IS40610 UXD: User-Centered Design

Academic Year 2022/2023

Module Description
Technology is now ubiquitously used in our everyday life. We have countless interactions with interfaces and information systems across our day be it with social media, mobile apps, as well as more traditional desktop oriented interactions. This course will explore the discipline of human-computer interaction (HCI), a discipline which focuses on the design of user-centred technology interactions and the effect that design and technology interaction has on people's behaviours, perceptions and emotions. The course will teach students 1) how to design and evaluate technology interactions to ensure truly user centred design as well as 2) more theoretical insights on how interface design affects user behaviours, emotions and performance. Students will be asked to create their own design solution for a specific information system use case as well as deeply explore cutting edge research in an area of academic research in HCI. Students will be asked to think creatively, work together on a practical design led project as well as study in depth what it means to place the human at the centre of technology design.

Registration to this module is open to MSc students. Note that 3rd year UG students who wish to take this course must get permission from the module co-ordinator before registering.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:
1) Choose appropriate design techniques and apply them to a real world design issue
2) Identify considerations needed for specific modalities and design techniques in HCI
3) Understand, justify and utilise evaluation methods available to HCI professionals and researchers
4) Communicate issues relating to key areas in HCI and user centered design

Indicative Module Content:

Indicative content (note the topics covered are subject to change)

Lecture 1- What is HCI? Historical perspectives

Lecture 2- Interaction Design and the User Centred Design Cycle

Lecture 3- Taking the user into account in the design process- Requirements gathering

Lecture 4- HCI- More than just "computer" interactions

Lecture 5- Designing & Prototyping

Lecture 6- Evaluating your designs

Lecture 7- Specialist topics: Guest Lecture

Lecture 8- Specialist topics: Designing for speech Interfaces

Lecture 9- Specialist topics: From usability to user experience

Lecture 10- Specialist topics: Guest Lecture


Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

24
Autonomous Student Learning

71
Lectures

24
Total

119
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The key teaching approaches used in the module include:

Peer and group work; Lectures; Critical writing & reflective learning; Student presentation; Case-based/Project-based learning
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Presentation: Poster of design outcomes and process Week 12 n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

10
Essay: Individual essay on topic in Human Computer Interaction Week 11 n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

20
Assignment: Group Design Assignment Week 9 n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

70

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Design assessment- Feedback will be delivered to the group individually through Brightspace after the assessment. Essay- Feedback will be delivered individually through Brightspace post assessment Presentation- Feedback for the group will be delivered individually through Brightspace post assessment

Rogers, Y., Preece, J., & Sharp, H. (2019) Interaction Design; 6th Edition (older editions can also be used)
Dix, A., Findlay, J., Abowd, G., & Beale, R. (2004) Human-Computer Interaction; Third Edition
Cairns, P. & Cox, A. (2009) Research Methods in Human-Computer Interaction
Name Role
Miss Orla Cooney Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Justin Edwards Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Iona Gessinger Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Rhys Jacka Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Autumn
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 13:00 - 14:50