Course syllabus

Aim

The purpose of this course is to give students basic knowledge regarding methods for designing and evaluating user interfaces.

Learning outcomes (after the completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge and Understanding

• Describe phases in the design process
• Describe methods for development and evaluation of human-computer interaction
• Describe similarities and differences in design for different user groups
• Describe considerations for involving users in the design process
• Understand the role of HCI in the software development process and information technology

Skills and Abilities

• Design interfaces for certain user groups
• Adapt design methods to suit users' context and needs
• Investigate and describe user needs and requirements
• Include ethical issues in the design process and adapt the process for ethical needs

Judgement Ability and Approach

• Analyze designs based on user needs
• Make a well-founded evaluation of the ethical and societal consequences of a design
• Critique design and design processes with respect to user needs

Content

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is a field which deals with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive systems and studying phenomena around them. The aim of the course is to allow students to experience the most important phases of user-centered design: understanding context of use, charting requirements, generating multiple design solutions and evaluating prototypes with users. The course consists of both theoretical and practical parts, and students learn about the different steps in the design process and relevant methods for designing for users. Overall, the course will cover a broad area of designing interactive systems, which includes different types of interfaces and interaction modalities. The course prepares students to collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment with specialists in design and cognitive science.

Link to the syllabus at Chalmers. (Links to an external site.)

Link to the syllabus at GU. (Links to an external site.)

Organisation

Types of activities

Lecture: Sara delivers a traditional interactive lecture, engaging students with the course material in real-time.
Flipped Lecture: Students are required to watch the corresponding videos before the lecture; it starts with an interactive session using Mentimeter, then proceeds to individual or group consultations with Paweł for project and course-related questions.
Exercise: This is a mandatory, attendance-monitored activity led by Morteza and TAs, focusing on the practical application of course concepts to your project; refer to the provided link for detailed rules.
Supervision: A dedicated period for enhancing your project, clarifying doubts, and obtaining feedback from instructors on your progress.
Exam: Exams, including the trial, actual, and retake, are conducted digitally via Inspera, with the trial exam being an at-home exercise.

In case the students fail the project report, they must write a new report, with extra requirements, in the next retake period. There is only one opportunity to correct the project report. The exam can be retaken as per local regulations. The course grade is the exam grade if project is passed.