word-processing application. The functions that should be included in the menu are the following (in alphabetical order):
  1. add footnote
  2. add page break
  3. bold text
  4. change font
  5. change word
  6. character style
  7. check spelling
  8. clear
  9. close file
  10. copy
  11. count words
  12. cut
  13. decrease point size
  14. delete
  15. find word
  16. format paragraph
  17. glossary
  18. go back
  19. go to
  20. help
  21. increase point size
  22. insert graphic
  23. insert index
  24. italic text
  25. layout document
  26. new
  27. open file
  28. page setup
  29. paste
  30. plain text
  31. preferences
  32. print preview
  33. print
  34. quit
  35. renumber pages
  36. repaginate
  37. repeat edit
  38. save as
  39. save
  40. see table of contents
  41. show alternative document
  42. table
  43. underline
  44. undo
  45. view index
  46. view page
Decide a structure for the menu, group the functions and design the menu (specifying menu and sub-menu titles, ordering of items in each sub-menu, whether shortcuts are provided for some tasks etc.)
You can choose as many or as few menu headings and sub-menu levels as you wish. (Hint: use task analysis if you don't know how to group them).

Exercise 3

Here is a list of some commands used by the text editors vi and pico. Contrast the command ``names'' used by each system (no biased opinions!), by taking into account both the name per se (if you manage to guess it...) and the abbreviation used.

(note: I know, some of these functions can be done in other different ways in both editors. But for the sake of the exercise, please stick with this table)
To..vipico
move Forward a character(space) CTRL-F
move Backward a characterCTRL-H CTRL-B
move to the Previous line- CTRL-P
move to the Next line+ CTRL-N
move to the beginning of the current line0 CTRL-A
move to the End of the current line$ CTRL-E
move forward a page of textCTRL-F CTRL-V
move backward a page of text CTRL-B CTRL-Y
Search for text/ CTRL-W
Delete the character at the cursor positionx CTRL-D
Cut linedd CTRL-K
Paste last cut text inserting it at the current cursor positionp CTRL-U
Insert an external file at the current cursor position:-r CTRL-R
Output the current buffer to a file, saving it:-w CTRL-O
Exit, saving buffer:-wq CTRL-X

Exercise 4

Consider the simple English grammar + lexicon defined in lecture 9.
Show why the sentences:
  1. Lecturers travel.
  2. They love cats.
  3. The cat hates Floriana.
are valid, whereas the sentences:
  1. Cats jump lecturers.
  2. The cat jump.
  3. She loves they.
are not.