Learning Outcomes

Identify and explain cognitive and social factors that can make interactive software effective; Define user requirements of the interface design; Apply key design principles and guidelines that can assist user interface designers, and evaluate the limitations of such guidelines; Create an effective evaluation based on qualitative or quantitative research methods for a particular design project; Apply appropriate site structure and navigation; Apply techniques of contextual analysis around the present use of technology; Elicit user requirements and present proposed solutions to a range of audience.

Topics

This course introduces students to the important principles of user experience research and design that can be applied to either a graphical user interface (GUI), a web interface, or a mobile interface.  Frequently users are exposed to software programs or websites where information or functions are not easily identified or located.  This directly impacts on the effectiveness of the users achieving their goals and therefore increases user frustration. After learning several design concepts students should be able to identify examples on existing interfaces as well as draw parallels with real-world interactive devices, such as mobile phones and personal computers, as well as apply proper qualitative or quantitative research methods to continuously enhance the user experience towards the achievement of particular business goals.  Combining this knowledge with the skills of various user interface design software, students should feel confident in creating interfaces that will best meet users requirements and providing a good user experience.