SMD157 Human-Computer Interaction, Course Home Page
Period 2, 2005/6

The purpose of this course is to give an in-depth introduction to the subject. The three main goals are to teach: the basics of good user-interface design, iterative development of user interfaces, and an overview of subject area. The course follows the development of a user interface through two iterations, a low-fidelity prototype and a high-fidelity prototype.

The grade for the course is based on a group project and individual work. The project is to develop a prototype user interface. Each year the project centers around a theme. This year's theme is "The Universal Remote". More information is available on the projects page. The group will receive a grade for the project of 0 to 60 points. Individual work will be based on attendance at the seminars and quizzes. More information is available on the Individual Work page. Note, failure to attend or make up an absence at any seminar will result in a failing grade for the course.

In the beginning, the lectures for the course describe the steps in the iterative development cycle: external analysis, task analysis, low-fidelity prototyping, user interface inspection, evaluation with users, and high-fidelity prototyping. The seminars also follow the iterative development steps. Later lectures in the course cover recent topics in HCI: visualization, and alternatives to the WIMP (windows, icons, menus, pointer) interface.

The project requires that you develop a high-fidelity prototype of your user interface design. While you are free to use any tool, Macromedia Flash MX will be installed the PC labs. You are encouraged to use Flash as it is particularly suited to prototyping of non-WIMP interfaces.

As stated before, your grade for the course will consist of two components, the group project and individual work. There are 100 points that can be earned and they are divided in the following manner:

• Group project, all members receive the same points (60 points)
  • Demonstration and high-fidelity prototype evaluation (40 points)
  • Project report (20 points)
• Individual work (40 points)
  • Seminar attendance (0 points)
  • Quizzes best 5 of 6 (40 points)

All points will be totaled and the grade computed according to the following criteria:

• An absence at any seminar without a makeup assignment ==> U
• Less than 30 group points ==> U
• Less than 20 individual points ==> U
• Less than 60 total points ==> U
• 60 or more points but less than 80 ==> 3
• 80 or more points but less than 90 ==> 4
• 90 or more points ==> 5

1. You are responsible for checking the web pages for information. Not knowing something that was posted on the web pages will not be accepted as an excuse.
2. You are expected to attend the lectures.
3. Attendance at the seminars is mandatory. There will be a makeup assignment for those who are absent. Having a good excuse for absence (illness, family emergency, ...) will mitigate the extent of the makeup assignment. Students who fail to attend the seminars or fail to do their makeup assignments will receive a U for the course.
4. The deadline for all assignments is firm and late work penalized by deducting points.
5. All students must be in a group and have registered it by 17:00 on November 4, 2005. Those who haven't will be assumed to have dropped the course.