Syllabus UCLAx UXD Summer2013

Syllabus - Intro to User Experience Design
Summer 2013
User Experience Design
Course Z2908W
User Experience Design X 481.99AF
IN PERSON Class:
Westwood: 408 1010 Westwood Center

Tuesday, 7-10pm,
June 25 - September 10
12 meetings total
Course Description
Today's designers need the ability to generate deep user insights as the basis for
creating interactive experiences that engage audiences. This course demonstrates the
latest tools, techniques, and technologies to develop world-class user experiences.
Topics include conducting user research, developing user personas and scenarios,
information architecture, user interface design, prototype creation, and usability testing
and analysis. Students develop and present a single comprehensive project for their
portfolio that outlines their design process and final design mockups.
Course Pre-requiste
Familiarity with graphic design software:
Visio, Omnigraffle, Axure, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or Balsimiq
NOTE: This is not a class on how to use design software. You should have some
proficiency but do not need to be an expert.
Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes
You will complete a full life cycle of a user experience architecture assignment. The class
will provide you a learning matrix through which to understand user experience for your
own continued study. The class will enable you to conduct each of the user experience
steps.
Instructor: Thomas Dillmann
Email tdillmann@gmail.com
Skype: thomasdillmann
Personal Link www.linkedin.com/in/tdillmann/
Online Support Links:
Google Drive
Contains syllabus, lecture slides, a drop folder for assignments, reference
materials and resources.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2iQPiS7dl8YWZod2tDS1JuUkU&usp=sharing
Course Website
Contains in depth material from class lecturers, examples, and links.
Contains reading assignments.
https://sites.google.com/site/uclaxspring2013toc/
Google +
This will be our forum. You should engage with your peers, ask questions, review
reading materials and post interesting sites, links and articles you discover about
User Experience Design.
I will need to invite you individually. An invitation will be sent to your email
address.
Office Location: 1 hour before class starts
Office Hours You may schedule time with me for virtual office hours for questions.
Note:
If you need a different time, please submit a request one day in advance for a 20 minute
time slot, 630pm PT and 8pm PT, Monday - Thursday. You may send questions by email
at any time. I will do my best to answer them in a timely manner.
Welcome
Welcome to the User Experience Design Class.
To get started:
1. Go to the Syllabus area and read the entire syllabus.
I look forward to interacting and learning with you.

Thank You.
Thomas Dillmann
About Thomas Dillmann

Thomas Dillmann has fifteen years of practical application in user experience and
information architecture. His focus is on creating useful products and enjoyable site
experiences. He has held positions as head of experience architecture and lead
information architect at interactive agencies and new technology ventures such as MRM
Worldwide, UnitedFuture and Threshold Interactive. Thomas has provided substantial
information architecture for clients such as Harbor Freight Tools, SDCVB, Nestle,
HollandAmerica, Alpine, State of Washington, SAP, Autodesk, Microsoft, General
Motors, Red Lion, Sony, MPAA, FOX, NBC, ABC, and Playboy. Thomas has participated
in several early start ventures focused in on- demand video over IP for Hilton, LodgeNet,
RespondTV and FasTV. Thomas holds a BA from UCSB and an MBA from Pepperdine
University. Thomas currently works as Disney as a User Experience Lead.
Purpose of User Experience
User Experience architecture and design is a craft. It is an art, a science and a made
product. The purpose of your craft is to communicate complex topics in a sufficient
manner using any means necessary to a highly diverse readership. This course will
teach you the basic skills to communicate software interface design requirements to
several constituents, graphic designers, product manager, project managers, business
users, developers and most importantly end users. Your role is to champion the user.
The User Experience Architecture practice takes great care, curiosity, commitment,
listening, inclusion and leadership. We shall use these same values to conduct our
class.
Instructor Expectations
Since the basis of user experience is to be user centric, so is my approach to the online
course. The online course should be learner centric. Your own approach, insight and
engagement with the class material and user experience are not only welcome but
expected.
My expectation is that you use your natural curiosity and drive to learn to be self directed
in your approach to master the basis of user experience design. By engaging with
material, insights will reveal themselves.
Here is what is what I mean specifically:

1. Peer Review
You must share, comment and provide feedback to each other on a weekly basis. You
should provide sincere, critical review of each other's posted materials. You will learn as
much from each other as you can from me. This approach has proven to be successful.
>> Comment and participate in the discussions several times per week.
Be User Centric
User Experience Design is not an absolute. There are many approaches to a design,
however, we all have an ultimate judge the end user. Is it easy for the end user to
accomplish the task that you have designed. Peer review will help you discover this.
Your classmates can stand in for user and let you know if your interface approach is
easy to use.
>> Design for the end user, not for yourself.
Be actively engaged. Commit work on time.
It is very, very hard to come from behind in a design based class. It is important to
complete the assignments on a weekly basis. The concepts quickly build on each other.
with out the foundation of the previous topic their sometime subtle benefits will not be
evident to you as your design work progresses. I full understand that life interrupts, if you
can predict that you will absent or pressed for time you may publish materials early. The
full course material is available on the first day.
>>Keep up with the course work on a weekly basis.
Assignments Unclear?
If, after reading an assignment, you do not understand what to do, please start by asking
questions in the Google + forum. If you are confused, it is likely that other students are
also confused. This not only allows me to clarify the issue for everyone, but it also
allows other students to answer the question if they happen to be in the course before I
am. This is much better than turning in an assignment that is not done correctly and
losing points.
Personal Issues
For personal issues, feel free to contact me my email or for complex issues, you may
call me.
Thank you for your thoughtful reading of the expectations; I welcome your
comments. Have a great learning experience!
Teaching Method
User Experience Architecture is best learned through doing. We will use several
interactive learning techniques. There will be virtual instruction and assignments as well
as a final personal project incorporating all the elements learned in class.
Required Course Resources

What you will need for class:
1.
Computer (either Mac or PC).
2.
Programs installed (you will need only one.): Visio, Omnigraffle, Axure, Adobe
Illustrator, or Balsimiq. For ease, Balsimiq is recommended.
Note:
This class is not about learning software. You should use what ever design software you
are most comfortable with. Viso, Omnigraffle, Axure and Balsmiq, do have an advantage
in that there are user interface stencils available that enable rapid drawing.
Textbook for reference (not required)
The Elements of User Experience - User-Centered Design for the Web
Jesse James Garrett
http://www.jjg.net/elements/
Class Structure
Each class will impart a component of user experience architecture in the order that you
would professional apply each skill to complete an application blueprint or wireframe We
will apply each user experience technique in class to an example case study.
Case Study Method
In class we will be creating an eCommerce website as a working example.
Personal Project
You will create a personal website/application project using each of the skills learned in
class.
You may use an eCommerce website for your personal project; however, you will need
to slightly increase the complexity of your case. Please make sure that your personal
project is of sufficient interest to keep your attention throughout the whole class.
>>Please submit your project concept for approval after the first class.<<
Collaborative Learning
Each class session is designed to be as practical and interactive as possible. Together,
we will foster a collaborative learning environment.
Weekly Attendance is Mandatory.
Each assignment and class builds on the concepts communicated in the prior class. You
will not be able to complete the assignments without keeping pace with the material on a
weekly basis. As full disclosure there is a significant work demand for this class.
Effort Estimate
You should anticipate that completing the class materials and discussion forms will take
at least 3 hours per week. In addition, your personal project will take up to 30 hours to
complete over the 12 week period. The is about 6 - 10 hours per week. This level of
effort estimate is only to offer guidance is quite likely you will need more time.
Personal Project Level of Effort Estimate
You should estimate the level of effort for your personal project. You will need to
schedule your working period accordingly. I will provide techniques for estimation and
managing the unknown. Make sure your project is not too large
Grading
Assignments
There are 9 core assignments. Each assignment is worth 100 points. There are 900
points possible for completing all assignments.
Participation: Discussion and Interaction
Each week's participation in discussion forums equates 10 participation points. There
are 12 classes, allowing for a possible 120 points to be earned for participation.
Final Project
The final delivery and presentation of your completed personal project is worth: 200
points.
Total Class Points
There are 1,220 total points for the class. Your final grade (A-F or pass/fail) will be based
on attendance, class participation, completion of the assignments, and the final project
deliverable and presentation.
Course Grading
Grades are assigned based on points. All work will be graded within seven days of the
due date. Explanations about discussion questions, assignments, and other course
components appear in the appropriate weekly pages.
1. Discussion and Interaction: (In class or on forum)
__5_ points for initial discussion responses
__5_ points for interaction responses
(two peers for each discussion question)
total _60_ points
2. Assignments:
3. Personal Project
total _900_ points

total _200_ points
_100__ points for each (9) assignment;
ALL course components

Grading Scale
A+ = 1200 points to 1220 points (98% - 100%)

A = 1164 points to 1199 points (95% - 97%)
total _60_ points
TOTAL_1220_ points
A- =
B+ =
B =
B- =
C+ =
C =
C- =
D =
F =
1083 points to 1163 points

812 points to 912 points*
(90% - 94%)
(87% - 89%)
(84% - 86%)
(80% - 83%)
(77% - 79%)
(74% - 76%)
(70% - 73%)
(65% - 69%)
(0% - 64%)
*PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SOME CERTIFICATES REQUIRE A FINAL CUMULATIVE

GRADE OF B- IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATE.
Assignment Due Dates
Assignments are due on Monday at 10pm PT.
Our Class week runs Tuesday to Tuesday.
Policies About Deadlines and Late Work

Life happens and I understand that work and family emergencies occur. If your
work is posted late but during the week that it is due, youll receive full points. If the work
from one week is posted late during the next week, youll lose ten percent for each day
that it is late. I generally do not accept work that is more than a week late. If you contact
me before the assignment is late, we can try to work out something for your schedule.
However, there are no extensions for the class. All work must be turned in by the last
day of class.
Academic Honesty Policy

Academic dishonesty covers behavior in cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication of
information. These behaviors are not tolerated. Citations and references should be
provided following a formatting standard such as APA 6th. Students are encouraged to
familiarize themselves with the UCLA Student Conduct Code and the official statements
regarding cheating and plagiarism. These and other relevant documents are available on
the Dean of Students Office website: HYPERLINK "http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/
dos/students/integrity/" http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/dos/students/integrity/
Discussion Rubric:
This rubric will be used to assess the quality of your initial responses and interaction in
the online discussion forums. Please use this tool as a guide when constructing your postings.
Unsatisfactory
Basic
Proficient
Distinguished
Mechanics of the
Posting
Uses incomplete
sentences, is
unstructured in its
organization, and
includes frequent
or consistent
errors in
mechanics
(grammar,
spelling, usage) in
each paragraph.
The posting is
unreadable and
there is a distinct
lack of tone.
Participation in
the Discussion
Provides minimal
comments and
information to
other participants
in the forum.
Content of
Posting
Writes a general
or superficial
posting that is
unrelated to the
discussion at hand
and/or posts no
comments.
Uses complete
sentences and the
posting is
comprehensible.
The organization
could be improved
to present a more
coherent
argument,
statement, or
question. Includes
2-3 mechanical
errors grammar,
spelling, usage)
per paragraph.
The tone is
respectful.
Provides
comments, and
some new
information on a
sporadic basis.
Interacts with only
2 participants in
the forum.
Uses complete
sentences,
organization is
evident, and the
posting includes
no more than one
mechanical error
(grammar,
spelling, usage)
per paragraph.
The tone is clear
and respectful
Uses complete
sentences,
organization is
clear and
thoughtful, the
posting is
grammatically
correct, and free
of spelling errors.
The tone is clear
and respectful.
Provides
comments,
discussion,
questions, and
new information
on a fairly regular
basis. Interacts
with three or more
participants in the
forum.
Demonstrates a
restricted
understanding of
the concepts,
topics, and ideas
as evidenced by
posting
information that
could be derived
from prior posts
and/or including
highly general
comments.
Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding of
the concepts,
topics, and ideas
as evidenced by
posting superficial,
or general
statements in the
forum. Includes a
few details in the
posting.
Provides
comments,
discussion,
questions, and
new information
on a regular,
active, and weekly
basis. Shows a
high degree of
interaction with
five or more
participants in the
forum.
Demonstrates a
solid
understanding of
the concepts,
topics, and ideas
as evidenced by
thoughtful
responses and
questions that
show a clear
connection (are
integrated) with
the course
material at hand.
The posting
shows depth, and
includes many
supporting details.
Critical Thinking
Evidenced by
Posting
Provides no
evidence of
agreement or
disagreement with
an existing
discussion.
Indicates
agreement or
disagreement with
an existing
discussion but
provides no
justification or
explanation for
comments.
Indicates
agreement or
disagreement with
an existing
discussion
including a limited
explanation or
justification.
Provides
comments,
discussion, and
questions without
a clear connection
to the course
material at hand.
Demonstrates a
critical analysis of
an existing posted
idea or introduces
a different
interpretation to
an existing
concept or idea.
Includes
comments,
discussion, and
questions that
have a clear
connection (are
integrated) with
the course
material at hand.
Schedule
Week 1 - Introduction and Overview of User Experience
Topic: What is the project?
Overview of class structure. Review of user experience process - learning road map.
Introduction to and examples of each UX process step. Introduction to case study
method. Understanding and interpreting a production requirement document and a
creative brief. Writing a requirement document
Week 1: Discussion Forum Conversation:
Week 1 - Discuss the the steps involved in the user experience process.
(Due Wednesday)
Why are the steps sequenced in this particular order?
What is gained at each step? Can you skip steps?
Week 1 - Discuss techniques to help understand and interpret a production requirement
document.
(Due Thursday)
How would you confirm requirements? Will you always have requirements? What do you
do if you do not have requirements? Why Is it best to show prototype work and then
adjust?
Week 1 Assignment:
(Due Monday)
Write the requirements for your personal project and conduct user and stakeholder
interviews.
Post your completed user and stakeholder interviews summaries to the Week 1
Peer Review Thread.

Post your Personal Project Requirements Draft to the Assignment Drop Folder.
Week 1 - Peer Review

(Due Monday)
Please post your completed weekly assignment to the Peer Review thread. Provide at
least two (2) feedback comments to other students.
Week 2 Reading Topic:
User Research & Personas
Week 2 - Defining the Target User
Topic: Who is this website for? What are their needs? How do I discover those needs?
How to conduct stakeholder interviews, user research, user interviews, and competitive
analysis. How to create user personas and champion the user.
Week 2 Discussion Forum Conversation:

Week 2 - Discuss how you conducted interviews.
(Due Wednesday)
What were some the challenges you faced with interviewing stakeholders? Were they
different than interviewing users? Were users easier to relates too? Why do they matter
more? How do you talk stakeholders into being more considerate of user needs?
Week 2 - Discuss what it means to be user centric.
(Due Thursday)
How do you relate to championing the user? What arguments can you put forth to
support the user? How would you settle disagreements about the perception what the
user needs are?
Week 2 Assignment
(Due Monday)
Create personas for your personal project. Conduct competitive analysis on five
competitors.
Post your completed user personas to the Week 2 Peer Review Thread.
Post your completed competitive analysis to the Week 2 Peer Review Thread.
Week 2 - Peer Review

(Due Monday)
Please post your completed weekly assignment to the Peer Review thread. Provide at
least two (2) feedback comments to other students.
Week 2 Reading Topic

Process Flows & Mental Models
Week 3 - Information Architecture: Concept

Topic: How to define the project concept.
How to organize information, create a process flow and mental models. What is a
taxonomy?
Week 3 - Discuss creating your process flow for your personal project?
(Due Wednesday)
What is the critical about a process flow? What is the benefit about representing all the
decisions that need to be made?
What are some of the techniques you have to keep in mind while drawing the process
flow?
Week 3 - Discuss Mental Modals?
(Due Thursday)
What are some common example of mental model that are used daily to relate to each
other? Why are mental modals important to understand a user needs? What is being
borrowed from an existing mental model?
Week 3 - Process flow and a Mental model Peer Review
Please post your completed weekly assignment to this thread. Provide at least two (2)
feedback comments to other students.
Week 3 Assignment:
Create a process flow and a mental model for your personal project.
Site Maps
Week 4 - Information Architecture: Mapping
Topic: How to map the project.
How to create content outlines and feature grid, and a a site map
Week 4 - Discuss: Content Outlines and Feature Grids
(Due Wednesday)
How are some of the ways that creating the content outline allowed you to grasp the
scale of your project? Did the feature grid help you narrow or expand your vision for your
project?
Week 4 - Discuss: Site map
(Due Thursday)
What do you think one of the benefits will be to use a designer to have a site map to
reference? How would the site map help the user? Did it help you realize how many
pages your site has?
Week 4 Assignment:
Create a site map and feature grid for your personal project.
Week 4 - Site Map, Content Outline & Feature Grid Peer Review
What is a Wireframe and using Sketch wireframes
Week 5 - Interaction Design 1: How to start
Topic: How to create a wireframe.
Basic design elements of a wireframe. Wireframe building blocks. How to use a sketch
wireframe approach and design the primary navigation. Building the wireframe
deliverable for flexibility.
Week 5 - Discuss: Wireframe building blocks
(Due Wednesday)
Did you get comfortable with using wireframe building blocks? Did you find any
interesting insights as you began to work with ratios and dimensions of the first pass of
your wireframe?
Week 5 - Discuss: Sketch Wireframes
(Due Thursday)
What are some of the advantages of sketch wireframes? How else can you focus on
getting feedback? Where you able to get your ideas out faster using a "sketchy" style?
Week 5 Assignment:
Create a sketch wireframe of your personal projects of the primary navigation, change
states, homepage and two main landing pages.
Week 5 - Sketch Wireframe Start Peer Review

Please post your completed weekly assignment. Provide at least two (2) feedback
comments to other students.
Week 5 Reading topic:
Interactive design element examples
Week 6 - Interaction Design 2: Creating the Design
Topic: How to create detail in your wireframe. Design best practices. Answering, "what
if? Can it scale? Can it degrade?" Creating wireframe building blocks. Wireframe page
templates.
Week 6 - Discuss: Future Proofing your Wireframe
(Due Wednesday)
What are some of the elements in a wireframe that may grow or shrink overtime? How
do you account for change in your design?
Week 6 - Discuss: Working with Page Templates
(Due Thursday)
How did it help you to start thinking about a site page in layers? Where you able to
recognize repeatable elements that you can put into a template?
Week 6 Assignment:
(Due Monday)
Start creating wireframes for your personal project. Create wireframe page templates.
Create main design elements.
Week 6 - Page Templates Peer Review (Due Monday)
How to approach designing the home page
Week 7 - Interaction Design 3: Evolving the Design
Topic: Wireframe Design
How to create a Home Page and Landing Pages.
Week 7 - Discuss: Homepage Design
(Due Wednesday)
How did you balance the homepage war? Where you able to balance the homepage?
What are techniques for measuring the success of the homepage?
Week 7 - Discuss: Landing Pages

(Due Thursday)
How does the focus of the landing page differ from the homepage? How does the
landing page relate to the template pages you already created?
Week 7 Assignment:
Create the homepage wireframes and main landing pages for your personal project.
Week - Homepage and Landing Page Peer Review
Week 7 Reading Topic
How to approach designing eCommerce checkout pages and multi step pages
Week 8 - Interaction Design 4: Adding Detail

Topic: Wireframe design
How to create Detail Landing Page and create High Function Pages.
Week 8 - Discuss: Detail Landing Pages
(Due Wednesday)
What are unique aspects about detail landing pages? For the product detail landing
pages how do balance user's needing to make choices and moving them to a decision?
Week 8 - Discuss: High Functioning Pages
(Due Thursday)
How to reduce complexity? How do you focus a user actions to complete single tasks in
a multi step page? Is there room for improvement in current form pages?
Week 8 Assignment:
Create your personal project wireframes detail landing pages and high function pages
(ex. Checkout).
Week 8 - Detail Landing Pages & High Functioning Pages Peer Review
Paper Prototype Testing, User Acceptance Testing
Week 9 (May 28) - Usability Testing
Topic: How to test your design in an iterative manner.
User Acceptance Testing. Paper Prototype Testing. A/B Split Testing. Continuous
Testing.
Week 9 - Discuss: User Acceptance Testing
(Due Wednesday)
What are the benefits of UAT? How extensive does UAT have to be? When can you
preform UAT?
Week 9 - Discuss: Rapid Prototype Testing Techniques
(Due Thursday)
If you need to do a quick and dirty test to get feedback what could you do?
Can you think of any new methods that are available?
Week 9 Assignment:
Conduct a paper prototype test of your personal project so far.
Week 9 - Paper Prototype Testing Result Peer Review

How to design for administrative users. How to write wireframe annotations.
Week 10 - Considering Additional Users
Topic: Designing of additional users, such as administrators.
Administration and Backend User Screens. How to write Wireframe Annotations.
Creating libraries of commonly used elements. How to present Wireframes.
Discussion Forum Conversation:
Week 10 - Discuss: Library of UI elements
(Due Wednesday)
How would a library of UI elements, other than design speed, help your practice? Any
pitfalls to reusing?
Week 10 - Discuss: Backend Administration Screens
(Due Thursday)
Why do backend screens seem to get less attention when they are more difficult?
What are some of the ways you could improve administration screens?
Week 10 Assignment:
Prepare final presentations
Week - Peer Review - NONE

How to present wireframes to remote users
Week 11 - Final Personal Project Presentation
Presentation of Personal Projects. Critical Review.
Week 11 - Provide feedback to your peers posted projects.
(Due Saturday)
Please provide feedback to at least 5 projects. Please look for those projects that have
not yet received feedback before doubling up on those that have already received posts.
Week 11 Assignment:
Please submit two well-written questions to be addressed in class about the user
experience practice.
Week 11 Reading Topic: Lean UX
Week 12 - Current State of the Industry
What is Lean UX?
How to find work - Community Involvement
Week 12 - Discuss: Lean UX
Is this a fad? Or the future of user experience?
(Due Wednesday)
--END-Thank you for your participation in class. I have enjoyed interacting with you.
Congratulations on completing the course. Hopefully, you have come away with the
foundation skills to continue to pursue user experience design.

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Syllabus - Intro to User Experience Design

Westwood: 408 1010 Westwood Center

I look forward to interacting and learning with you.

About Thomas Dillmann

Here is what is what I mean specifically:

Required Course Resources

total _60_ points

total _900_ points

_100__ points for each (9) assignment;

ALL course components

A+ = 1200 points to 1220 points (98% - 100%)

total _60_ points

1083 points to 1163 points

*PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SOME CERTIFICATES REQUIRE A FINAL CUMULATIVE

Policies About Deadlines and Late Work

Academic Honesty Policy

Peer Review Thread.

Week 1 - Peer Review

Week 2 Discussion Forum Conversation:

Week 2 - Peer Review

Week 2 Reading Topic

Week 3 - Information Architecture: Concept

Week 5 - Sketch Wireframe Start Peer Review

Week 7 - Discuss: Landing Pages

Week 8 - Interaction Design 4: Adding Detail

Week 9 - Paper Prototype Testing Result Peer Review

Week - Peer Review - NONE

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