Unit Outline

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) concerns itself with the research, design, implementation, and evaluation of computer systems that people interact with. HCI has an enormous impact on the technology industry, with companies of all sizes growing their commercial success through the successful use of HCI methods to create universally usable, useful, efficient, and appealing products.

User Experience Design (UXD) is concerned with designing products, developing systems and providing services that end users will actually use. A system fails when the system does not function as users expect or if they cannot figure out how to use them. Therefore, it is important to research end-users requirements in order to make products, systems and services useful and usable for them.

This unit explores topics in HCI and UXD. This will cover different aspects such as whether the system provides sufficient functionality to meet their user needs and how the users feel and perceive of the systems such as task satisfaction, ease of learning, ease of use, accessibility and efficiency. This unit will provide students essential background, knowledge and research skills of usability and user experience design and evaluation, including how to elicit usability requirements, identify tasks that a system needs to support, design the evaluation protocol and how to collect usability data, analyse and interpret results and communicate them to wide audiences. The unit will introduce students to the different types of user experimentation methods commonly used within HCI and UXD research, and students will additionally learn the theory behind HCI and its application to a number of newly emerging technologies.

This unit provides a practical research project for students. Students will be expected to complete the individual assessments and participate in group activities and student-led presentations and discussions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Design and prototype applications by applying approaches of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience Design (UXD) for deployment on diverse platforms
2	Apply appropriate techniques to evaluate the user experience while professionally interacting with your participants to collect the required data
3	Communicate individually, and collaborate with peers, during the research, design, and evaluation of user-centered applications.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This unit undergoes continuous improvement based on feedback from students and teaching experts. In the most recent iteration, augmentations have been made to content and assessment items.

How will I be Assessed?

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
ASSESSMENT TASK 1:	Individual Prototype Sketch	Week 8	20 %	LO1, LO3
ASSESSMENT TASK 2:	Group High-Fidelity Prototyping	Week 10	30 %	LO1, LO3
ASSESSMENT TASK 3:	Group Prototype Evaluation Activity	Week 13	30 %	LO2, LO3
ASSESSMENT TASK 4:	Weekly Tutorial Activity	Refer to Assessment Description	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Individual Prototype Sketch

TASK DESCRIPTION:

Working individually, and using the skills, knowledge, and processes (Technology Acceptance, PACT Analysis, Conceptual Modelling), from your lectures, readings, and tutorials, you will describe your process of creating a low-fidelity sketch for a new user-focused system and present this prototype as the culmination of thisprocess.

See MyLO for more information.

TASK LENGTH:

At least 1500 words plus diagrams

DUE DATE:

Week 8

WEIGHT:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME


1	Apply principles, guidelines, and standards of HCI and ID to produce and describe a low-fidelity sketch of a prototype for a given user-focused system.	LO1
2	Professional Design of the Business Report	LO3
3	Prepare a report containing your sketch and a comprehensive explanation of your development process, how the design supports your users, and how it promotes the principles of technology acceptance.	LO1

Assessment Task 2: Group High-Fidelity Prototyping

TASK DESCRIPTION:

Working in groups, as allocated in your tutorials, and using the skills, knowledge, and processes (Technology Acceptance, Concrete Modelling, Design Laws and Principles, High-Fidelity Prototyping), from your lectures, readings, and tutorials you will describe your process of creating THREE high-fidelity prototypes based on your low-fidelity sketches and a develop a comprehensive report discussing your design choices and outcomes. You will present these prototypes as the culmination of this process.

Assessment may involve peer assessment of students' individual contributions.

See MyLO for more information.

TASK LENGTH:

At least 3000 words plus 3 prototypes

DUE DATE:

Week 10

WEIGHT:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME


1	Apply principles, guidelines, and standards of HCI and ID to produce and describe THREE high-fidelity prototypes for a given user-focused system.	LO1
2	Collaborate with peers during the prototype design.	LO3
3	Prepare a report containing sketches and screen shots and a comprehensive description of how the prototypes support the needs of the users, adheres to design laws and principles, and how they promote the principles of technology acceptance.	LO1
4	Professional Design of the Business Report	LO3

Assessment Task 3: Group Prototype Evaluation Activity

TASK DESCRIPTION:

Working in your previously allocated groups, and using the skills, knowledge, and processes (Technology Acceptance, Data Gathering, Design Laws and Principles, High-Fidelity Prototyping) from your lectures,readings, and tutorials, you will design and conduct a user testing session to evaluate your high-fidelity prototypes from your previous assignment.

This will include: recruitment of testers, the development of a testing protocol, datacollection, and data analysis. Results of these processes will be delivered via an oral presentation summarising theassessment task, and a written report describing the process undertaken.

Assessment will involve peer assessment of students' individual contributions.

See MyLO for more information.

TASK LENGTH:

5-minute presentation + 2000 word written report

DUE DATE:

Week 13

WEIGHT:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME


1	Deliver a written report that summarises your comparison, selection, and application of appropriate techniques to evaluate your prototypes by interacting with potential users that navigate the prototype designs.	LO2
2	Collaborate with peers and participants during the user evaluation	LO2, LO3
3	Professional Design of the Business Report	LO3
4	Deliver an oral presentation that summarises the evaluation of your user centred interfaces.	LO3

Assessment Task 4: Weekly Tutorial Activity

TASK DESCRIPTION:

Students will submit all pre-tutorial tasks to MyLO BEFORE their scheduled session.

Students will submit completed tutorial tasks to MyLO AT THE END of their scheduled session.

TASK LENGTH:

DUE DATE:

Refer to Assessment Description

WEIGHT:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME


1	Apply principles, guidelines, and standards of HCI and UXD to user-centered applications	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Compare, select and apply appropriate techniques to evaluate the user experience	LO1, LO2, LO3
3	Design and develop usable, useful, efficient, and accessible prototypes	LO1, LO2, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late Penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.