Draft, 5/1/11

INF 132: Project in HCI and Interfaces

Instructor: Alfred Kobsa

Disclaimer: These are guidelines intended to help students plan their work in this course. However, the instructor does reserve the right to make changes if needed.

Important note: This class requires a high amount of coursework.

General Educational Aims:: Students will learn and practice the process of user interface design and/or evaluation. They will learn different methods for user interface evaluation and experimental design. In concrete projects, students will have to carefully chose between available methods and apply them to obtain empirically verified evaluation results. They will practice collaboration in teams, including the presentation of the project results in oral and written form.

Specific Objective:: At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
- realize the importance of user-centered design, and formative and summative evaluation
- choose between different methods for user interface evaluation
- select an appropriate experimental design
- carry out usability experiments
- have attained the ability to evaluate user interfaces of low and medium complexity
- have familiarity with some of the outstanding research problems in the field of Human-Computer Interaction

Prerequisites: INF 131

Class format:

Half the class will be lecture-format, and the other half will consist of student presentations on the progress in their term projects. Students will collaborate in teams of 3 to 5, depending on the total class enrollment and the nature of their projects.

Readings:

Required

Carol M. Barnum (2010): Usability Testing Essentials. Morgan Kaufmann. ISBN 978-0123750921. Also as e-book.
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. Also as e-book.

Optional

Jeffrey Rubin and Dana Chisnell (2008): Handbook of Usability Testing: How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Effective Tests. 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470185483. Also as e-book.
Joseph S. Dumas and Janice C. Redish (1999): A Practical Guide To Usability Testing. Norwood, N.J. Ablex Publishing Corp. Revised edition 1999, Intellect Ltd.: ISBN 1841500208
Mike Kuniavsky (2003): Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner's Guide to User Research. Morgan Kaufmann, 978-1-55860-923-5. Also as e-book.
Jakob Nielsen and Robert L. Mack (1994): Usability Inspection Methods. New York: Wiley Publishing, ISBN 0-471-01877-5.

The readings are available from a course reserve in the Ayala Science Library and from the UCI bookstore (click at Informatics, then INF132, then Kobsa, then at "Find books for these courses" at the top of the right-hand box).

Projects: Signup for a project

Project 1: Quiz preparation in an online course management system (Jia Frydenberg at unx.uci)
Project 2: Student experience with online classes during the UCI summer session (Jia Frydenberg at unx.uci)
Project 3: Ease of navigation in the Law Library website (Ellen Augustiniak, eaugustiniak at law.uci)
Project 4: User interface for logging food intake and activities (Jim Milewski, jmilewsk at uci)
Project 5: Usability and utility of a network visualization of document topics (John O'Donnovan, jodmail at gmail)
Project 6: Usability of a mobile radio recommender (Devin Pigera, dpigera at gmail)
Project 8: Dynamic FAQ pages, Alternative 1: feedback (Chris Davis, cndavis at uci)
Project 9: Dynamic FAQ pages, Alternative 2: knowledge base (Chris Davis, cndavis at uci)

Location/Times:           MW 3:30- 4:50p   PCB 1300
Discussion (as needed): Fr 11-11:50am PCB 1300

Grading:
          70% for project work (team score, unless vetoed).
           30% for final exam
           up to 10% bonus for active in-class participation
         up to 10% negative points for missing customer/group presentations and group meetings

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

Add/drop: By Tuesday, 3/29 midnight
Course Evaluation:

Hours: send email beforehand if you plan to come
Alfred Kobsa Mo 2:30-3:30, 5092 Bren Hall
Jim Milewski during discussion session (?)

Syllabus (changes possible, discussion sessions will be added as needed on Fridays 11-11:50am)

#

Date&Time

Location
Pods Topic Readings/materials due before class

1

3/28
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

1. Introduction
2. User Needs Analysis
2.1 Interviews
C&B Ch.7

2

3/30
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Customers' presentation of Projects 1-4

3

4/4
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB
2011 pod unavailable due to Camtasia crash. Watch 2010 pod instead:

start at 58:50
Customers' presentation of Projects 5-9

3. Usability evaluations
3.1 Heuristik evaluation
3.2 Cognitive walkthrough
3.3 Usability experiments
B Ch. 3

4

4/6
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Customers' presentation of Project 7

3.3.1 Preparing a usability experiment

B Ch. 5-6

5

4/11
No class

1300 PCB

2.2 Surveys

C&B Ch. 8

6

4/13
No class

1300 PCB

7

4/18
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Initial presentation of Projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p)
Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

8

4/20
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Initial presentations of Projects 4 (3:30p), 5 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p) Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

9

4/25
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Initial presentations of Projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p)
3.3.2 Selecting, recruiting and informing users
Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

B Ch. 6, C&B Ch. 3-6

10

4/27
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

3.3.3 Running a user study B Ch. 7

11

5/2
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

2.5 Field studies
2.3 Focus groups C&B Ch. 11-13

12

5/4
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Interim presentations of Projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p)
Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

13

5/9
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Interim presentations of Projects 5 (3:30p), 4 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p)

Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

14

5/11
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Interim presentations of Projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p)
2.3b Group task analysis
2.4 Wants and Needs Analysis,

Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

C&B Ch. 10

15

5/16
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

2.5 Card Sorting
3.3.4. Analyzing and presenting the results
4. Establishing user orientation in a company
C&B Ch. 11
B Ch. 8-8, C&B Ch. 14
Interview with Kim Goodwin (MP3, optional)

16

5/18
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

17

5/23
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Final presentations of projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p) Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

18

5/25
3:30-4:50pm

1300 PCB

Final presentations of projects 5 (3:30p), 4 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p) Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

19 5/30
No class 1300
PCB

20
6/1
3:30-4:50pm 1300 PCB
Final presentations of projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p)
Powerpoint slides of presented projects
(submit revised version after talk)

6/6
4-6pm
1300 PCB
Final Exam Submit experimental materials on CD/DVD

6/8 11:55pm

Final reports due Upload Project Report

Legend:

B = Carol Barnum (2010)
C&B = Catherine Courage and Kathy Baxter (2005)
B Ch.7 = Chapter 7 of Carol Barnum (2010)

”

#	Date&Time	Location	Pods	Topic	Readings/materials due before class
1	3/28 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		1. Introduction 2. User Needs Analysis 2.1 Interviews	C&B Ch.7
2	3/30 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Customers' presentation of Projects 1-4
3	4/4 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB	2011 pod unavailable due to Camtasia crash. Watch 2010 pod instead: start at 58:50	Customers' presentation of Projects 5-9 3. Usability evaluations 3.1 Heuristik evaluation 3.2 Cognitive walkthrough 3.3 Usability experiments	B Ch. 3
4	4/6 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Customers' presentation of Project 7 3.3.1 Preparing a usability experiment	B Ch. 5-6
5	4/11 No class	1300 PCB		2.2 Surveys	C&B Ch. 8
6	4/13 No class	1300 PCB
7	4/18 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Initial presentation of Projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
8	4/20 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Initial presentations of Projects 4 (3:30p), 5 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
9	4/25 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Initial presentations of Projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p) 3.3.2 Selecting, recruiting and informing users	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk) B Ch. 6, C&B Ch. 3-6
10	4/27 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		3.3.3 Running a user study	B Ch. 7
11	5/2 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		2.5 Field studies 2.3 Focus groups	C&B Ch. 11-13
12	5/4 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Interim presentations of Projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
13	5/9 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Interim presentations of Projects 5 (3:30p), 4 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
14	5/11 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Interim presentations of Projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p) 2.3b Group task analysis 2.4 Wants and Needs Analysis,	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk) C&B Ch. 10
15	5/16 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		2.5 Card Sorting 3.3.4. Analyzing and presenting the results 4. Establishing user orientation in a company	C&B Ch. 11 B Ch. 8-8, C&B Ch. 14 Interview with Kim Goodwin (MP3, optional)
16	5/18 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB
17	5/23 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Final presentations of projects 1 (3:30p), 2 (3:55p), 3 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
18	5/25 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Final presentations of projects 5 (3:30p), 4 (3:55p), 6 (4:20p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
19	5/30 No class	1300 PCB
20	6/1 3:30-4:50pm	1300 PCB		Final presentations of projects 8 (3:30p), 9 (3:55p)	Powerpoint slides of presented projects (submit revised version after talk)
	6/6 4-6pm	1300 PCB		Final Exam	Submit experimental materials on CD/DVD
	6/8 11:55pm			Final reports due	Upload Project Report