CS22310 - USER CENTRED DESIGN AND HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

Module Identifier	CS22310
Module Title	USER CENTRED DESIGN AND HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION
Academic Year	2001/2002
Co-ordinator	Dr Mark Ratcliffe
Semester	Semester 1
Other staff	Professor Christopher Price, Mr John Woodbury
Co-Requisite	CS22120 or CI22120
Course delivery	Lecture	22 lectures
	Seminars / Tutorials	Up to 12 x 1hr
Assessment	Supplementary examination	Will take the same form, under the terms of the Department's policy.
	Exam	2 Hours	100%
Further details	http://www.aber.ac.uk/compsci/ModuleInfo/CS22310

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.

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.

Syllabus

1. Fundamental principles of good design - 4 Lectures
Functionality. Usability. Socio-technical system interaction. Task and dialogue levels.

2. Models for Human Computer Interaction - 4 Lectures
Mental models. Taskflow models. Dialogue interaction models.

3. Methods for Human Computer Interaction - 5 Lectures
Requirements specification. User interface design. Evaluation techniques. Support tools for methods.

4. Guidelines for screen interfaces - 3 Lectures
HCI characteristics, human performance issues, use of colour.

5. Implementation level issues - 3 Lectures
Types of interface device. Types of interaction. Representation of colour within windowing systems.

6. Case studies - 3 Lectures
Examples of system development which bring out the different issues covered in the course.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Ben Shneiderman. (1998) Designing the User Interface. 3rd Ed.. Addison Wesley ISBN 0201694972
** Consult For Futher Information
Jenny Preece (ed). (1992) A Guide to Usability: Human Factors in Computing. Addison-Wesley ISBN 0-201-62768-X
William M. Newman and Michael G. Lamming. (1995) Interactive System Design. Addison Wesley ISBN 0-201-63162-8
Donald A. Norman. (1988) The Psychology of Everyday Things. Harper Collins ISBN 0465067093