Cumulative Quiz :Design Principles: an Introduction (Interaction Design Specialization) Answers 2026
Question 1
Key lesson from the Obama campaign website experiment:
❌ Ask people for money as soon as possible
❌ The best method is to use intuition
✅ Use data because our assumptions are often wrong
❌ Use data from other websites
Explanation:
The experiment showed that data-driven decisions outperform intuition.
Question 2
A between-subjects experimental design:
✅ Each participant uses only one of the systems
❌ Each participant uses all systems
Question 3
The Think Aloud method involves:
✅ Users explain what they are doing during the task
❌ Debriefing only at the end
❌ Talking before the experiment
❌ Team-building exercises
Question 4
Appropriate null hypothesis for the Highrise A/B test:
❌ Design A is different from Design B
✅ Design A and Design B have the same signup rate
Question 5
When is an MTA-style map more useful? (Select all that apply)
✅ Counting the number of stations
❌ Finding a route from Manhattan to JFK
❌ Finding the southernmost station
❌ Choosing the physically shortest route
❌ None
Explanation:
Schematic maps are best for station counting and route logic, not distance.
Question 6
User clicks OK instead of saving changes:
❌ Mistake
✅ Slip
❌ None
❌ Both
Explanation:
The user’s intention was correct, execution was wrong.
Question 7
How to fix the dialog box error:
✅ Rewrite message and label buttons clearly (“Save” / “Don’t Save”)
❌ Move Cancel button
❌ Set default to Cancel
Question 8
Clicking “No” instead of “Yes” because buttons are too close:
✅ Slip
❌ Mistake
❌ Both
❌ None
Question 9
How to prevent this error? (Select all that apply)
❌ Add another confirmation dialog
❌ Change “yes” to “do not erase”
✅ Move the buttons further apart
Question 10
To shorten scan time on a German webpage, text should be:
❌ Right-aligned
✅ Left-aligned
❌ Centered
❌ Staggered
Question 11
Ways to differentiate related/unrelated info (Select all that apply)
✅ Indent sub-groups
✅ Leave white space between groups
✅ Put a box around related information
✅ Insert a blank line between groups
Question 12
True statements about ordering effects (Select all that apply)
✅ Can occur due to learning/practice
❌ Can only be prevented with two conditions
❌ Fatigue does not contribute
✅ Later results are influenced by earlier tasks
Question 13
Helps reduce gap between users & designers (Select all that apply)
❌ Non-destructive operations
✅ Discoverability
✅ Visibility
❌ Reliability
Question 14
What the refrigerator example illustrates (Select all that apply)
❌ All users have the same mental model
❌ Turning dial colder always affects freezer
✅ Users make mistakes due to different mental models
✅ Users develop mental models through interaction
Question 15
Closing the wrong browser window accidentally:
✅ Slip
❌ Mistake
❌ Both
❌ Neither
Question 16
Examples of direct manipulation (Select all that apply)
✅ Dragging a file into trash
❌ Making notepad look realistic
✅ Editing address inline
❌ VR code navigation
Question 17
A/B test with p = 0.04 at α = 0.05:
❌ Fail to reject null
❌ Chance alone explains it
✅ Reject the null hypothesis
❌ 40% probability explanation
Question 18
Incorrect statement about visual design:
❌ Whitespace conveys grouping
✅ Right-aligned text is faster to skim
❌ Typography, layout, color are basic tools
❌ High x-height improves small-size readability
Question 19
Correct null hypothesis for Highrise headline test:
❌ A ≠ B
❌ A > B
❌ A < B
✅ A = B
Question 20
Independent vs dependent variable:
❌ Signup rate; Time on page
❌ Headline; Time on page
❌ Signup rate; Headline
✅ Change in headline; Percentage of people who sign up
🧾 SUMMARY TABLE
| Q# | Correct Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | Use data, assumptions are wrong |
| 2 | Between-subjects = one system |
| 3 | Think Aloud during task |
| 4 | A = B |
| 5 | Count stations |
| 6 | Slip |
| 7 | Clear labels |
| 8 | Slip |
| 9 | Move buttons |
| 10 | Left-aligned |
| 11 | All |
| 12 | Learning + carryover |
| 13 | Discoverability, Visibility |
| 14 | Mental models differ & evolve |
| 15 | Slip |
| 16 | Dragging + inline editing |
| 17 | Reject null |
| 18 | Right-aligned faster (false) |
| 19 | A = B |
| 20 | Headline → Signup rate |