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1. Explain the following

- Statistical Graphics Screen Planning
- Information Retrieval in Web
a) Statistical Graphics Screen Planning:
Statistical graphics screen planning refers to the process of designing the layout and
presentation of graphical data on a computer screen. It involves organizing and displaying
statistical information visually through charts, graphs, and plots, so that users can easily
understand and interpret complex datasets.

A statistical graphic (also called a chart or graph) helps represent numerical data in a visual
format. These graphics are particularly helpful when dealing with large, complex, or abstract
information that may be hard to understand through plain text or tables. Good screen planning
ensures that the visual data is presented in a clear, simple, and effective manner.

Important aspects of screen planning include:

 Types of graphs: Line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, scatter plots, and surface charts.

 Labeling and legends: Each visual element (like axes, data points, or sections) should be
properly labeled to help users understand what is being shown.

 Ordering and spacing: The data should be organized in a meaningful way, with proper
spacing between elements to avoid clutter.

 Comparing data: Some graphs may show actual vs. projected data, or relationships
between two variables (like in scatter plots).

 Meaningful organization: Grouping and highlighting critical data to guide the user’s
focus.

The main goal of statistical graphics screen planning is to make data interactive, informative,
and user-friendly, enhancing both the aesthetic quality and the usability of an interface.

b) Information Retrieval in Web

Information Retrieval (IR) on the web is the process of searching for, accessing, and retrieving
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relevant information from the vast amount of data available online. It involves responding to a
user’s query by finding the most appropriate web documents or resources.

This process is similar to traditional IR in libraries or databases but scaled up for the internet.
The web contains billions of documents, often in different formats and languages. To manage
this, modern IR systems use web search engines (like Google) that rely on web crawlers to
systematically browse the web and create an index of pages.

Key components of web-based information retrieval include:

 Search Engines: Software systems designed to search for information in the web based
on user queries. They provide a list of results ranked by relevance.

 Web Crawlers (Spiders/Bots): Automated programs that explore the web, download
pages, and add them to the search engine’s database.

 Indexing: The process of organizing and labeling documents using keywords, metadata,
and content descriptors for fast retrieval.

The impact of the web on information retrieval has been immense:

 It has expanded the reach of IR to a global scale.

 Enabled fast access to a wide range of multimedia content (text, images, video, audio).

 Introduced natural language processing, allowing users to search using normal

sentences.

 Created the need for advanced ranking algorithms to sort through vast amounts of
information.

IR queries can be of different types such as:

 Keyword-based

 Boolean (AND, OR, NOT)

 Phrase and proximity searches

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 Natural language questions

2. Write a detailed note on Human Interaction with Computers.

Human interaction with computers focuses on how people use, understand, and react to
computer systems. It highlights the problems users face, human characteristics that affect
interaction, and how designs can be improved for better usability.

1. Why People Have Trouble with Computers:

Many users struggle with computers due to poor design and technical language. Common issues
include:

 Jargon Use: Systems often use unfamiliar or technical terms like "file-spec", "boot", etc.,
which confuse users.

 Complex Design: Some designs aren’t intuitive or easy to understand, so users have to
learn them the hard way.

 Fine Distinctions: Small changes in timing or method can lead to different results, which
is hard to keep track of.

 Problem-Solving Errors: Users can get stuck or make mistakes that force them to restart
the system.

 Design Inconsistency: Same actions may have different names or results. For example,
“save” and “keep” might mean the same, but confuse users.

2. Important Human Characteristics in Design:

Understanding user psychology and abilities is essential in designing better systems.

a) Perception:

 People process information using their senses (sight, sound, etc.)

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 Proximity & Similarity: Objects close together or similar in appearance are grouped
mentally.

 Pattern Matching: Users recognize patterns, like same shapes in different sizes.

 Closure & Continuity: Our minds fill in gaps to make sense of partial information.

b) Memory:

 Short-term memory holds limited information temporarily.

 Long-term memory is for storing learned information permanently.

c) Sensory Storage:

 It's a short buffer for the brain to automatically process sensory input before it fades.

d) Visual Acuity:

 It’s the eye’s ability to see fine details.

 Affected by distance, lighting, font style, and aging.

 Important for reading screens, signs, and recognizing images or faces.

e) Foveal & Peripheral Vision:

 Foveal vision focuses on what you're looking directly at.

 Peripheral vision detects surroundings but with less clarity.

f) Mental Models:

 These are internal maps or understandings users create to operate systems or perform
tasks.

 Helps users predict or remember what to do, even when unfamiliar with the exact steps.

g) Learning:

 Learning stores new knowledge into long-term memory.

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 Skills build on each other, become automatic, and require less conscious effort over
time.

3. Human Considerations in Business System Design:

Design must match user knowledge, experience, and motivation.

a) User Knowledge & Experience:

Design should consider:

 Computer Literacy: How familiar a user is with using computers.

 System & Application Experience: Prior knowledge of similar software or tools.

 Task Experience: How well users know their job tasks.

 Education, Typing Skills, Reading Level, Language: These all affect how easily a person
can use a system.

b) Psychological Traits:

 Attitude & Motivation: Positive feelings and motivation improve user experience.

 Patience & Stress: Some tasks test user patience; stress should be minimized.

 Cognitive Style: Whether someone prefers visuals or text, logic or intuition, should guide
design choices.

4. Types of Users:

a) Mandatory Users:

 Required to use the system for their job.

 More willing to invest time learning the system.

 Usually more motivated and sometimes technically skilled.

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b) Discretionary Users:

 Using the system is optional.

 Less likely to be motivated.

 Don’t care about technical details and may avoid using difficult systems.

 System should be engaging and user-friendly to attract them.

3. List out the design goals for screen Designing.

The primary goals of screen design are centered around improving user interaction,
enhancing usability, and reducing cognitive effort. These goals include:
1. Reduce Visual Work
o Minimize unnecessary eye movement.
o Organize screen elements in a way that guides the user’s eyes naturally.
o Avoid visual clutter through effective use of spacing, contrast, and alignment.
2. Reduce Intellectual Work
o Make the interface intuitive and easy to understand.
o Avoid requiring users to interpret ambiguous terms or instructions.
o Use familiar language and design patterns.
3. Reduce Memory Load
o Do not expect users to remember information from one screen to the next.
o Provide visible cues, reminders, or summaries.
o Use recognition over recall by making actions and options visible.
4. Reduce Mental Work
o Streamline complex tasks into simpler, guided steps.
o Offer real-time feedback to user actions.
o Make navigation and decision-making straightforward.
5. Eliminate Burdensome Instructions
o Avoid long, complicated user instructions.
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o Use direct, concise wording.

o Replace text with meaningful visuals or context-sensitive help where possible.
6. Reflect the User’s Tasks and Capabilities
o Align screen design with the user's real-world tasks and their level of experience.
o Cater to different skill levels, from novice to expert.
o Consider accessibility and physical constraints of the user.
7. Achieve Business Objectives
o Ensure that the screen helps accomplish the goals of the system.
o Design should support productivity, accuracy, and efficiency.
o Every element should serve a clear purpose tied to the system’s functions.

4. Discuss the guidelines for displaying amount of information on

screen.

The way information is displayed on a computer screen plays a vital role in

enhancing user interaction, minimizing cognitive load, and improving overall user
experience. Proper information display ensures that users can quickly locate,
interpret, and act upon data without confusion or delay.

1. Avoid Information Overload

Users should not be overwhelmed with excessive data. Display only essential and
relevant content per screen. Overloading screens can lead to slower
comprehension, increased error rates, and reduced satisfaction.

2. Use Chunking and Logical Grouping

Information should be grouped into smaller, manageable sections or "chunks".

Grouping related items together based on functionality or category helps the user
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to scan and understand content easily. Psychological studies show that the human
brain can process 5–9 chunks of information effectively at once.

3. Apply Progressive Disclosure

This principle involves showing basic or high-priority information initially and

revealing more detailed content on user demand. This technique reduces clutter,
improves focus, and guides users step-by-step through complex interfaces.

4. Prioritize Important Information

Critical information should be displayed in prominent areas, such as the top-left or

center of the screen, where users’ attention naturally falls. Use visual emphasis
through font weight, size, or color to highlight key data.

5. Maintain Visual Balance and Use of White Space

The layout should be visually balanced. Adequate white space between text
blocks, images, and controls improves readability and prevents the interface from
appearing crowded. A clean interface promotes better information retention and
usability.

6. Limit Scrolling and Promote Navigation

Unnecessary or excessive scrolling should be avoided. When dealing with large

amounts of content, consider alternatives like tabs, collapsible menus, or
pagination. This provides users with a sense of control over the information flow.

7. Ensure Consistency
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Consistency in design elements such as font styles, colors, icons, and screen
layouts helps users build a mental model of the interface. This reduces cognitive
effort and helps in learning and recalling interface functions.

8. Ensure Responsive and Adaptive Design

The interface should be responsive, meaning that the content must adjust
effectively to different screen sizes and resolutions. Information must remain
legible and accessible whether viewed on desktops, tablets, or mobile devices.

9. Use of Visual Hierarchy

Visual hierarchy is essential for guiding the user’s eye. Differentiate headings,
subheadings, and body text using font sizes, colors, and alignment. This helps
users to scan the screen and extract needed information quickly.

10. Use Meaningful Icons and Labels

Icons and labels should be used thoughtfully to supplement text and guide user
understanding. Ensure that icons are intuitive and labels are concise and
descriptive.

5. Discuss the importance of human characteristics and human

considerations.

Designing interactive systems requires a deep understanding of the human

characteristics that affect how users perceive, process, and interact with
information. These characteristics are critical for creating systems that are
usable, efficient, and satisfying for the end user.
1. Perception
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Perception is the awareness and understanding of information through the

senses, such as sight, sound, and touch. Designers must take into account how
users see, hear, and interpret information.
 Proximity: Elements that are close together are perceived as related.
 Similarity: Elements that share common features (color, size, shape) are
perceived as part of the same group.
 Pattern Recognition: Users identify patterns even when presented in
different sizes or formats.
 Succinctness: Users tend to perceive objects as having a simple or ideal
shape for easier memory and recognition.
 Closure: Users tend to fill in missing parts of an image to see a whole.
 Unity and Continuity: Disconnected lines may be perceived as continuous;
closed shapes are seen as groups.
2. Memory
Human memory is divided into:
 Short-term memory (STM): Limited capacity, holds 5–9 items briefly.
 Long-term memory (LTM): Stores information permanently but requires
repetition and structure to recall efficiently.
Designs should minimize the load on STM and support user recall through
intuitive layout, labels, and consistent navigation.
3. Sensory Storage
Sensory storage temporarily holds information received from the senses. It
includes:
 Visual Acuity: The eye’s ability to see fine detail. It is influenced by text size,
font style, contrast, illumination, and viewing distance.
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 As people age, visual acuity decreases, requiring design adjustments such as

larger fonts and better color contrast.
4. Foveal and Peripheral Vision
 Foveal vision: Used for focusing directly on an object.
 Peripheral vision: Detects motion or changes outside the focus area, but is
less detailed.
Designers should place critical elements where foveal vision is focused and
use motion sparingly in peripheral zones to guide attention.
5. Mental Models
A mental model is an internal representation of how a user understands a
system or task.
 Mental models help users predict outcomes, learn new systems, and
troubleshoot when something goes wrong.
 Interfaces should align with common mental models to reduce learning
curves.
6. Learning
Learning is the process of transferring information from short-term memory
into long-term memory.
 Design must support learning through feedback, tutorials, repetition, and
visual cues.
 Interfaces should encourage both discovery and mastery.
7. Skill
Skills are learned patterns of behavior. They are hierarchical — lower-level
skills (e.g., typing) support higher-level skills (e.g., editing a document).
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 Interfaces should support skill development and allow experts to perform

tasks efficiently without unnecessary prompts.
Human Considerations :
In business systems, user diversity is significant. Therefore, systems must
consider the psychological, behavioral, and experiential aspects of users. Key
factors include:
1. User Knowledge and Experience
 Computer Literacy: Ranges from novice to expert. Novices need guided
menus and help screens.
 System Experience: Previous exposure to similar systems impacts ease of
learning.
 Task Experience: Familiarity with the job or business domain affects
expectations and usage patterns.
 Application Experience: Users with background in similar tools adapt
quicker.
2. Psychological Characteristics
 Attitude: Affects willingness to use the system. Negative feelings reduce
adoption.
 Motivation: Users with strong motivation will overcome poor design; low
motivation leads to abandonment.
 Patience and Expectations: Impatient users prefer faster interactions.
 Stress Level: Systems should be calming and predictable.
 Cognitive Style: Some users are verbal/logical, others are visual/spatial.
Interface design must accommodate both.
3. Mandatory vs. Discretionary Users
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 Mandatory Users:
o Use systems as part of job requirements.
o May tolerate less usable systems.
o Tend to invest time in learning.
 Discretionary Users:
o Use is optional.
o May abandon systems with poor usability.
o Motivation must be fostered through user-friendly design and clear
benefits.

6. Write a detail note on Technological Considerations in

Interface Design

Interface design is not solely dependent on user needs and human psychology;
it also critically depends on the technological environment in which the
system operates. Technological considerations influence the feasibility,
performance, responsiveness, and visual quality of the user interface.
Designers must work within the constraints and capabilities of the available
hardware and software platforms.
Below are the major technological considerations that impact interface design:
1. Hardware Capabilities and Limitations
a) Display Devices
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 Resolution, size, and refresh rates of screens directly influence layout, font
sizes, color use, and overall visual aesthetics.
 Designers must adapt interfaces for different screen types (CRT, LCD, LED,
OLED, touchscreens, etc.).
b) Input Devices
 Interfaces must be compatible with the types of input users will use:
keyboard, mouse, touch, stylus, voice, gesture, etc.
 For mobile devices, interfaces should consider touch interactions, haptic
feedback, and voice control.
c) Processing Power and Memory
 The complexity of visual elements, animations, and real-time feedback
should match the system’s processing capacity.
 Low-end devices may require lightweight UI designs to ensure smooth
performance.
d) Network Infrastructure
 In web-based and cloud applications, internet speed and connectivity
reliability affect interface responsiveness.
 Designers must handle slow or intermittent connectivity with appropriate
loading indicators, error messages, and offline support.
2. Software and Operating System Constraints
a) Platform Compatibility
 Interfaces must be designed according to the standards and UI guidelines of
the target platform (e.g., Windows, macOS, Android, iOS).
 Developers must consider cross-platform issues when using frameworks like
React Native, Flutter, or Electron.
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b) Browser and Rendering Engines

 Web interfaces must be tested across different browsers (Chrome, Firefox,
Safari, Edge) as each uses a different rendering engine.
 CSS and JavaScript behavior may vary across platforms, affecting layout and
functionality.
c) Backend Support and APIs
 The availability and reliability of APIs influence how dynamic or interactive
an interface can be.
 Real-time data-driven UIs require strong backend support and API
integration.
3. Response Time and System Feedback
 Interfaces should be designed to give users instant or near-instant
feedback on actions.
 If the system has processing delays, designers must provide progress bars,
loading animations, or status messages to maintain user trust.
4. Security Considerations
 Interfaces must be designed to handle authentication, data privacy, and
secure data transfer (e.g., via SSL).
 Input fields must be validated on both client and server side to prevent
injection attacks and data leaks.
5. Accessibility Support
 Interfaces must be designed to support screen readers, voice commands,
and alternate navigation methods for users with disabilities.
 OS-level accessibility features (e.g., Windows Narrator, iOS VoiceOver)
should be supported.
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6. Adaptability and Scalability

 Interfaces should be responsive to various devices and screen sizes, using
fluid layouts and scalable graphics.
 Designers should prepare for future upgrades in technology and user
expectations.
7. Energy Consumption (Especially in Mobile Design)
 High-performance graphics or animations can drain battery life.
 Efficient interface design should minimize unnecessary resource usage to
preserve device performance and longevity.