User Centered Interface Design
About The Module
The module explores the foundations of user centred interface design and the user experience through applied theory. Students are introduced to the importance of the Human Computer Interaction discipline and the need to consider both the cognitive and interaction perspective. Building from this the module explores related issues such as design, interaction, globalisation, accessibility and navigation.
Overview of the subjects: Context and Scope, Users, Mental Models, Representations, Mapping, Artefacts, Usability Concepts and Principles, Common guidelines.
Memory: An introduction to memory theories including working memory; the importance of meanings in memory and associative networks; priming effects and interference; recall v recognition. The relevance of memory to interface design and issues to consider in the development of the interface.
Perception: An introduction to the sensory systems and an investigation into the visual perception system; Theories of perception; Principles of perception including the role of Gestalt. The processes and variations in perception; Population stereotypes; the application of these issues to the interface and visual design.
Skill Acquisition and Learning: Skill Acquisition theories will be considered and the importance of supporting the user through learning; Skill transfers and the importance of help systems and metaphors.
Design Strategies: Lo-fidelity and Hi-fidelity Prototyping, Task Analysis, Dialogue Notation. Wire framing, agile development.
Analogy and Metaphors: Concepts of metaphorical design and the alternatives to these. This will consider the problems of such representations.
Design for Interactivity: Concepts of information architectures, home pages, maps, navigational aids and techniques. Writing for the web, inverted pyramids, micro content, visual design .
International Design: Concepts of global and local design issues, cultural and national issues in the design of user interfaces.
Accessibility: Issues of impairments, rationale of accessibility, WAI, DDA, Design Implications. Evaluation. Goals and strategies. Walkthroughs, User Testing, Heuristic Evaluation.
