Usability

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Usability


Today’s exercise: _Choose an everyday task that involves using some technology, such as making coffee or buying a train ticket. Explain how the gulf of execution and the gulf of evaluation could lead to problems performing this task. Then, explain whether any of Nielsen’s heuristics fail for this task.__

I am sure this example will come up often, but today I will focus on using the monitors set up in our classroom for CSCI 5839. The gulf of execution can lead to problems with this task since the monitor only has one button that is unlabeled. To a first-time user, given previous norms on televisions, they might expect the first big button they find to be the power button. Instead, it might not be obvious this button should be used for all tasks pertaining to adjusting the TV.

This interface fails at Nielsen’s fourth heuristic of matching norms, as well as his seventh heuristic of flexibility and ease of use, since changing the input might require waiting extended periods of time.