Module Information
Module Identifier
CS22310
Module Title
User Centred Design and Human Computer Interaction
Academic Year
2014/2015
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Pre-Requisite
enrollment in the Department of Computer Science.
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 Hours. |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Exam | 1.5 Hours Written Exam | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | User Centred Design of Computer System. Approx 25 hours | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | 1.5 Hours Written Exam | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Note - Students must resit failed examination and/or resubmission of failed/non-submitted coursework components or ones of equivalent value. | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
This module will enable the student to incorporate principles of user centred design into the development of applications built on modern windowing systems.
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- design and implement effective user interfaces, making appropriate use of development techniques.
- apply task and user modelling techniques to the design and evaluation of an interactive system.
- appreciate the limitations of human capacities, and identify how they affect design choices.
- evaluate ethical situations and make professional judgements on them.
Aims
This course deals with the issue of how systems should be built in order to make them understandable by, and accessible to, users. Principles of good interface design are introduced and applied to the issue of human computer interaction. The course also considers methods and tools for achieving good computer interface design.
Content
1. Fundamental principles of good design - 3 Lectures
Functionality. Usability. Socio-technical system interaction. Task and dialogue levels.
2. Models for Human Computer Interaction - 3 Lectures
Mental models. Taskflow models. Dialogue interaction models. Interface metaphors.
3. Methods for Human Computer Interaction - 4 Lectures
Requirements specification. User interface design. Evaluation techniques. Standards for HCI and requirements.
4. Guidelines for screen interfaces - 4 Lectures
HCI characteristics, human cognitive abilities, attention, short-term memory, use of colour. Web acessibility issues.
5. Ethical issues - 3 Lectures
Difficult ethical issues. Examples from the Internet. Evaluating ethical issues and developing decision skills for difficult situations.
6. Current and future developments - 2 Lectures
Changing issues in user interface design, and new research developments.
Functionality. Usability. Socio-technical system interaction. Task and dialogue levels.
2. Models for Human Computer Interaction - 3 Lectures
Mental models. Taskflow models. Dialogue interaction models. Interface metaphors.
3. Methods for Human Computer Interaction - 4 Lectures
Requirements specification. User interface design. Evaluation techniques. Standards for HCI and requirements.
4. Guidelines for screen interfaces - 4 Lectures
HCI characteristics, human cognitive abilities, attention, short-term memory, use of colour. Web acessibility issues.
5. Ethical issues - 3 Lectures
Difficult ethical issues. Examples from the Internet. Evaluating ethical issues and developing decision skills for difficult situations.
6. Current and future developments - 2 Lectures
Changing issues in user interface design, and new research developments.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | No. |
| Communication | Written skills will be needed to complete examination and coursework. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | See 2 above . |
| Information Technology | The whole module concerns this area. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Module looks at quite new areas of computing and may lead to new options in career choice |
| Problem solving | This is inherent to the topic. |
| Research skills | The students will need to search for and use relevant technical information while completing practical work. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Yes. See module title and content. |
| Team work | No. |
Reading List
Recommended TextShneiderman, Ben. (2005.) Designing the user interface :strategies for effective human-computer interaction /Ben Shneiderman, Catherine Plaisant. 4th International ed. Pearson/Addison Wesley Primo search Supplementary Text
William M. Newman and Michael G. Lamming (1995) Interactive System Design Addison Wesley Primo search Consult For Futher Information
Leventhal, Laura M. (2007.) Usability engineering :process, products, and examples /Laura M. Leventhal, Julie A. Barnes. Prentice Hall Primo search Norman, Donald A. (2002.) The design of everyday things /Donald A. Norman. 1st Basic paperback. Basic Books Primo search Preece, Jenny. (1993.) A Guide to usability :human factors in computing /edited by Jenny Preece ...[et al.]. Addison-Wesley Primo search
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5