Course page for HCI

Class 1: Measurable Performers

Date: Week 5, 5^th February

Topics covered: Introduction to HCI, the course and the topic. Motor behavior models.

Slides: available

Practical Task: Usability Bug Hunt

• Keep an eye out during the week for any 'usability bugs' you can find. That is, products that don't work the way you expect them to, websites that are difficult to navigate, software that you can't figure out.
• Document as much as you can about the 'bug'. What was the situation when it occurred? What did you try to remedy it? Is it something that happens all the time, or something unexpected? If possible, bring the product with you to class. If it is too big, bring a photo.
• We will discuss everyone's bugs in next week's class.

Readings:

• Preece, J., Sharp, H. & Rogers, Y., 2002. "Interaction design : beyond human-computer interaction", New York: J. Wiley & Sons. Chapter 1
• MacKenzie, S., 2003 "Motor Behaviour Models for Human-Computer Interaction" in Carroll, J (ed) "HCI Models, Theories, and Frameworks" London, Morgan Kaufman.

Class 3: Mental Modelers

Date: Week 7, 19^th February

Topics covered: Aspects of Cognition. Mental Models.

Slides: available

Practical Task: Models of Logging In

• In groups of 2 or 3.
• Design a log in page for an OpenID enabled website. Try to make it usable by people who've never heard of OpenID.
• Here is a site describing openid and here is a directory of sites where you can use an openid
• In order to inform the design of the new login page, you should try to find out what 'mental models' people currently have for logging in to websites.
• Prepare a wireframe of your design proposal suitable to stick up on the wall and be ready to describe your process and findings with the rest of the class.

Tips:

• Ask someone to walk you through their process of logging in to a website that they use (e.g. facebook).
• Ask them to talk you through the process and explain what they're thinking at each step.
• Stop them and ask for more detail if you think it's appropriate.
• Watch out for situations where the system doesn't do what they expect. Ask why they think this is.
• Try the same thing with an unfamiliar website (e.g. one using OpenID).

Readings:

• Preece, J., Sharp, H. & Rogers, Y., 2002. "Interaction design : beyond human-computer interaction", New York: J. Wiley & Sons. Chapter 3
• Payne, S., 2003 "User's Mental Models: The Very Ideas" in Carroll, J (ed) "HCI Models, Theories, and Frameworks" London, Morgan Kaufman.

Class 5: Direct Perceivers

Date: Week 9, 5^th March

Topics covered: Affordances

Slides: available

Practical Task: Taking Hold of Indoor Climate

• In groups of 2 or 3.
• Design an interface for controlling the indoor climate of a room.
• Temperature, ventilation, lighting, sound, etc.
• Try to use the ideas we've discussed in the class.
• Mock up your interface in physical form so that others can try it out in class next week.

Class 7: Cooperating Components

Date: Week 11, 19^th March

Topics covered: Distributed Cognition

Slides: available

Practical Task: Distributed Cognition at Work

• In groups, see if you can identify cognitive processes at play in an authentic work setting. Some examples of settings that could be worth looking at are, the library, a cashier's desk, a mechanic's workshop.
• Map out the information flows through these processes.
• How is the information represented and transformed.
• Can you find examples of ‘cognitive artefacts’ or other concepts presented in this week’s lecture and readings?
• For the discussion next week, prepare a presentation to show to the rest of the class.

Readings:

• Y. Rogers, "A Brief Introduction to Distributed Cognition", Discussion Paper Interact Lab, School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences, University of Sussex, 1997
• Hollan, J., Hutchins, E., and Kirsh, D. "Distributed Cognition: Toward a New Foundation for Human-Computer Interaction", ACM Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, Vol. 7, No. 2, June 2000, pp 174-196.

Class 9: Situated Actors

Lecture given by Ben Matthews.

Lecture slides and worksheet are available.