Computer Science (COMP) 482

Overview

This course is intended to teach students to design user interfaces based on the capabilities of computer technology and the limitations of human factors. The student design the user interfaces of a system and implement a prototype from a list of informal requirements. The project is developed over four tutor-marked exercises by a design process based on current Human-Computer Interaction principles.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, Students will be able to:

1. Explain the capabilities of both human and computer from the viewpoint of human information processing;
2. Describe typical Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) models, styles, and various historic HCI paradigms;
3. Apply interactive design process and universal design principles to designing HCI systems;
4. Describe and use HCI design rules, such as design principles, standards and guidelines;
5. Design, implement and evaluate a 3D HCI interface based on 3D interaction techniques;
6. Analyze and identify user models, user support, socio-organizational issues and stakeholder requirements of HCI systems;
7. Discuss tasks and dialogs of relevant HCI systems based on tasks analysis and dialog design;
8. Analyze and discuss HCI issues in Groupware, Ubiquitous Computing, Virtual Reality, Multimedia and Word Wide Web related environments.

Outline

Unit 1: Foundations of Human Computer Interaction

• Section 1: The Human
• Section 2: The Computer
• Section 3: The Interaction
• Section 4: Paradigms

Unit 2: Design Process

• Section 1: Interaction Design Basics
• Section 2: HCI in Software Process
• Section 3: Design Rules
• Section 4: Universal Design

Unit 3: Implementation Support

• Section 1: Implementation Tools
• Section 2: Java and Java Swing (optional)

Unit 4: 3D User Interfaces

• Section 1: 3D Interfaces Basics
• Section 2: 3D Interaction Techniques
• Section 3: System Control of Interfaces
• Section 4: Human Factors and Strategies in Designing 3D Interfaces
• Section 5: Java 3D (optional)

Unit 5: Evaluation and User Support

• Section 1: Evaluation
• Section 2: Evaluation of 3D Interfaces
• Section 3: User Support

Unit 6: Users Models

• Section 1: Cognitive Models
• Section 2: Socio-organizational Issues and Stakeholder Requirements

Unit 7: Tasks Models and Dialogs

• Section 1: Analysing the Task
• Section 2: Dialog Notations and Design

Unit 8: Groupware, Ubiquitous Computing, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Hypertext and Multimedia

• Section 1: Groupware
• Section 2: Unbiquitous Computing
• Section 3: Virtual and Augmented Reality
• Section 4: Hypertext, Multimedia and the WWW

Evaluation

To receive credit for COMP 482, you much achieve a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent), including a grade of 50 percent on the final examination and a grade of at least 50 percent on each of the assignments. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Quiz 1	TME 1	TME 2	TME 3	TME 4	Exam	Total
5%	25%	20%	10%	10%	30%	100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.