IN4MATIX 131:
Human-Computer Interaction

General Educational Aims: This course gives an introduction to human-computer interaction with an emphasis on user interface design. Students learn about HCI theory, guidelines for effective interface design, and the evaluation of user interfaces.

Specific Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
- realize the importance of user-centered design, design prototyping, and formative and summative evaluation,
- have attained the ability to design and evaluate user interfaces of low and medium complexity based on guidelines,
- realize the impact of human factors research and cognitive psychology on HCI, and
- be familiar with some of the outstanding research problems being studied in the field of HCI.

Requirements: Students should have used computers and different software for at least one year.

Character of course: Lecture with discussion, self-study of the required readings, some homework, and a term project in collaboration with the UCI library.

Location and Time:        Lecture:      TTh 11:00am-12:20pm, DBH 1300
                                         Discussion:  Wed 10:00-10:50am ICS 180 (TA Yang Wang, firstnamelastname@uci.edu)

Hours (send email beforehand if you plan to come):

• Alfred Kobsa: after class, or Tue 10-11am (Bren Hall, rm 5092)
• Yang Wang:
• Sati Das: Mon 1:00-1:50pm, ICS 192

Required readings:

• Ben Shneiderman and Catherine Plaisant (2004): Designing the User Interface, Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-321-19786-0.
• Farkas, D. K. and Farkas, J. B. (2000): Guidelines for Designing Web Navigation. Technical Communication 4(2000), 341-358.
               Electronic version (for class usage only! )             
  Another required reading will be distributed when due.

Optional readings:

• Jeff Johnson (2000): GUI Bloopers: Don'ts and Do's for Software Developers and Web Designers. Revised edition. Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-582-7.
• Catherine Courage and Kathy Baxter (2005): Understanding Your Users: A Practical Guide to User Requirements -- Methods, Tools, & Techniques. Morgan Kaufmann. ISBN-1-55860-935-0.
• Jenny Preece, Yvonne Rogers, Helen Sharp, David Benyon (1994): Human-computer interaction. Addison-Wesley Pub, 1994, ISBN 0201627698.
• Michael G. Paciello: Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities. CMP Books, 2000. ISBN 1-929629-08-7,
• Kent L. Norman (1991): The Psychology of Menu Selection. Exeter, England and Portland, Oregon: Intellect. ISBN 089391553X
• Jan H. Spyridakis: Guidelines for Authoring Comprehensible Web Pages and Evaluating Their Success. Technical Communication 4 (2000), 359-382.
              Electronic version (for class usage only!)
  
  All books should be available from the UCI bookstore, and from a reserve in the Science Library.
  Compare off-campus prices: Shneiderman/Plaisant, Johnson, Courage/Baxter, Preece et al, Paciello, Norman

Course Notes: HTML, PDF

Grading:	25% for mid-term exam
	35% for final exam
	15% for term project
	10% for homework
	10% for takehome exams
	5% for pop quiz (second half of quarter)
	up to 10% bonus for active in-class participation

Efficient reading: see here
Cheating: see here
Students with Disabilities: see here

ICS Deadlines:   Adding/dropping this class: by Jan. 18
Course Evaluation: ?? - ?? (11:59pm)

Office hours: After class, or Tue 10-11am (Bren Hall, rm 5092)
                       (contact me in class or send email beforehand)

This course is a prerequisite for:
IN4MATX 132: Project in Human-Computer Interaction and User Interfaces

Syllabus:

Unit	Date	Topic	Reading (*)	Homework
1	1/8	What is HCI and why should we learn about it?	SP1.1-1.5, P1	Homework 1 (due 1/16**)
2	1/10	Elements of HCI	P2	Takehome quiz 1 (distributed in class; due 1/16**)
3	1/15	Cognitive Foundations	P4-6	Takehome quiz 9 (distributed in class; due 1/23**)
4	1/17	Interface Metaphors, Conceptual Models	P7
5	1/22	Input and Output Devices	SP9, P11-12	Takehome quiz 2 (distributed in class; due 1/30**)
6	1/24	Interaction Styles, Style-Independent Design Principles (overview); Command Interfaces	SP2.2-SP2.3, P13	Homework 2 (due 2/13 10am)
7	1/29	Menu Interfaces, Guidelines	SP7.1-7.3, P13.2-3, N4.1	Takehome quiz 8 (distributed in class; due 2/6**)
8	1/31	Menus and Navigation	SP7.3-7.6, P13.3, N6
9	2/5	Form-Fills	SP7.7, P13.4	Takehome quiz 7 (due 2/13**)
10	2/7	Direct Manipulation	SP6.1-6.3, P13.6-7
S1	2/11	Discussion of midterm example questions (1-1:50pm, ICS192)
11	2/12	Midterm exam (open books)
12	2/14	Style-Independent Design Principles	SPp473, SP12.2	Takehome quizzes 6 & 11 (distributed in class; due 2/20**)
13	2/19	Screen layout	SP12.4	Takehome 3+4 (distributed in class; due 2/27**) Homework 3 (due 3/5 10am)
14	2/21	Guidelines for Selected Screen Elements (text, graphics, colors, windows, etc.)	SP12.4-12.6, P14
15	2/26	Interfaces for Hypermedia Systems	F&F	Start term project (distributed in class; CD/DVD due 3/18 10:30am; report due 3/20 11:45pm)
	2/28	Interfaces for CSCW, Virtual Reality, Mobile Devices	SP10, P16.1-16.2, P28.4
16	3/4	No class
17	3/6	Speech interaction Interfaces for People with Disabilities	SP1.5, Pa1-4	Takehome quiz 10 (distributed in class; due 3/12**) Takehome quiz 5 (distributed in class; due 3/12**)
18	3/11	Iterative Design, Interface Development Tools	S5.3-5.4, P27-28.3
19	3/13	Evaluation	SP4, P29-31, CB
S2	3/14	Questions on final exam (2-2:50pm, ICS192)
	3/18	Final Exam (10:30am-12:30pm) CD/DVD of term project due (10:30am)
	3/20	Term project due

(*) Only the Shneiderman & Plaisant (SP) and the Farkas & Farkas (FF) texts are required readings
(**) These items are due at the beginning of the discussion session.

Codes: P ... Preece et al. (1994)
            Pa: Paciello (2000)
            J: Johnson (2000)
            SP: Shneiderman & Plaisant (2003)
            CB ... Courage & Baxter (2005)
           N ... Norman (1991)
           FF .... Farkas and Farkas (2000)
           P1-2                        Preece et al., Chapter 1-2
           P1.3-1.5                  Preece et al., Sections 1.3 through 1.5
           Pp.101-103             Preece et al., page 101-103
      Exercises in the books are not required, albeit doing them is useful.