CS 352: Introduction to Usability Engineering

Winter 2006

 

Class meetings

Kelley 1001, TTh 15:30-16:50

 

Instructor: Carlos Jensen

Office: Kelley 3061

Email: cjensen [at] eecs

Office Hours: TTh 1pm-3:30pm in my office, or by appointment

 

Teaching Assistants:

Hien Le

Email:   lehi [at] eecs

Office Hours:    WF 11am-12:50pm, KEC 1130 (1st floor computer lab)

 

Chandan Sarkar

Email: sarkar [at] eecs

Office Hours: W 10am-12pm, KEC 1130

 

 

Class website:

http://classes.engr.oregonstate.edu/eecs/winter2006/cs352/

 

 

Course Objectives

The purpose of this course is to teach you the basic usability engineering methods for the design and evaluation of software systems. This includes the study of human-computer interaction, user interface characteristics and design strategies, software evaluation methods, and related guidelines and standards.

 

More specifically, after completing this course you should be able to:

  1. Describe the human-centered design process, usability engineering process and role in system design and development
  2. Discuss usability design guidelines, their foundations, assumptions, advantages and weaknesses
  3. Learn basics of human-subjects research and complete basic human subjects research certification
  4. Apply key design and evaluation techniques, including observational research, prototyping and heuristic evaluation in the design of a user interface based on analysis of user needs
  5. Assess user interfaces using different usability engineering techniques and understand the strengths and weaknesses of different evaluation methods.
  6. Learn how to present prototypes and ideas in compelling and convincing way as well as giving and receiving constructive criticism.
  7. Work effectively as a team

 

 

 

Textbook & Materials

Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction

by Preece, Sharp & Rogers [Required]

Usability Engineering

by Jakob Nielsen [Required]

 

 

Additional Materials:

            The design of Everyday Things by Norman

            HCC Education Digital Library,

(http://hcc.cc.gatech.edu/)

Office for Human Research Protection

(http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/policy/topics.html )

 

 

Course Assignments and Grading

This class is meant to be a hand-on course. This means that you will be required to work on group projects and class-work (in addition to doing readings) outside of class time. This class will also be very interactive. Participation will count towards your final grade, and I want a healthy discussion in each class session.

 

You are responsible for having done the reading before attending class that day and be ready to participate in the discussion. I may not go over all the reading material in class, preferring to spend that time elaborating or discussing that material with you. This does not mean the assigned reading is not important, or will not be covered in a test.

 

As part of this class you will be involved in a quarter-long project. This project will be done in teams of 4-5 people and consists of multiple phases as described.  The grading breakdown will be as follows:

 

Assignments & participation      15%

Midterm                                   20%

Final exam                                20%

Project                                     45%

            Observations                            10%

            Proposal                                   10%

            First Prototype                         15%

            Evaluation Plan                         20%

            Evaluation & Design                 30%

            Presentation                              10%

 

 

 

Academic Dishonesty

The rules regarding Academic Dishonesty will be strictly enforced. Note that the penalties are quite severe and that the instructor has no discretion once a case of cheating is detected.

 

 

Schedule

Subject to change, please check back often.

Reading assignment shorthand: ID = Interaction Design, UE = Usability Engineering

Date

Topic/Activity

Reading

Assignment/Deadline

Slides

1/10

Welcome & Introduction

 

 

 

 

1/12

Key concepts of Usability

ID Ch 1

UE Ch 1-2

 

Slides

1/17

The evolution of Usability

ID Ch 2

UE Ch 3

 

Slides

1/19

Usability and Design process

 

UE Ch 4

Drop deadline

Slides

1/24

User-centered design

 

ID Ch 6, 7

Human subjects training certificate due (registration required)

http://www.citiprogram.org/default.asp

Slides

1/26

Library Fieldwork

ID Ch 12

 

Assignment Description

 

1/31

Presentations & Discussion

 

 

Library Observations due

Slides

2/2

Usability and Design process (2)

 

ID Ch 9

 

Slides

2/7

More user-centered techniques

ID Ch 13

UE Ch 7

Project Proposal due

Slides

2/9

Midterm

 

 

 

 

2/14

Design Techniques

ID Ch 3

 

 

Slides

2/16

Conceptual Models

 

ID Ch 8

 

Slides

2/21

Presentations & Discussion

 

 

Withdraw deadline, First Prototype due

 

2/23

Introduction to Evaluation

ID Ch 10

UE Ch 6

 

Slides

2/28

Independent study / group work

 

 

 

 

3/2

Heuristic Evaluation

ID Ch 11.1-11.2

UE Ch 5

Evaluation plan due

Slides

3/7

Quantitative Analysis

 

ID Ch 14

Video 1

Video 2

Slides

3/9

Special topics in HCI

My Research

 

 

Slides

3/14

Special topics in HCI

 

VR

 

Slides

3/16

Presentations & Discussion

 

 

Final design & Evaluation Due

Review1

Review2

3/23

14:00

Final Exam

 

 

 

 

Grades due: Noon, 3/27