CGT

512 Human Factors of Computer Interface Design Fall 2013 Meets: Wednesdays 6-8:50 pm, Knoy B019 / Po?er B050 Instructor: Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu mihaela@purdue.edu 496-7709 Twi?er: @mihaela_v Oce hours: MW 3:30-4:30 pm; by appointment Informa;on about this course available on: 1. Course blog: h?p://cgt512.wordpress.com/ Useful informaWon, addiWonal reecWons and readings, resources, assignments. 2. Blackboard Learn h?ps://mycourses.purdue.edu/ Readings, assignments, grades 3. Email from instructor Only in emergency situaWons. The primary source of informaWon is the course blog. Please make sure you monitor all three conWnuously throughout the semester! Course descrip;on: This course introduces the principles and fundamentals of human factors and human-computer interacWon relaWve to interacWve computer graphics applicaWons and their associated interfaces. Principles and methodologies of usability and performance tesWng are used to highlight relaWonships between various components of human factors, design, and cogniWve psychology in the development of computer graphics-related applicaWons for the purposes of understanding, assessment, and validaWon. A variety of assessment and validaWon methodologies are applied to the development of a broad range of interacWve mulWmedia applicaWons. Course objec;ves: Upon compleWng the course, students will be able to: Explain the fundamental principles of human-computer interface design Apply the iteraWve steps of user-centered interface design Evaluate interface design soluWons Plan and implement various usability research studies to test interface soluWons at dierent stages of producWon. Write up usability reports and provide specic soluWons for improving interface usability IdenWfy direcWons and trends in contemporary human-computer interacWon research Major assignments: 1. User-centered design reports - Students complete 4 separate reports: Usability inspecWon, User research, Conceptual Design, and Usability tesWng. Detailed instrucWons will be provided for each report. 2. Final porLolio Students assemble the 4 research reports into a porcolio. Porcolio includes reecWon and bibliography.

CGT 512 Syllabus - Page 1 of 4

3. Reading worksheets Please ll out a worksheet for each individual reading assigned for class. Bring two copies to class - one of them printed on paper with your name on it, and the other one that you can refer to during class discussion. 4. Blog Each student will maintain a blog about interface design, usability, and HCI. Detailed instrucWons and grading criteria will be provided on Blackboard and the course blog. Requirements include: At least 10 examples of good/bad interface design; reading & class reecWons; other blogs and interesWng arWcles, research arWcle reviews. 5. Exam One nal exam 6. AQendance, par;cipa;on, and professionalism (APP) - students are expected to a?end all classes, and to be prepared to discuss the assigned readings. This grade reects thoughcul and engaged contribuWons to class discussions and online parWcipaWon (e.g. commenWng on classmates blog posts). The grade also includes group members evaluaWon of your group work. Each missed class except the rst one will cause the loss of 3 points. Classes will be excused for medical emergencies, with a doctors note. If you have a fever or suspect you have the u, please stay home to avoid infecWng others. Do consult a doctor for early treatment and bring a wri?en note. Students will observe professional and reliable work habits and behaviors. Impeccable work ethics include Wmely work, prompt communicaWon with the instructor and members of team projects, and, of course, valuable contribuWons to team projects. Professionalism is expected in all interacWons (in class, by email, on Twi?er) with all class members and the instructor, and includes correct spelling and grammar. Note: Late assignments will not get ANY points unless prior arrangements have been made with the Instructor and only because of extreme circumstances.

Ac;vity Report 1: Usability inspecWon Report 2: User research Report 3: Conceptual design Report 4: Usability tesWng Final porcolio Reading worksheets Blog Exam A?endance, parWcipaWon & professionalism (APP) includes group work Total

Percentage 10% 10% 10% 15% 5% 10% 15% 10% 15%

Grading scale

95-100 A, A+ 90-94 A- 87-89 B+ 84-86 B 80-83 B- 77-79 C+ 74-76 C 70-73 C- 67-69 D+ 64-66 D 60-63 D- 0-59 F

100%

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Course readings: Readings will be posted on Blackboard Learn (h?p://mycourses.purdue.edu) the week before each class. Expecta;ons and policies: I expect students to make an honest a?empt to learn. Giving it a good, honest, try will most likely ensure success in the course. Cupng corners, rushing through assignments, skipping readings and dishonesty in ANY form are indicators of not giving it a good try and will lead to course failure. I have a zero-tolerance policy for dishonesty, academic or otherwise. Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, improper citaWons, poor teamwork, fabricaWng data, etc.) will result in failure of the course and a report to the dean of students. I expect students to focus their a?enWon in class, to make an eort to be present, alert, and to parWcipate construcWvely. Sipng in class while your mind is a?ending to other ma?ers may result in an unexcused absence. Please be mindful of computer use and do not use cell phones except in emergencies. I expect students to follow direcWons carefully. Please subscribe to the class blog and read carefully all assignment descripWons and instructor e-mails. I expect students to be acWve parWcipants in their learning process. I can facilitate the process and point the way, but only YOU can learn for yourself. Take charge of your educaWon, be involved, be curious.

Emergency statement: Please take some Wme to familiarize yourself with campus emergency procedures, available at: h?p://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/faculty/ If you havent done so already, please consider signing up for the campus text message emergency noWcaWon system at: h?p://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue/ In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances beyond the instructors control. The course may also be modied during the semester to be?er serve students learning needs. You will receive an email with any changes about the course and an updated syllabus will be posted to Blackboard.

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Schedule: Readings for each week will be posted on Blackboard. Please do them in the order they are posted there. Finish them before class and make sure to bring your reading notes worksheets to class. Week 1 Aug 21 2 Aug 28 3 Sept 4 4 Sept 11 5 Sept 18 6 Sept 25 7 Oct 2 Topic IntroducWons Course overview InnovaWon challenges Design process overview Design process overview; ParWcipatory; CriWcal design - User-centered design; User experience User research - contextual inquiry Analyzing user research. WriWng Personas, Research plan due scenarios, design requirements User research ctd Conceptual design - brainstorming, sketching - the language of the interface October break 8 Oct 9 Interface elements and basic usability principles (designing with the mind in mind) - cogniWon, a?enWon, mental models Interface elements and basic usability principles ctd. InformaWon architecture Mockups and prototypes Usability inspecWon report due (Axure sotware available in Knoy lab) ValidaWng and evaluaWng design decisions: focus groups, cogniWve walkthroughs, heurisWc evaluaWon Usability tesWng Conceptual design report due EvaluaWng and presenWng usability Usability evaluaWon research plan due research Work on usability tesWng (Morae sotware available in Knoy lab) Thanksgiving Break Final presentaWons Final exam Final presentaWons Usability evaluaWon report due by end of week Final porcolio due User research report due Assignments

9 Oct 16

10 Oct 23 11 Oct 30 12 Nov 6 13 Nov 13 14 Nov 20

15 Dec 4 16

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