Test your basic knowledge |

Design Principles

Subject : engineering
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Designs should help people avoid errors and minimize the negative consequences of errors when they do occur.






2. A technique used to modify behavior by reinforcing desired behaviors - and ignoring or punishing undesired behaviors.






3. The tendency for people to perform better or worse based on the expectations of another.






4. A strategy for managing information complexity in which only necessary or requested information is displayed at any given time.






5. The debgree to which prose can be understood - based on the complexity of words and sentences.






6. A method of creating imagery - emotions - and understanding of events through an interaction between a storyteller and an audience.






7. A technique for bringing attention to an area of text or image.






8. Adjusting parts of a device in relation to each other to create a sense of unity and cohesion.






9. The visual clarity of text - generally based on the size - typeface - contrast - text block - and spacing of the characters used.






10. The use of more elements than necessary to maintain the performance of a system in the event of failure of one or more of the elements.






11. 1) Functionality 2) Reliability 3) Usability 4) Proficiency 5) Creativity. In order for design to be successful - it must meet ppl's basic need before it can attempt to satisfy higher- level needs.






12. 80% of the effects generated by any large system are caused by 20% of the variables.






13. A tendency to prefer faces in which the eyes - nose - lips and other features are close to the average of a population.






14. Elements perceived as either figures (objects of focus) or ground (the rest of the perceptual field)






15. An action or ommission of action yielding an unintended result.






16. The tendency to perceive objects as unchanging - despite changes in sensory input. (such as perspective - lighting - color or size)






17. A relationship between variables in a system where the consequences of an event are fed back in order to modify the event in the future.






18. Successful products typically follow four stages of creation: requirements - design - development - and testing.






19. A process in which similar characteristics evolve independently in multiple systems.






20. Hierarchical organization is the simplest structure for visualizing and understanding complexity.






21. The act of measuring certain sensitive variable in a system can alter them - and confound the accuracy of the measurement.






22. The process of using spatial and environmental information to navigate to a destination.






23. A phenomenon in which mental processing is made slower and less accurate by competing mental processes.






24. A state of mental focus so intense that awareness of the 'real' world is lost - generally resulting in a feeling of joy and satisfaction.






25. When participants realise the aim of the study and may change their behaviour to help or disrupt the study.






26. A tendency to interpret shaded or dark areas of an object as shadows resulting from a light source above the object.






27. Elements that are similar are perceived to be more related than elements that are dissimilar.






28. Elements that are connected by uniform visual properties - such as color - are perceived to be more related than elements that are not connected.






29. Using more elements than is necessary to offset the effects of unknown variables which may cause a system failure.






30. There are three ways to organize materials to support a load or to contain and protect something: Mass structures - frame structures - and shell structures.






31. It is often preferable to settle for a satisfactory solution - rather than pursue an optimal solution.






32. A phenomenon of memory in which items presented at the beginning and end of a list are more likely to be recalled than items in the middle of a list.






33. A phenomenon of visual processing in which certain line orientations are more quickly and easily processed and discriminated than other line orientations.






34. A diagram that describes the general pattern followed by the eyes when looking at evenly distributed - homogeneous information.






35. The tendency for people to behave differently when they know they are being studied






36. A method of illustrating relationships and patterns in system behaviors by representing two or more system variables in a controlled way.






37. A relationship between controls and their movements or effects. When th effect corresponds to the expectation - the mapping is considered to be good or natural.






38. The relative ease with which a destination - idea - or concept may be reached.






39. An original model on which something is patterned






40. The distressing state of thought caused by recognizing an inconsistency between behavior/thought and value/belief.






41. A tendency to see objects and patterns as 3D when certain visual cues are present.






42. A preference for a particular ratio of waist size to hip size in men and women. Men prefer 0.7 in women. Women prefer 0.9 in men.






43. The use of simplified and incomplete models of a design to explore ideas - elaborate requirements - refine specifications - and test functionality.






44. A tendency to interpret ambiguous images as simple and a complete unit - versus complex and incomplete. (Gestalt principle of perception).






45. Elements that are close together are percieved to be more related than elements that are farther apart.






46. A phenomenon in which perception and behavior changes as a result of personal expectations or the expectations of others. (Halo effect - Hawthorne effect - Pygmalion effect - Placebo effect - Rosenthal effect - Demand characteristics.)






47. As the flexiblity of a system increases - its usability decreases.






48. An activity will be pursued only if its benefits are equal to or greater than the costs. (ie. How much reading is too much to get the point of a message?)






49. A technique used to asociate a stimulus with an unconscious physical or emotional response.






50. A method of presentation in which information is presented in descending order of importance. (Critical information presented first).