Exams on a human-computer interaction course at this level usually follow a familiar shape. A common layout is five or six questions, of which you answer four in about 2½ to 3 hours; some papers make the first question compulsory. Each question is often worth 15–20 marks, split into two to four parts of 4–10 marks, giving you roughly 35–45 minutes per question.

The questions come from a recognisable territory. Expect definitions (HCI, usability according to ISO 9241-11, user-centred design, persona, prototype, accessibility), lists with explanations (Nielsen's ten heuristics, Shneiderman's eight golden rules, Norman's design principles, the WCAG POUR principles, interaction styles), "differentiate" pairs (HCI vs UI, slips vs mistakes, low- vs high-fidelity prototypes, formative vs summative evaluation, heuristic evaluation vs cognitive walkthrough), and diagrams (the UCD lifecycle, Norman's seven stages and gulfs, an HTA tree). Many papers include a scenario: an interface or system is described and you must identify usability problems, name the principles violated, or propose an evaluation plan. Short calculations with Fitts' law, the Keystroke-Level Model or the System Usability Scale appear on some papers.

A calm strategy: read every question first and choose those where you can define, list and illustrate with confidence. For a list worth 10 marks, give each item a name, a one-sentence meaning and a concrete example; tables make comparisons quick to write and easy to mark. For scenarios, always link each problem to a named principle and give a specific fix. Draw diagrams large and labelled. Show every step in calculations and finish with what the number means for the design.