Human-Computer Interaction
CS 6750 Fall 1999
Homework Assignment 2: Applying predictive techniques to a Web interface
Due Friday, September 17 at beginning of class
The purpose of this assignment is to get you to think about how to
apply various predictive modelling techniques discussed in class to a real Web interface.
The interface you are to investigate is the one you use to review
lectures in class (quelle surprise!). Your assignment is to
compare the current interface to some alternatives of your own, You are to
select two different "routine" tasks that a student might
perform and that you feel are appropriate for predictive and
quantitative modelling. For each of these tasks, describe how
that task is currently performed using the existing interface
and then how you expect it to be performed in one alternative
way that you define. You must then select a predictive
modelling technique that will help you generate a performance
measure for how long it would take an experienced user to
execute that task on the existing interface and on your new interface. You don't have to
use the same predictive technique for each combination of
interface option and task.
Your report can either be posted to the class CoWeb or
printed out and handed in at the beginning of class.
Here is a suggested outline for your report.
Task descriptions
Define and describe the two routine tasks that students would perform
on the captured lecture notes interface. For each task, explain
why that task is appropriate for predictive and quantitative
modelling, as discussed in lecture and in the readings. We will
refer to these tasks as canonical tasks in the remainder
of this write-up.
Advice: Make your tasks very specific.
Interface options
Describe the alternative interface design that you will compare
to the actual lecture interface.
Experimental method
Describe the predictive modelling techniques that you will use to
compare performance times for the completing your canonical
tasks. Justify why these techniques will apply for these tasks.
Results
Describe the results of your analysis. Your description should be
given in enough detail that an educated reader would be able to
repeat your analysis.
Analysis
Discuss the conclusions for your predictive modelling. Did you come
up with a design alternative that is in some way better than the
existing interface? If so, why? If not, why not?
Last modified: Fri Sep 10 10:59:45 EDT 1999
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