Introduction to Action, Evaluation, Linking the Info Proc Model to Design

Question 1

What are the 7 stages of action (Norman)

Answer 1

1. Forming the goal
2. Forming the intention
3. Specifying an action
4. Executing the action
5. Perceiving the state of the world
6. Interpreting the state of the world
7. Evaluating the outcome

Question 2

What are the stages of Execution (Norman)

Answer 2

Thus, formulation of stages of execution:-
Start at the top with the goal, the state that is to be achieved:

1) The goal is translated into an intention to do some action.
2) The intention must be translated into a set of internal commands, an action sequence that can be performed to satisfy the intention.
3) The action sequence is still a mutual even: nothing happens until it is executed, performed upon the world.

Question 3

What is Evaluation, according to Norman

Answer 3

Evaluation formally means to examine and calculate. Norman explains that after turning on the light, we evaluate if it is actually turned on. A careful judgement is then passed on how the light has affected our world i.e. the room in which the person is sitting on the armchair while reading a book.

Question 4

What is Execution, according to Norman.

Answer 4

Execution formally means to perform or do something. Norman explains that a person sitting on an armchair while reading a book at dusk, might need more light when it becomes dimmer and dimmer. To do that, he needs to switch on the button of a lamp i.e. get more light (the goal). To do this, one must need to specify on how to move one’s body, how to stretch to reach the light switch and how to extend one’s finger to push the button. The goal has to be translated into an intention, which in turn has to be made into an action sequence.

Question 5

What are the stages of Evaluation (Norman)

Answer 5

The formulation of the stages of evaluation can be described as:

1) Evaluation starts with our perception of the world.
2) This perception must then be interpreted according to our expectations.
3) Then it is compared (evaluated) with respect to both our intentions and our goals.

Question 6

What is the Gulf of Execution?

Answer 6

The difference between the intentions and the allowable actions is the Gulf of execution.

“Consider the movie projector example: one problem resulted from the Gulf of Execution. The person wanted to set up the projector. Ideally, this would be a simple thing to do. But no, a long, complex sequence was required. It wasn’t all clear what actions had to be done to accomplish the intentions of setting up the projector and showing the film.”

Question 7

What is the Gulf of Evaluation?

Answer 7

The Gulf of evaluation reflects the amount of effort that the person must exert to interpret the physical state of the system and to determine how well the expectations and intentions have been met.

“In the movie projector example there was also a problem with the Gulf of Evaluation. Even when the film was in the projector, it was difficult to tell if it had been threaded correctly.”

Question 8

How is the Gulf of Execution and the Gulf of Evaluation bridged?

Answer 8

1) Have the system provide information about itself and its functions in a perceptible, meaningful way
2) Make sure that desired actions are clear and supported

Question 9

What is Norman’s definition of Affordance?

Answer 9

An affordance is a quality of an object, or an environment, which allows an individual to perform an action.

• Have perceived properties that may or may not exist
• Have suggestions or clues about how to use these properties
• Can make an action easy or difficult

For example, a knob affords twisting, and perhaps pushing, while a cord affords pulling.

Question 10

What is affordance dependent on?

Answer 10

1) Experience
2) Knowledge
3) Culture of the actor

Question 11

What does affordance determine in design?

Answer 11

Affordance of an object determines, naturally how it can be used. Just by looking at an object, a user should know how to use it

Question 12

What is preceived affordance?

Answer 12

The perceived properties of the object that suggest how one could use it

(Turn or push to activate????)

Question 13

What are two principles to bridge the gulf of affordance?

Answer 13

1) Provide a good conceptual model.
2) Reduce gulfs of evaluation and execution.
3) Make things visible to indicate what action can be taken. (example: menus vs. command lines; state of the system like amber light on cruise control).

Question 14

What do conceptual models help the user do?

Answer 14

Helps people understand the relationship between controls, their impact on system state, and their goals

Question 15

What are the principles of good feedback?

Answer 15

Feedback has to be immediate, obvious reactinons to each action

Question 16

What is the design principle of mapping?

Answer 16

Relationships between controls and their results.

Question 17

What is mapping related to?

Answer 17

Affordance

Question 18

How do you implement good mapping in a design?

Answer 18

1) Controls Displays (which controls and displays are related)
2) Controls Functions (what functions do controls operate on)

Question 19

What are the five types of mappings?

Answer 19

1) Grouping by function: put related displays and controls together
2) Inherent constraints: hardwired
3) Cultural constraints: learned
4) Natural Mapping: Spatial (place controls, objects in same spatial arrangement)
5) Functional mapping

Question 20

What is the transfer effect?

Answer 20

People transfer their expectations from familiar objects to similar new ones.

Question 21

What is positive transfer?

Answer 21

Previous experience applies to new.

(Example: QWERTY keyboards transferred from typewriters to computers. Their was a positive transfer of peoples experience of using keyboards. )

Question 22

What is negative transfer?

Answer 22

Previous experience conflicts with new situation.

(Some designs don’t catch on because they can’t overcome the transfer effect of more popular productions, usage, or learned. Example: Dvorak keyboard vs. QWERTY. Their was a cost to learning (in the use of time needed to learn something new). As a result there was a negative transfer effect.)

Question 23

What is a mental model?

Answer 23

A mental model is an individual’s internal representation of a target system. A Mental Models is a shorthand version of the world, a container of assumptions and core beliefs, which represent the internal logic of our sensations, our perceptions and the interpretations we use to make meaning out of that information and of life events.

Question 24

Why are mental models important?

Answer 24

Mental models allows people to make predictions about how things will work.

Question 25

What are the 7 items that comprise mental models?

Answer 25

1) affordances
2) constraints
3) mappings
4) positive transfer
5) cultural associations/standards
6) instructions
7) Interactions.

MICA-TIC

Question 26

Are mental models always correct?

Answer 26

No, they are often wrong. Just because someone has a mental model of how something works, doesn’t mean that it is correct.

Question 27

Does previous experience help or hinder efforts to change behavior?

Answer 27

People with no experience on something are often much easier to change their behavior because they don’t have a pre-existing mental model like someone that may used something extensively.

Question 28

Where are mental models often extracted from?

Answer 28

Mental models often extracted from fragmentary evidence. People find ways to explain things, right or wrong.

Question 29

What is the resutl of not accounting for mental models in design?

Answer 29

Failure to account for human modeling leads to error and often failure in complex systems.

Question 30

What are Norman’s 6 Design Principles?

Answer 30

1) Visibility
2) Feedback
3) Constraints
4) Mapping
5) Consistency
6) Affordance

Question 31

Whar are design constraints?

Answer 31

The design concept of constraining refers to determing ways of restricting the kind of user interaction that can take place at a given moment.