1. Review for Midterm Spring 2018
Jeff Offutt
SWE 205
Software Usability and Design

2. Parameters & Logistics
10:30 – 11:45 (the usual class time)
Same room
Closed book / closed notes / closed neighbor
Covers readings, slides, homework assignments, and in-class exercises
Spread out so you are not next to each other
Break apart tables, 2 per table
205 - Midterm Review
© Offutt

3. Concepts User friendly doesn’t make sense
Usability is more than software
rule
Criteria :
Time to learn
Speed of performance
Rate of user errors
Know the users
Nine golden screen design principles
Visibility, mapping and affordance
Knowledge in the head vs. knowledge in the world
205 - Midterm Review
© Offutt

4. Concepts (2) Knowledge must be stored in the UI
A good UI must be simple
People are not good at being precise
We must design for mistakes
Anticipate, self-correct, help users
People often blame themselves when they make mistakes
Mental models
Nielsen’s top 10 mistakes on the web
Nielsen’s 10 website design tips
205 - Midterm Review
© Offutt

5. Concepts (2) People do not read pages, they scan them at 70 mph
Minimize noise
Edit ruthlessly
Overhead and excise tasks
Memory and considerate software
205 - Midterm Review
© Offutt

6. Preparing & Format Re-read the text and handouts
Study the homework assignments
Review the in-class exercises
Get a good night’s sleep
Expect different kinds of questions
Short answer
T / F
M / C
Single word answer questions
Problem solving
205 - Midterm Review
© Offutt