Q12 Flashcards
This question is concerned with Nielsen’s HOMERUN set of heuristics for evaluating websites.
Describe the relevance of the heuristic M (minimal download time) to a site which offers video clips to download and suggest how the interaction can be designed to take this heuristic into account.
As well as good content the site must provide the users with the ability to download the video clips as fast as possible – especially those with slower connection speeds.
Describe two ways in which U (unique to the online medium from Nielsen’s HOMERUN set of heuristics ) applies to Amazon or a similar shopping website.
1: Amazon has a unique ‘1-Click order’ system, by just clicking the “Buy it now with 1-Click” button you can place an order and then either go back to browsing or leave the site, making the ordering process extremely fast and efficient.
2: When you select an item, Amazon will then show you a further group of similar items that ‘other’ customers have bought.
Describe the relevance of O (often updated from Nielsen’s HOMERUN set of heuristics ) to the site of an on-line English dictionary.
An online English dictionary is a good example of a site that doesn’t need to be updated very often as they are likely to remain relatively unchanged.
Suggest two user performance measures which could be taken during user testing.
- The time taken to complete a typical task or tasks
- The number of errors made while performing a task
Or - Number of navigations to online help or manuals.
HOMERUN is an acronym devised by Jacob Neilsen for a set of seven heuristics for evaluating websites.
Which heuristic does O stand for?
Often Updated
Give one way in which an on-line shopping site (such as amazon.com) satisfies Neilsen’s heuristic of being unique to the online medium.
Amazon has a unique ‘1-Click order’ system, by just clicking the “Buy it now with 1-Click” button you can place an order and then either go back to browsing or leave the site, making the ordering process extremely fast and efficient.
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‘M’ stands for ‘minimal download time’. Give one way in which a website might not satisfy this heuristic.</p>
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Users are not likely to wait very long for a website to load, maybe around 10 seconds at most, so if a website takes longer than that they are very likely to leave that site, especially those with slower connections.</p>
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The use of too many graphics and animations for example, will have an effect on the download time. </p>
Briefly describe the keystroke level model for predicting user behaviour.
The model is an 11-step method that can be used by individuals or companies seeking ways to estimate the time it takes to complete simple data input tasks using a computer and mouse. Individuals often find more efficient or better ways to complete a task simply by analysing the steps required in the process and rearranging or eliminating unneeded steps.
Describe a situation in which the keystroke model might be helpful.
When different designs or systems need to be compared against one another very quickly.
Describe a situation in which the keystroke model might not be helpful.
Where the designs or systems are complicated with different subgroups of tasks
What sort of website is the set of HOMERUN heuristics intended to evaluate?
They are specifically aimed at commercial or corporate websites, although some of them could be appropriate for other websites.
What does ‘U’ stand for in HOMERUN?
Unique (to the online medium)
Briefly describe how the choice of users/participants might bias the result of a user evaluation of an interactive product.
If your participants don’t match your user profile, you may get unexpected and/or misleading results.
Briefly describe how the choice of tasks might bias the result of a user evaluation of an interactive product.
Tasks chosen may not be representative of the tasks which the interactive product is designed to support.
Briefly describe how the choice of location where the evaluation is done might bias the result of a user evaluation of an interactive product.
The location where evaluations are done may not match with the location where the interactive design is designed to be used.
