Syllabus for Human-Computer Interaction: Human-Computer Interaction

Decisions and guidelines

The course is included in the Master's programme in human computer interaction but can also be offered as a freestanding course.

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to introduce the subject human computer interaction and theories methods and practises for design of interactive systems. The course focuses on the importance of a user-centered perspective at development and introduction of interactive systems in an organisation. The aim is that the student should be well prepared to cooperate with different stakeholders in a software development process and also to be able to assess and procure services in interaction design and evaluation.

Regarding knowledge and understanding, on completion of the course the student is expected to be able to:

- account for the development of the most important theories in the area of human computer interaction.

- explain how variations in the user interface influence different user groups in various ways and why it is like that.

- describe the part of psychological theory that is relevant to human computer interaction such as perception, cognition, learning, motivation and social interaction.

- account for some important theories in interaction design.

Regarding competence and skills, on completion of the course the student is expected to be able to:

- describe all phases in the design process and know what methods that are appropriate for the different phases. During the course, the student will learn to carry out user studies, interaction design, prototyping and evaluation. The student will learn to use different ways of communicating design ideas and to receive and use feedback from different stakeholders.

- cooperate with different stakeholders about development of interactive systems

- choose an appropriate theoretical framework to analyse a problem in human computer interaction

- adapt interaction design to a certain group of users and a particular context of use

- analyse cost efficiency for interaction design and usability evaluations

Regarding judgement and approach, on completion of the course the student is expected to be able to:

- critically review and evaluate design proposals based on knowledge from psychology and human-computer interaction

- reflect on that a certain design of a user interface may unintentionally exclude user groups with special needs.

- reflect on the rights and integrity of informants and test persons.

Content

Human-Computer Interaction as subject for research and development. The concept of usability and its operationalisation and methods for measurements. Psychological aspects relevant to human computer interaction: perception, cognition, learning, motivation and social interaction. Technologies for design of interactive systems: user studies, prototyping, layout and visual communication, interaction technologies and evaluation methods. Design theory.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and project work.

Assessment

The course is examined through participation in seminars, implementation of project work and through written examination.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator or a decision by the department's working group for study matters.