INFO3170: User Interface Design

Semester I: 2021-22

Lecturer:
Dr. A.G. Hamilton-Taylor

Lecture Times and Venue: Fri 1-4 (online via Zoom)

Tutorial Times and Venue: Fri 4, Fri 5, Fri 6 (online via Zoom)

Lecture and Tutorial Zoom Meeting at

https://uwi.zoom.us/j/369680662?pwd=NzJ5RWovTFRLVEhTNVlMaU00WmNmUT09

Meeting ID: 369 680 662

Passcode: 3170UWI

Office Hours: TBA, online

Aim: This course will introduce students to issues in the design, development, and evaluation of
user interfaces for computer systems. Concepts in human factors, usability, and interface design
will be covered, and the effects of human capabilities and limitations on interaction with
computer systems will be studied. Students will apply the concepts to the design and
implementation of graphical user interfaces.

Prescribed Text
Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction, 5th ed. (www.id-book.com)
Jennifer Preece, Yvonne Rogers, Helen Sharp. Wiley, 2015. (4th or 3rd edition is also fine)
Also see textbook resources at http://www.id-book.com/resources_index.php

Notes are posted on OURVLE and (in case you can’t access OURVLE) on INFO3170 Google Drive

Highly Recommended Text (in Library/RBC)

Designing Interactive Systems: People, Activities, Contexts, Technologies
David Benyon, Phil Turner, Susan Turner. Addison-Wesley
ISBN-10: 0321116291; ISBN-13: 9780321116291

Recommended Texts (in Library/RBC and bookstore)

The Design of Everyday Things.
Don Norman. Basic Books, 2002.

Why Software Sucks

Addison-Wesley Professional, 2006
http://www.whysoftwaresucks.com/
Course Outline

Overview of HCI
The role of user interfaces in computer applications.
History of human-computer interaction (HCI) and user interface (UI) systems.

User Interface and HCI Principles and Paradigms

Human Factors: perception, movement, and cognition. Ergonomics.
Contextual issues in HCI: culture, communication, and organizations.
Social aspects of UI and technology.
UI in Educational technology. UI in Visualisation.
HCI models. UI paradigms: command, graphical user interface (GUI), natural language, virtual
reality, etc.
UI Design Principles and Guidelines.
UI design and user productivity, safety, satisfaction, product marketing, etc.

UI Environments
Overview of graphics systems, display devices, input devices.
GUI system architecture, event-driven interaction model. UI toolkits.
Web-based Systems. Mobile systems.
Collaborative Systems. Embedded Systems.

UI Development Methods
UI development cycle: investigation, design, prototyping, evaluation, implementation.
Developing UI requirements: inquiry methods, developing task and workflow models.
Information collection and analysis methods. Prototyping: storyboarding, implementation.
Evaluation methods: heuristic, observational, empirical.

Assessment:
2-hour written final 50%
In-course test 5%
Group cellphone evaluation project/report/presentation 10%
Group major project/report/presentation 35%
Consisting of (Planned Allocation)
● User/System Study 5%
● UI Design 10%
● Prototype Implementation 15%
● UI Testing/Evaluation 5%