Part-C

Unit-5
Chapter 10

Quality of Service

• Introduction
• Models of Response Time Impacts
• Expectations and Attitudes
• User Productivity
• Variability in Response Time
• Frustrating Experiences
 Introduction
Quality of Service stems from basic human values:
[Link] is precious
• Lengthy or Unexpected system response time can
produce Frustration, Annoyance … Eventually Anger
[Link] mistakes should be avoided
• Speedy work can result in users Learning less,
Reading with lower comprehension, Committing more
data-entry errors, Making more incorrect decisions
1. Stress can build up – For low error rates, pace of
work should be slow
oReduce user frustration
• Delays, crashes, bugs, poor designs leading to
confusions, unreliable ISPs, malware…… cause
2
frustration
 Response Time Impacts
Response Time
• Number of seconds - from the moment users
initiate an activity until the computer presents
results on the display

User Think Time

• Number of seconds the user thinks before
initiating the next action
User think time
User planning time
Response Time

User User Computer Computer

starts initiates begins completes
typing activity response response 3
 Response Time Impacts
Response Times and Display Rates are complex
interactions of: Further complicated
• Task complexity by User’s personality
differences,
• Speed of task performance familiarity with
computers,
• Error rates experience with the
• Error handling procedures task, and motivation

Majority of users prefer rapid interactions

• Lengthy response times (15 seconds) are
detrimental to productivity
• Rapid response times ( ≤1 second) are preferable,
but can increase errors for complex tasks
• Overall productivity depends on - the speed of
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the system, the error rate and ease of recovery
 Response Time Impacts
• Screen refresh rates for web-based and mobile
communications are usually limited by network
speed or server performance

• Broadband ISPs provide higher download

speeds and lower upload speeds

• Since users often scan a web page looking for

highlights – useful to display text first and
graphical elements can be loaded later

5
 Response Time Impacts
• A cognitive model of the human performance
would be useful

Limitations of Short-term and Working memories

• Magic number: Seven-plus or minus Two

• The average person can rapidly recognize seven

chunks of information at a time
• Thisinformation can be held for 15-30
seconds in short-term memory
• Size of the chunks depends on the person’s
familiarity with the material
6
 Response Time Impacts
Limitations of Short-term and Working memories
• Short-term memory and Working memory are
used in conjunction for processing information and
problem solving
• Short-term memory processes perceptual
input
• Working memory generates and implements
solutions

• Short term and Working memory are highly volatile

• Disruptions cause loss of memory
• Delays require that memory be refreshed
• Anxiety reduces the size of available memory 7
 Response Time Impacts
Source of errors
• If solutions are to be constructed in spite of
interferences, solutions must be implemented or
recorded to long-time memory
• Chance of error increases when solutions are to be
recorded (in long-term memory) and pace of work
slows
• Interactive computer system users - may formulate
plans and have to wait for execution at each step
• If there is an unexpected result or a long delay, the
user may forget the further plan
• For a given user and task, there is a preferred
response time
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 Response Time Impacts
Conditions for Optimum Problem Solving
• Longer response time causes anxiety because the
penalty for error increases – causes slow performance
and increases error rates
• Shorter response time may cause failure to
comprehend the presented materials – may generate
incorrect solution plans
• Analogy: Although high speeds are attractive, Speed
Limits for driving to reduce accidents
• Progress indicators shorten perceived elapsed time
and heighten satisfaction:
• Graphical indicators
• Blinking messages
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• Seconds left for completion
 Response Time Impacts
Users may achieve Rapid task performance,
Low error rates, and High satisfaction if the
following criteria are met:
•Users have adequate knowledge of the objects
and actions necessary for problem-solving
•Solution plan can be carried out without delays
•Distractions are eliminated
•Anxiety is low
•There is feedback about progress
•Errors can be avoided or handled easily
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These are the conditions for optimum problem solving
 Response Time Impacts
Conjectures (suppositions) for choosing the
optimum interaction speed
•Novices may exhibit better performance with
slower response time
•Novices prefer to work at slower speeds
•With little penalty for an error, users prefer to
work more quickly
•When the task is familiar and easily
comprehended, users prefer more rapid action
•If users have experienced rapid performance
previously, they will expect it in future situations
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 Expectations and Attitudes
• Users establish expectations based on their past
experiences of the time required for a task
• If the task is accomplished more quickly – users are
pleased
• If the task is accomplished much quickly or much
slowly, users are concerned/ frustrated
• Response-time Choke : Allows a system to be
slowed down when the load is light and make the
response time more uniform
• Three factors influence response-time
expectations
• Previous experiences
• The individual personality type
• Task complexity and user’s familiarity with the task
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 Expectations and Attitudes
Conjectures (hypothesis)
• Individual differences are large and users are
adaptive. Users work faster as they gain
experience, and will change their working
strategies as response time change. It may be
useful to allow people to set their own pace of
interaction
• For repetitive tasks, users prefer working rapidly
with short response times
• For complex tasks, users adapt to working with
slow response times with no loss of productivity,
but dissatisfaction increases as response times
lengthen 13
 User Productivity
• Shorter response times - lead to higher productivity
• Working too quickly - may lead to errors
Nature of the task has a strong influence on whether
changes in response time alter user productivity
[Link] Control Tasks
• Involve monitoring a display and issuing commands
in response to changes in the display
• With shorter response times, operators may learn to
use the system more quickly because alternatives
can be explored easily
[Link] Problem Solving Tasks
• If there are many approaches to solution, users will
adapt their work style to the response time 14
 User Productivity
Summary
• Users pick up the pace of the interface and
consistently prefer a faster rate

• Each task appears to have an optimal pace –

shorter or longer response times will increase
errors

• If error damage is large and recovery is

difficult, users should slow down

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 Variability in Response Time
• People are willing to pay substantial amounts
of money to reduce the variability in their lives

• Users are capable of adapting to varying

situations

• Modest variations in response time (plus or

minus 50% of the mean) appear to be
tolerable

• It may be useful to slow down fast responses

to avoid surprising users

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 Frustrating Experiences
• Critics believe that the user frustration is
increasing due to Interface complexity,
Network disruptions, and Malicious
interferences

• Infrastructure improvements to Server

capacity and Network speed will improve user
experience

• User training can have an influence in reducing

frustration

• Use of Spam control and Antivirus is

necessary 17
 Response Time Guidelines…
1. Users prefer shorter response times
2. Longer response times (>15 secs) are disruptive
3. Usage profile changes as a function of response time
4. Shorter response time leads to shorter think time
5. A faster pace may increase productivity, but may
increase error rates
6. Error recovery ease and time influence optimal time
response
7. Response times should be appropriate to the task:
• Typing, Cursor motion, Mouse selection : 50-150 ms
• Simple frequent tasks: 1 sec
• Common tasks: 2-4 secs
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• Complex tasks: 8-12 secs
 …Response Time Guidelines
8. Users should be advised of long delays
9. Strive to have rapid start-ups
10. Modest variability in response time is acceptable
11. Unexpected delays may be disruptive
12. Offer users a choice in the pace of interaction
13. Empirical tests can help to set suitable response
times

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 Question Bank
1. What are the human values from which quality of service stems?
Explain.
2. What are the disadvantages of lengthy system response? Give a
model of System Response Time.
3. What are the preferences of majority of users regarding response
time?
4. Discuss on the limitations of Short-term and Working memory.
5. Give the criteria for rapid task performance, low error rates and
high satisfaction.
6. What are the factors that influence users’ expectations and
attitude regarding response time? List some conjectures in this
context.
7. Write a note on: (a) User productivity (b) Variability in
Response Time
8. What are the causes for frustrating experiences? What are the
solutions for them?
9. Give the guidelines for Response-time. 20