Computer Science Homework Help

In this demonstration, you and a friend will complete tasks reputed to be more or less difficult. You will capture performance data (i.e., time and score). You will then complete a workload assessment (i.e., the NASA-TLX) and capture that data. Armed with two sets of results, you will interpret the meaning of the observed differences in workload, both within and across participants. The data interpretation should examine speed (time), accuracy (score), and how well those objective measures are reflected by the subjective ratings from the NASA-TLX.

Preparation:

1. Access to the “Hit the Dot” exercise: http://www.dynamicscience.com.au/tester/solutions1/biology/nervoussystem/delete.html
2. Access to the subjective workload assessment rating tool: http://www.keithv.com/software/nasatlx/nasatlx.html
3. Open or print the performance data collection worksheet: Workload Data Sheet.xlsx

Part 1

1. Set your mouse speed at its moderate (or faster) setting and assure the “enhanced mouse precision” is selected.
2. Open the control theory exercise: http://www.dynamicscience.com.au/tester/solutions1/biology/nervoussystem/delete.html
3. Read the instructions.
4. Click “Start Game”.
5. Move click on the grey dot as fast as you can.
6. Record your time and score (objective performance data) in the workload data sheet.
7. Repeat this process (steps 3-5) for a total of ten trials.
8. Complete a measure of workload, using the NASA-TLX (subjective performance data): http://www.keithv.com/software/nasatlx/nasatlx.html
9. Screen capture the workload summary. It looks like this:
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10. Set your mouse speed at its slowest setting and remove the “enhanced mouse precision”. (Alternatively, use the mouse pad).
11. Repeat the entire process (steps 2-9 above), using the slowest mouse setting without precision (or the mouse pad). Make sure to record the objective data and obtain a screen capture of the subjective data.

Part 2

1. Next repeat the entire process with a different participant . Make sure to record the objective data and obtain a screen capture of the subjective data.

Part 3

• Compare the objective performance (score) and the subjective ratings (NASA-TLX) for workload obtained for each of the two levels of difficulty of the task, both within and across participants.
  • Does the performance (score) correlate with the subjective experience (the NASA-TLX assessment) of how difficult the tasks are? Explain your results.
  • Who had the best score?
  • Who had the lowest workload?
  • How might this learning apply to the real world?
• Write up your results using the (abridged) scientific paper format (module 2G):
  • Introduction with hypothesis
  • Method (variables, participant, materials, procedure)
  • Results (descriptive statistics, graphs of both data sets)
  • Discussion (interpretation of the results)
  • Conclusions (lessons learned and applications)

Reference: NASA. (n.d.). NASA-TLX Paper/Pencil Version. NASA TLX: Task Load Index. Retrieved October 29, 2011, from: http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/groups/TLX/paperpencil.html