Cognitive Ergonomics

A. What is the definition of a “requirement”.

1. Name 2 methods to determine these.

1. A requirement is a “statement” concerning a (future) product which indicates what it could be and/ or how it should function.
2. Focus groups, (semi-) structurered interviews, observations, questionnaires, think-aloud protocols, taskanalysis.

2.

A. Name  2 top-down depth cues.

B. Explain why small cars are more often than big cars involved in accidents where they are hit frombehind (also metion the relevant depth cue in your answer).

A. Top-down: Linear perspective, relative size, interposition, ligth and shadow, relative movement

B. The relevant depth cue is relative size. A smaller car is perceived as relatively further away than a big car when it is approached from behind. Therefore, people decelerate too late. OPTIONAL (additional) answer: People have stored the prototypical size of the average car in their long-term memory en this typical size is used to determine the distance to a car. Because a small car is smaller than thisavrage it is perceived as further away.

3.

A. Give the defenition of a mental model of the user of a technical system.

B. Would a cognitive psychologist say a mental model is in the long term or short term memory? Explain your answer in a concise manner.

1. A mental model contains our understanding of the components of a system, how the system works, and how you could use it.
2. In the long term memory. It concerns fairly stable semantic (and some episodic) memories that do not depend on active rehearsal.

4. Mention three memory principles (memory principles)  for display design. Give a practical example with each principle.

1. Replace memory by visual information (aka put knowledge in the world) (for example: Instruction cards in airplanes on what to do in case of an emergency).
2. Offer help to humans with prediction (traffic signs that help to anticipate what will happen further down the road).
3. Consistency: the lights are operated in the same way in various car types/brands.

5.

A. Which 2 variabels can be found in “Fitt’s Law”?

B. Explain with Fitt’s law whether mouse movements to the edge of a monitor can be done really fast or really slow.