UT-Austin iSchool Syllabus
INF385C HCI
Spring 2024
Description (from the catalog)
The history and importance of human-computer interaction (HCI), theories of HCI design, modeling of computer users and interfaces, empirical techniques for analyzing systems and interfaces, interface design, and styles of interaction. Emphasis on reviewing research papers, current works, and future directions in HCI research.
Details
Important note: The information presented in this syllabus is subject to expansion, contraction, change, or stasis during the semester. In case of conflict between versions, the copy on Canvas takes precedence.
Course Number
27680
Prerequisites
Graduate standing
Time
Th 1530–1830
Place
UTA-1.208
Dates
January 16–April 29, 2024
Final Exam
none
Instructor
Mick McQuaid
mcq@utexas.edu
Office
1616 Guadalupe St, Room 5.402
Office Hours
M,W 4PM to 5PM in RLP 0.108, or by appointment at my UTA office or by appointment on Zoom at https://utexas.zoom.us/my/mickmcquaid
Materials
- Hartson and Pyla (2019) is the main textbook, available online at ut library link
- Johnson (2020) is also required and is also available online at ut library link
- Norman (2013) is also required and is also available online at ut library link
- Norman (2023) is not required but recommended; it is available online but I don’t have the link yet.
Learning Outcomes
The objective of this course is for students to learn fundamentals of human perception and cognition, to learn how to conduct user research, how to design, prototype and evaluate user interfaces. Students will learn user interaction design principles through theory and practice. At the end of this course you will be able to:
- understand the main concepts in human computer interaction;
- understand the fundamentals of human perception and cognition and their implications for user experience and interaction design;
- conduct research to learn about user needs and human uses of technology;
- undertake iterative and inexpensive user-centered design methods;
- design and prototype user interfaces;
- understand and apply interaction design guidelines;
- identify the strengths and weaknesses of interfaces and provide suggestions of how to improve them;
- perform basic user interface evaluation and usability testing;
- undertake further training and research in this area.
Class Format
This course takes a practical, applied, hands-on approach, based on the application of established best practices, principles, and proven methods to ensure a quality user experience. My goal for you is to introduce you to the activities of the UX lifecycle process and to give you opportunity to gain some practical experience with them. You are exposed to each activity in several ways. First you read about it in the book, then the instructor will review the highlights in lectures. Then we will discuss topics in the class. Topics and discussions will be enriched by your short presentations in most of class meetings. Finally, you will apply your newly learned skills in a somewhat realistic hands-on situation through your semester-long team project assignments.
Schedule
Week 1 (18 Jan) Introduction — What is HCI / UX? — UX lifecycle — Read Hartson and Pyla (2019): Ch 1, 2, 4 — Read Norman (2013): Ch 1 — In class: introductions, discuss Norman (2023), Section 1, artificiality — Assignment: HCI background questions (not graded)
Week 2 (25 Jan) Perception — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Johnson (2020): Intro, Ch 1–5 — In class: 1 article presentation, discussion, discuss Norman (2023), Section II, meaningfulness — Assignment: Milestone 0
Week 3 (01 Feb) Cognition — Design principles — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Johnson (2020) Ch 7-9, Norman (2013) Ch 2, 4 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion, discuss Norman (2023), Section III, sustainability — Assignment: none
Week 4 (08 Feb) Usage research — Data elicitation and analysis — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) 7, 8 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion, discuss Norman (2023), Section IV, humanity-centric — Assignments: Assignment 1, Milestone 1
Week 5 (15 Feb) Models to inform design — Design requirements — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 9, 10 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion, discuss Norman (2023), Section V, human behavior — Assignment: none
Week 6 (22 Feb) Design — Ideation — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 12, 13, 14 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion, discuss Norman (2023), Section VI, action — Milestone 2
Week 7 (29 Feb) Conceptual design — Interaction design — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 15–18, Norman (2013) Ch 3–4 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Assignment: none
Week 8 (07 Mar) Prototyping tutorial — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 20 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Milestone 3
Spring Break
Week 9 (21 Mar) Empirical evaluation — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 22–24 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Assignment: none
Week 10 (28 Mar) Analytic evaluation — Data analysis — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 25–26 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Assignment: Milestone 4
Week 11 (04 Apr) Affordances and signifiers — HCI “laws” — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 30, Johnson (2020) Ch 13, Norman (2013) Ch 5 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Assignment: none
Week 12 (11 Apr) Interaction cycle — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch 31 — In class: informal project presentations — Assignment: Milestone 5
Week 13 (18 Apr) UX design guidelines — Review — Before class (by Sunday night): Read Hartson and Pyla (2019) Ch32 — In class: 2 design critiques, 1 article presentation, discussion — Assignment: Milestone 6
Week 14 (25 Apr) Project presentations — Poster presentations — Assignments: Milestone 7, Milestone 8, Assignment 2
Grading
I plan to grade assignments within two weeks of their due date except where circumstances interfere. The grading scale used along with the grade components follow.
| letter grade | lower bound | upper bound | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | >= | 94.0% | |||
| A- | >= | 90.0% | & | < | 94% |
| B+ | >= | 87.0% | & | < | 90% |
| B | >= | 83.0% | & | < | 87% |
| B- | >= | 80.0% | & | < | 83% |
| C+ | >= | 77.0% | & | < | 80% |
| C | >= | 73.0% | & | < | 77% |
| C- | >= | 70.0% | & | < | 73% |
| D | >= | 60.0% | & | < | 70% |
| F | < | 60% |
Group work: 9 milestones
- Milestone 0: Topic idea 0%
- Milestone 1: Topic selection and product concept statement 0%
- Milestone 2: Usage research data elicitation and analysis 10%
- Milestone 3: Requirements and modeling, 10%
- Milestone 4: Design, 10%
- Milestone 5: Prototype (wireframes + pilot test) 10%
- Milestone 6: Evaluation and reporting, 10%
- Milestone 7: Final presentation, 5%
- Milestone 8: Final report, 15%
Individual work: ongoing assignments
- Design critique or article presentation or discussion leading (ongoing in class meetings), 5%
- Reading assignments and participation in online discussions on Canvas, 5%
- Assignment 1: Design analysis, 5%
- Assignment 2: Final reflections + lessons learned, 5%
- Attendance 10%
Reading assignments
You are responsible for keeping up with readings in the book per the schedule given in the course schedule/calendar. All assigned readings are to be done before a class meeting (except our first meeting, of course). You are required to post at least one discussion question relevant to the assigned weekly reading on the designated Canvas discussion area (please note there may be more than one topic per week) and respond to at least one question posted by another student. Your questions should be in depth and sufficiently detailed to demonstrate that you read the assigned material (and not just skimmed it). Questions should not be too short (e.g., <10 words) or too long (e.g., > 200 words; these numbers are just rough guidelines). Questions should show your critical analysis of each reading and should not be superficial. Any student, TA or an instructor may post responses to online questions. The deadline for posting questions is Sunday evening 10pm (62 hours) before the class meeting time. Be prepared to discuss your questions during class meeting. Responses should be posted by Tuesday noon.
Student presentations
Each week one to three students will be assigned to prepare at home and present to the whole class one of the two types of presentations (a short design critique or an article presentation). Design Critique and/or Article Presentation (selected weeks as posted on Canvas) Most weeks between two and four students will be asked to present a short design critique of a human-machine interface (you should be able to show the images of an interface or a device). Another type of an on-going presentation will be a presentation of an online article on a topic related with weekly class topic. The article could be selected as an example of a UX technique or tool; if possible the article should be closely related to the weekly readings/lecture topic (but it should not repeat the same content). If more than one student is presenting, they should coordinate their article selection so that there is no overlap. The presentations should be short and to the point (5 to 7 minutes). For both types of presentations you should prepare slides and upload them to Canvas 48 hours before the class meeting time. More information is posted on Canvas under Assignments.
In class presentations
Most weeks (please consult Canvas for specific weeks) one or two students will be assigned to lead discussion on the weekly readings. In addition, one to three students will be assigned to prepare at home and present in class one of two types of presentations (short design critique or online article presentation – see below).
Discussion Leading (selected weeks as posted on Canvas)
The discussants are required to come prepared to take a leading role in class discussion. The discussants should be familiar with related questions posted by classmates on Canvas and be able to summarize them and possibly try to answer some of them. Discussion leading should be supported by slides (submitted to Canvas by Tuesday at 10pm). More information is posted on Canvas under Assignments.
Design Critique (selected weeks as posted on Canvas)
Most weeks one or two students will be asked to present a short design critique of a human- machine interface (you should be able to show the device or its images). Presentation slides are due by Tuesday at 10pm. More information is posted on Canvas under Assignments.
Team project
The major work (and the major part of course grade) component for the course is the semester team-oriented development project. It involves defining, analyzing, specifying, designing, prototyping, and evaluating an interaction design for a realistic problem area that you select. The purpose of the project is to give you exposure to all steps involved in developing a significant user interaction design. The project will include seven phases listed above in the grading table. The project assignments are described in detail separately. This is a team project (except part #6 (evaluation) and one section of the final project report (#8i), which you will perform individually). I will assign students to teams, trying to balance knowledge, skills, and backgrounds, based on a demographic survey given the first day/week of class. All development activities, including writing the deliverables, are team activities. All team members are to participate in all project activities. Do not go too far in the direction of dividing the overall process among the team members. Even though this might seem like a more efficient way to proceed, this leads to a kind of specialization that poses a barrier to each person learning the overall process.
The project grading process
The TA and the instructor typically work together in grading your submissions. Teams will be operating under somewhat varying conditions, reflecting various real-world development situations. Therefore, expectations for different teams will vary, as will the bases for grading project deliverables, so this is not about comparing the final products or deliverables across teams. The emphasis in this class is on learning the process and your project deliverables will be graded with that perspective.
The objective part
The first thing we assess objectively is whether all requirements are met. Mechanical aspects such as formatting, labeling, grammar, spelling, following instructions, etc. are easy to grade because they are objective. Since these mechanical aspects are just expected, we don’t give positive points for those, but we may deduct points if they are wrong or missing.
The subjective part
The hard part in grading is the subjective part, which is about quality of content. Your submissions will be sorted in an approximate order of overall quality. We then take a second look and discuss relative merits of your work. In this process we calibrate our judgments. There are two components to this subjective evaluation: how well requirements are met (how well you did the job) and how well you reported it. Our evaluation of these components is based on our own knowledge and experience and is necessarily somewhat relative among the project teams of the class. The “how well you met requirements” part is based on our perception of how much you put into it, how completely you pursued the assignment, and how well you understood, interpreted, and applied the material covered in class to your project. We will try to write comments about these qualitative parts, so you know what aspects of your work and writing are possible issues.
Teamwork
Each member of the team is expected to contribute equally to each part of the project. It is possible that one of the most difficult parts of the project assignments is working well together in a group. It is understood that the effort each of you put into project phases may fluctuate given your skillset. Be aware of possible group problems and be ready to solve them. Don’t make the mistake of taking this aspect for granted or waiting for it to fix itself; you have too much at stake. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, some team members end up not pulling their fair share of the weight. If you encounter such problems please contact your instructor as early as possible. The instructor will work with a group to help you solve problems.
Class participation
Class participation includes showing up, presentation of assigned materials in the classroom, active role in in class activities as well as active participation in classroom discussions.
Course policies
Due dates and times for handing in homework and project assignments
All homework and project assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. You should think of all due dates for assignments, especially project assignments, as firm. The tight schedule of deliverables throughout the whole semester makes it nearly impossible to extend due dates. Any assignment that you do not hand in on time may be penalized in grading. If you are not able to complete an assignment by the due date, it would be best for you to hand in as much of it as you have done. It will help if you notify us about special circumstances that will adversely affect completion of an assignment.
Attendance
I will take attendance every day and attendance will count for one tenth of your total grade.
If you have a legitimate need for absence, such as illness or job interview, notify the instructor by email as soon as possible and you may receive an excused absence.
POLICIES
Important Note: The policies of the University are undergoing change. The following may be superseded by the policies at https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1377522, which is a Canvas course containing the honor code which you must adhere to, as well as much of the following information. A better URL may be https://utexas.instructure.com/enroll/TP964H if for some reason you are not enrolled in the site.
Attendance
All concerns about attendance recording must be resolved within 72 hours of the class session in question. In other words, you can’t come to the instructor weeks later and insist you were present on such-and-such a day.
Assignment Submission
All assignments must be submitted via Canvas. No assignment should be submitted via email. Any assignment submitted via email will receive a grade of zero. It may be tempting to try to submit assignments via email when you have trouble with Canvas but the correct response is to contact tech support and resolve the problem with Canvas.
Extra credit and grade rounding
There is no extra credit available in this class and grades are not rounded. You receive exactly the letter grade corresponding to the score you achieve.
Disability and Access
The university is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive learning environment consistent with university policy and federal and state law. Please let me know if you experience any barriers to learning so I can work with you to ensure you have equal opportunity to participate fully in this course. If you are a student with a disability, or think you may have a disability, and need accommodations please contact Disability and Access (D&A). Please refer to D&A’s website for contact and more information: http://community.utexas.edu/disability/. If you are already registered with D&A , please deliver your Accommodation Letter to me as early as possible in the semester so we can discuss your approved accommodations and needs in this course.
Policy on Academic Integrity
Students who violate University rules on academic misconduct are subject to the student conduct process and potential disciplinary action. A student found responsible for academic misconduct may be assigned both a status sanction and a grade impact for the course. The grade impact could range from a zero on the assignment in question up to a failing grade in the course. A status sanction can range from probation, deferred suspension and/or dismissal from the University. To learn more about academic integrity standards, tips for avoiding a potential academic misconduct violation, and the overall conduct process, please visit the Student Conduct and Academic Integrity website at: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/conduct.
Class Recordings
Class recordings are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any form. Violation of this restriction by a student could lead to Student Misconduct proceedings.
Artificial intelligence
The creation of artificial intelligence tools for widespread use is an exciting innovation. These tools have both appropriate and inappropriate uses in classwork. The use of artificial intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT) in this class is permitted but must be documented. Usually, you should include a lengthy disclaimer at the end of the assignment as a separate paragraph telling which generative AI tool was used, e.g., ChatGPT, and what it was used for. Failure to document will be considered a cheating offense, punishable under the rules for academic integrity. The disclaimer must be specific and thorough. A brief, vague statement will not be considered sufficient.
Personal Pronouns
Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender identity & expression, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student’s legal name, unless they have added a “chosen name” with the registrar’s office, which you can do so here: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/ais/chosen_name/. I will gladly honor your request to address you by a name that is different from what appears on the official roster, and by the pronouns you use (she/he/they/ze, etc). Please advise me of any changes early in the semester so that I may make appropriate updates to my records. For instructions on how to add your pronouns to Canvas, visit https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/633028/pages/profile-pronouns. More resources are available on the Women’s Community Center website, https://community.utexas.edu/wcc/.
Basic Needs Security
Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. UT maintains the UT Outpost (https://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/utoutpost.php) which is a free on-campus food pantry and career closet. Furthermore, please notify the professor if you are comfortable in doing so. This will enable him to provide any resources that he may possess.
Mental Health Information
Students who are struggling for any reason and who believe that it might impact their performance in the course are urged to reach out to Bryce Moffett if they feel comfortable. This will allow her to provide any resources or accommodations that she can. If immediate mental health assistance is needed, call the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) at 512-471-3515 or you may also contact Bryce Moffett, LCSW (iSchool CARE counselor) at 512-232-4449. Bryce’s office is located in FAC18S and she holds drop in Office Hours on Wednesday from 2-3pm. For urgent mental health concerns, please contact the CMHC 24/7 Crisis Line at 512-471-2255.
Carrying of Handguns on Campus
Students in this class should be aware of the following university policies related to Texas’ Open Carry Law: Students in this class who hold a license to carry are asked to review the university policy regarding campus carry.
- Individuals who hold a license to carry are eligible to carry a concealed handgun on campus, including in most outdoor areas, buildings and spaces that are accessible to the public, and in classrooms.
- It is the responsibility of concealed-carry license holders to carry their handguns on or about their person at all times while on campus. Open carry is NOT permitted, meaning that a license holder may not carry a partially or wholly visible handgun on campus premises or on any university driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area.
- Per my right, I prohibit carrying of handguns in my personal office. Note that this information will also be conveyed to all students verbally during the first week of class. This written notice is intended to reinforce the verbal notification, and is not a “legally effective” means of notification in its own right.
LGBTQIA+ Community
As an institution committed to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment, The University of Texas at Austin strictly prohibits discrimination, harassment, or marginalization based on sexual orientation or gender identity under Title IX. If you encounter any discrimination or harassment, please seek support from the Title IX office.
Additionally, we encourage you to complete the Campus Climate Survey by following the link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d70ce9db84a3403ab00394e4617f8f3b
If you experience any form of discrimination or harassment, please contact the Title IX office for support. If you do not wish to contact the UT Title IX office, you may view confidential community resources at https://titleix.utexas.edu/community-resources-confidential . The Womens Community Center, found at https://community.utexas.edu/wcc/ , offers resources and support for LGBTQIA+ students, and I encourage you to visit their website for more information or to contact their professional staff.
I am committed to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. This includes fostering an environment of respect, openness, and understanding in the classroom and actively working to address any discrimination or harassment that may occur. If you wish to display your pronouns on your Canvas page, you can find a guide here: https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/633028/pages/profile-pronouns. Furthermore, you can include a “preferred name” by viewing the following link to class rosters, which come with the student’s legal name (unless an addition of a preferred name is made): https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/ais/chosen_name/.
TITLE IX DISCLOSURE
Beginning January 1, 2020, Texas Education Code, Section 51.252 (formerly known as Senate Bill 212) requires all employees of Texas universities, including faculty, to report to the Title IX Office any information regarding incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking that is disclosed to them. Texas law requires that all employees who witness or receive information about incidents of this type (including, but not limited to, written forms, applications, one-on-one conversations, class assignments, class discussions, or third-party reports) must report it to the Title IX Coordinator. Before talking with me, or with any faculty or staff member about a Title IX-related incident, please remember that I will be required to report this information.
Although graduate teaching and research assistants are not subject to Texas Education Code, Section 51.252, they are mandatory reporters under federal Title IX regulations and are required to report a wide range of behaviors we refer to as sexual misconduct, including the types of misconduct covered under Texas Education Code, Section 51.252. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex – including pregnancy and parental status – in educational programs and activities. The Title IX Office has developed supportive ways and compiled campus resources to support all impacted by a Title IX matter.
If you would like to speak with a case manager, who can provide support, resources, or academic accommodations, in the Title IX Office, please email: supportandresources@austin.utexas.edu. Case managers can also provide support, resources, and accommodations for pregnant, nursing, and parenting students.
For more information about reporting options and resources, please visit: https://titleix.utexas.edu, contact the Title IX Office via email at: titleix@austin.utexas.edu, or call 512-471-0419.