Human-Computer Interaction
CS 6751 Winter 1996
Homework 1
Good and bad interfaces in our everyday lives
Due date: 3:00pm Tuesday, January 9
This homework is intended to start you thinking about usability in our
everyday lives.
Assignment
We discussed in the first class a little bit about what it means for
some artifact, whether it is computer-based or not, to be usable in
our everyday lives. Presumably, you are taking this class because you
are not an expert in the field of Human-Computer Interaction or
usability analysis. But take some time now to find out
how sensitive you are to the tools you come in contact with on a daily
basis.
You are to write about two things in this assignment. First, I want
you to pick out some human-designed artifact that you think is
unusable as designed. We gave some examples in class (car radios,
shower controls, etc.). In two paragraphs describe what the artifact
is, what human task it is intended to support and why it fails to
support that task as you think it should.
Now, think about some artifact in your everyday life that is usable
and in two paragraphs describe the artifact, the task it supports and
why you think it is usable as designed.
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