CPSC 499 – Human Computer Interfacing  Fall 2006

CPSC 499:      TT 1:40-2:55  EMCS 301/312

Prerequisites: CPSC 312 or 335

Instructor:

Dr. Stephanie Smullen

Office hours:  As posted

Electronic Mail:

Stephanie-Smullen@utc.edu

Office:  EMCS 313A

Phone:

425-4395

425-4349 (Secretary)  

Course Objectives: The student who completes this course will have mastered the issues, information sources, and methods used in the design, implementation, and evaluation of user interfaces, the parts of a software system that interact with people. The student will appreciate the great effort needed to develop a user interface, and the large potential costs of a bad interface, both human and financial. A practical approach will be used. The student will learn definitions of usability as well as guidelines, principles and theories of UI design and how to evaluate system usability.  The student will have first-hand experience designing and testing a variety of user interfaces.

Texts: 

Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction, 4th  2005 Edition, Schneiderman and Plaisant, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-321-19786-0

Swing, 2nd edition, Robinson and Voroblev, Manning, ISBN 193011088X

             

 

References:

The Design of Everyday Things, Norman, 1988, Doubleday, 0-385-26774-6.

The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction, Card, Moran and Newell, 1983, Erlbaum, 0-89859-859-1.

Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design and Conduct Effective Tests, 1994, Rubin, Wiley, ISBN 0471594032

Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: Toward the Year 2000, 2nd 1995 Edition, Baecker (Editor), Academic Press, ISBN 1-5586-02461

Designing Interfaces, Patterns for Effective Interaction Design, Tidwell, O’Reilly, ISBN: 0-596-00803-1

 

Grading Policy: Midterm (100 points), Final (100 points), Assignments and group projects (130 points), Two reports (30 points) and  an Individual Project (40 points).  Your grade will be determined by the percentage of points you earn out of the 400 possible points, as follows:  90-100% A, 80-89% B, 70-79% C, LESS THAN 70% F.

Reports: During the term you must describe and analyze two significant user interfaces. The reports must describe the interface in technical terms, analyze the design, and evaluate the success of the interface. They may be based on experience, professional journal articles, scholarly reports, and books. These reports will be in written and oral form. You will share your interface critique with the class in a 10-15 minute informal demonstration and presentation outlining the "high" and "low" points.  Important due dates for reports:

            Report 1 topic due –  September 5

            Report 1 due – September 18

            Report 2 topic due – October 9

            Report 2 presentation – October 30

Project: During the term you must (1) select a process/program to design an interface for (submit your project proposal by October 16) and complete (2) the design for a user interface (written design description – due November 6), (3) implement the user interface and enough of the application so that the user can effectively evaluate the interface (store the code and executable file), and (4) analyze its performance (written analysis report – due December 4).

Assignment Policy: All programs and assignments must be your own work, done individually. Each is due at the start of class on the stated date; late assignments will be accepted, but discounted in value, at my discretion. It is your responsibility to read the material in the textbooks as it is covered, even if no specific reading assignments are made. Assignments must be stored in your directory on zog.utc.edu.   The account name and password is the same as your onenet account.   The assignments must be indexed by an html file stored in your public_html directory and named portfolio.htm

Online Resources: The course materials may be accessed through the course web site at http://utconline.utc.edu

Examination Policy: It is the responsibility of the student to take the examinations at the scheduled times, except in very unusual circumstances. Some unacceptable reasons for missing an examination include: No time to study for the examination; Another examination on the same day; Going on vacation that day; Oversleeping. If you must miss an examination you must inform the instructor in advance; if the instructor requests, you must present proof of the reasons for your absence.

ADA Statement:  If you are a student with a disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, etc) and think that you might need assistance or
an academic accommodation in this class or any other class, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at 425-4006 or come by the office-
110 Frist Hall.

If you find that personal problems, career indecision, study and time management difficulties, etc. are adversely impacting your successful progress at UTC, please contact the Counseling and Career Planning Center, 338 University Center, phone: 425-4438.