COURSE : BUSINESS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION ASSIGHNMENT.
NAME: KAMAU MARK NDIBUI.
REG NO: HDB212-0866/2020.
1. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) is a field of research that focuses on how
technology can support and improve collaborative work among groups of people. It is
interdisciplinary and encompasses aspects of computer science, sociology, psychology, and
communication studies. CSCW can be classified based on the scale and scope of collaboration
that the technology is designed to support. Groupware is software that supports collaboration
among a relatively small group of people, typically within a single organization. Computer
Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is a type of groupware specifically designed to
support collaborative learning in educational settings. Global Virtual Teams (GVT) are tools
used to support collaboration among geographically dispersed teams. Virtual Communities are
online platforms where people with similar interests can interact and collaborate. Examples of
virtual communities include online forums, social media platforms, and multiplayer games.
2.
1. Communication and coordination: One of the primary challenges of CSCW is
ensuring effective communication and coordination among collaborators. This can be
particularly difficult when collaborators are geographically dispersed and working
across different time zones and cultural backgrounds. Different communication styles
and preferences can also pose challenges.
2. Technological infrastructure: Effective CSCW requires a robust technological
infrastructure to support communication, document sharing, and collaboration. This
infrastructure can be expensive to set up and maintain, particularly for smaller
organizations or groups with limited resources.
3. Data security and privacy: CSCW systems often involve the sharing of sensitive
information, which can pose security and privacy risks if not properly protected.
Collaborators must be able to trust that their data is secure and that privacy concerns
are addressed.
4. Interoperability: Many CSCW systems are designed to work with specific hardware
or software platforms, which can limit their interoperability with other systems. This
can make it difficult for collaborators who are using different technologies to work
together effectively.
5. Human factors: CSCW systems must be designed with human factors in mind,
including user interface design, usability, and accessibility. Systems that are difficult
to use or understand can hinder collaboration and lead to frustration among
collaborators.
6. Organizational culture: CSCW can require changes to organizational culture and
work processes to be effective. Collaborators must be willing to adopt new
technologies and ways of working, which can be challenging for some organizations.
7. Technical support and training: Effective CSCW requires technical support and
training to ensure that collaborators are able to use the technology effectively. This
can be particularly challenging for larger organizations or those with geographically
dispersed teams.
3. Hardware Layer: This layer consists of the physical components of the computer, such as the
processor, memory, graphics card, and input/output devices. These components work together to
execute instructions, display graphics on the screen, and receive input from the user.
Operating System Layer: This layer provides the foundation for the windowing system. It
manages the hardware resources, provides a way for software applications to communicate with
the hardware, and provides security and other services that are essential for the safe and efficient
operation of the computer.
Window Manager Layer: This layer is responsible for managing the windows that appear on the
screen. It provides a way for users to resize, move, and close windows, and it manages the
placement of windows on the screen. The window manager also handles the appearance of
windows, including their borders, title bars, and other graphical elements.
Desktop Environment Layer: This layer provides a complete graphical user interface that
includes a set of applications, icons, menus, and other elements that are designed to make the
computer easy to use. The desktop environment may also provide additional features, such as file
managers, system tools, and widgets.
Application Layer: This layer consists of the software applications that run on the computer.
Applications can be designed to perform a wide range of tasks, such as word processing, image
editing, web browsing, and more. When an application is launched, it appears in its own window,
which is managed by the window manager.
Together, these layers work together to deliver a seamless user experience that allows users to
interact with their computers using windows, icons, menus, and other graphical elements.
4. A User Interface Management System (UIMS) is a software tool that helps developers create
and manage graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for applications. It provides a set of reusable GUI
components and tools for designing, implementing, and customizing the user interface. The
following are some of the ways UIMS implementations are important:
I.
Productivity: UIMS reduces the amount of time and effort required to develop a user
interface. It provides a set of pre-built user interface components that can be easily
customized to meet specific application requirements. This enables developers to
focus more on the application logic and functionality.
II.
Consistency: UIMS ensures consistency across different parts of an application's user
interface. It enforces a set of design standards and guidelines, making it easier for
users to navigate and interact with the application.
III.
User Experience: UIMS enables developers to create user interfaces that are more
intuitive and user-friendly. It provides a set of tools for designing and testing user
interfaces, helping to ensure that the user experience is optimized.
IV.
Maintenance: UIMS simplifies the maintenance of user interfaces. Changes to the
user interface can be made quickly and easily, without affecting the underlying
application logic.
V.
Cross-Platform Support: UIMS can provide cross-platform support, allowing the
same user interface to be used on different platforms (e.g., Windows, Mac, Linux,
mobile devices).
5. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) guidelines are a set of principles and best practices that
help to ensure that user interfaces are usable, effective, and efficient. Two well-known sets of
HCI guidelines are Shneiderman's 8 Golden Rules and Norman's 7 Principles. Let's discuss each
of them in more detail:
Shneiderman's 8 Golden Rules:
I.
Strive for consistency: Ensure that the user interface is consistent throughout the
application.
II.
Enable frequent users to use shortcuts: Provide shortcuts and other time-saving
features for experienced users.
III.
Offer informative feedback: Provide users with clear and timely feedback about their
actions and the system's status.
IV.
Design dialogues to yield closure: Ensure that user interactions have a clear
beginning, middle, and end.
V.
Offer simple error handling: Ensure that error messages are clear and concise, and
provide users with guidance on how to correct the error.
VI.
Permit easy reversal of actions: Allow users to undo and redo their actions, and
provide a clear path to recovery in case of accidental deletion.
VII.
Support internal locus of control: Give users control over the system and their
interactions with it.
VIII.
Reduce short-term memory load: Minimize the amount of information that users need
to remember by providing clear and concise instructions and labels.
Norman's 7 Principles:
I.
Visibility: Ensure that the system's status and available actions are clearly visible to
the user.
II.
Feedback: Provide users with clear and immediate feedback about their actions and
the system's response.
III.
Constraints: Use constraints to guide user actions and prevent errors.
IV.
Mapping: Ensure that the relationship between the user's actions and their effects on
the system is clear and intuitive.
V.
Consistency: Ensure that the system's behavior is consistent with user expectations
and with other parts of the system.
VI.
VII.
Affordances: Design user interface elements to suggest their function and use.
Simplify: Reduce the complexity of the user interface and the user's cognitive load by
providing clear and concise instructions and minimizing distractions.
6. Heuristic evaluation is a method of evaluating the usability of a user interface by assessing it
against a set of heuristics, or usability principles. The method involves a group of evaluators who
inspect the user interface and identify potential usability problems. The results of the evaluation
can then be used to improve the user interface design. One widely used set of heuristics is
Nielsen's ten heuristic principles, which are as follows:
I.
Visibility of system status: The system should always keep users informed about what
is going on, through appropriate feedback within a reasonable time.
II.
Match between system and the real world: The system should speak the user's
language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than systemoriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a
natural and logical order.
III.
User control and freedom: Users often choose system functions by mistake and will
need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to
go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
IV.
Consistency and standards: Users should not have to wonder whether different words,
situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
V.
Error prevention: Even better than good error messages is a careful design which
prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone
conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they
commit to the action.
VI.
Recognition rather than recall: Minimize the user's memory load by making objects,
actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from
one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be
visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.
VII.
Flexibility and efficiency of use: Accelerators—unseen by the novice user—may
often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to
both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions.
VIII.
Aesthetic and minimalist design: Dialogues should not contain information which is
irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes
with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.
IX.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors: Error messages should be
expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and
constructively suggest a solution.
X.
Help and documentation: Even though the system is designed so that the user can
easily learn how to use it, a help facility should be provided for users when they need
it. Documentation should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete
steps to be carried out, and not be too large.