Human-Computer Interaction

This course is concerned with improving human-computer interaction, especially usability, through the exploitation of knowledge and theories about how people interact with their environments.

In this course we will explore the interaction between humans and computers primarily from a cognitive science perspective and as it relates to usability. We will look at: how people interact with each other and with computers, insights provided by models of cognition, defining and assessing usability, and the roles of computer interface elements and behaviors. During the course we will discuss provocative ideas concerning communication, memory, perception, attention, language, meaning and thought. We will examine theories based on observations made in the everyday world (such as news-wire summarization, childhood recollections, the design of doors, eyewitness testimony, storytelling, artistic creation, ordering in a restaurant, etc.) as they relate to the design of human-computer interfaces.

We will use interactive computer systems, primarily Hypermedia, as vehicles for our study of human-computer interaction. Hypermedia, the combination of multimedia (integrated animation, sound, text and graphics) with knowledge navigation (search, manipulation and display of high-level information), encompasses forms of information that support nonlinear dynamic display and processing (such as hypertext browsers and virtual reality). You will evaluate the effectiveness of existing interactive application interfaces and will experiment with authoring your own.

Our investigation will encompass many levels of knowledge sources, including but not limited to: themes, goals, plans, scripts, physical objects, settings, interpersonal relationships, social roles and discourse models. The following partial list gives the flavor of the types of processes and structures we will consider: the influence of planning and expectation failures on understanding, episodic memory structures, how people interact with each other, people's interactions with computers, usability assessment, design for usability, computer interface elements and behaviors.

• Describe usability and review, utilize and create human-interface guidelines
  
  
• Specify, design, document and assess human interfaces to software applications
  
  
• Use your knowledge of the relationship between human cognition and usability to explain and predict usability performance of specific user interface mechanisms and approaches
  
  
• Choose appropriate user-interface structures, techniques, and paradigms

You will be expected to make several in-class presentations and to participate in class discussions and in-class exercises. There will be homework assignments that you are required to complete and turn in. Your final course grade is determined by combining scores on the exercises, presentations, and assignments. You are guaranteed a grade no lower than that given by the following conversion of score (percentage of total possible) to letter grade:
  89% < A;  79% < B < 90%; 69% < C < 80%; 59% < D < 70%; F < 60%

N.B.: Participation in class discussions and exercises is mandatory.

Late assignments will not earn course credit. You may submit an assignment after its due date for comments and advice, and you are encouraged to do so. However, the score for that assignment will be recorded officially as 0. Likewise, missing an in-class exercise will result in a score of 0 for that exercise. Specifically, late homework and make-up exercises will not be accommodated without prior arrangement and written agreement. Unforeseeable crises and emergency situations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis in accordance with MSCD, College, and Departmental policies.

Note that a substantial amount of information will be disseminated during class sessions or on course websites that you will be responsible for knowing whether or not you attended the sessions or accessed the website. Note in particular that the textbooks do not provide all of the information necessary to successfully complete the assignments and exercises.