In-class test (25%) - 1 hour (Learning Outcome 1)

Group and Individual Assignment (75%) - students will research a suitable multi-user application, analyse the requirements for an improved system using suitable tools and methods and design a suitable user interface which they will prototype.
An individual report (approx 1,000 words) will be required which will critically evaluate the prototype using appropriate heuristics. The prototype design will typically be carried out in small groups to reinfoce the problems and requirements of group working environments. (Learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3).

You will study the characteristics of human users of computers both as individuals and in group situations. There will be an emphasis on computer supported cooperative work and groupware which will require looking at issues of how people communicate and achieve common understanding. We will consider how interposing technology into human work activity can both enhance and degrade communication and discuss the role of interfaces from these perspectives. The role of multi-sensory systems will be discussed. Modelling and design methods will be considered, for example Design Rationale techniques, and we will look at the basis and justification for such techniques. We will also examine techniques for evaluating systems from the viewpoint of users of a range of abilities.

Lectures will introduce key topics and underpinning knowledge. Practical/tutorial sessions will give hands-on experience of key techniques and will allow students to explore various aspects of the subject in preparation for the assignment. Normally one lecture and one practical/tutorial session per week. Background material and other sources will be accessed and researched both via the WWW and library resources.

Lecture (1:n) Tutorial/Practical (1:25)1

Access to the WWW, suitable prototyping and presentational software such as Visual Basic, DreamWeaver, PowerPoint etc.

Sharp, H., Rogers, Y. & Preece, J. (2005) Interaction Design Beyond Human Computer Interaction (2nd Edition), Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-01866-8
Stone, D., Jarrett, C. et. al. (2005) User Interface Design and Evaluation, Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN: 978-0-12-088436-0

Prior study of the Applied Human Comuputer Interaction module (COWB50328) or equivalent

1) DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES AND BEHAVIOUR TO THE DESIGN OF THE USER INTERFACE, ESPECIALLY WITH REFERENCE TO GROUPWORK. (Knowledge and Understanding).
2) APPLY APPROPRIATE MODELS AND TECHNIQUES TO CAPTURE REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN INTERFACES. (Application, Knowledge and Understanding).
3) DEVELOP INTERFACE PROTOTYPES USING APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE TOOLS AND CRITICALLY APPRAISE THE RESULT. (Application, Problem Solving, Reflection).
4) USE ESTABLISHED METHODS TO EVALUATE CRITICALLY EXAMPLES OF SUITABLE INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE FOR A VARIETY OF USER ABILITIES. (Knowledge and Understanding, Reflection).