09_6362_Syllabus

8/7/2019 09_6362_Syllabus

1/5

CS 6362: Interactive SystemsSpring, 2009

Instructor: Richard H. Fowler

Office: Engr 3.2104Phones: 381-3453 (office), 381-2320 (department)Email: [email protected] (which is often the best way to get in touch)Office hours: 2:30-4:30 W, 9:30pm-10:30pm W and any time you want to talk

Course description

The title of this course, Interactive Systems, was chosen to indicate a course of study thatspans a range of topics in the theory, design, implementation, and evaluation of computing andinformation systems. Class meetings are typically split between presentation of the moretheoretical elements of interactive systems, focusing on the text and readings, and theimplementation of programs using the MS Windows api, as presented in the book by Petzold,

and web site design. One of the lessons of the course is that, as computer scientists, most of usare quite comfortable in developing the skills necessary to effectively implementuser interfaces.However, the set of skills required to design and evaluate effective user interfaces are likely tobe new to many computer scientists. The course provides both an introduction the broad range oftopics used in design, including cognitive ergonomics and theory, usability testing, and the socialcontext of computer use, as well as advanced implementation techniques for interactive systems.

Student System Critique

The range of topics covered in the first two thirds of the course will provide a background formore advanced work. During the final weeks of the semester, each student will present a critiqueof the user interface to an existing system. In past semesters, most students have chosen to

critique web sites or well known commercial application programs. During the course of thesemester a number of criteria for effective interfaces and web sites will be studied, and theseapplied to particular systems and sites. On the 12th week students will announce to the class thesystem or site to be critiqued and the particular design aspects of on which the critique willfocus.

Lecture and Readings Materials

The Powerpoint lecture presentations and course readings beyond the testwill be available foreach class at www.cs.utpa.edu/~rfowler/csci6362. Having them printed should ease the burdenof taking notes in class.

Attendance, etc.

Students are expected to attend classes, contribute to discussions, complete all assignments, andtake all exams. It is the students responsibility to contact the instructor and make arrangementsprior to the scheduled time, if an exam is not taken. Failure to do so will result in a zero for theexam.
http://www.cs.utpa.edu/~rfowler/csci6362http://www.cs.utpa.edu/~rfowler/csci6362

8/7/2019 09_6362_Syllabus

2/5

Students with Disabilities

If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for you to carry out class workand/or if you need special accommodations/assistance due to a disability, please contact theOffice of Services for Persons with Disabilities (OSPD), Shunior Hall, Room 1.101immediately. Appropriate arrangements/accommodations can be arranged. Verification ofdisability and processing of special services required, such as notetakers, extended test time,separate accommodations for testing, will be determined by OSPD. Please do not assumeadjustments/accommodations are impossible. Please consult with the Associate Director, OSPD.

Programming assignments

Programming assignments are due at 5:00 p.m. on the due date and will not be accepted late.

Grading

The grade will be based on:Exam - midterm 25%Exam - final 25%Homework 25%Critique 25%

Letter grades are assigned as:A = 90% - 100%B = 80% - 89%C = 70% - 79%D = 60% - 69%F = < 60%

Texts

Required:

Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction by BenShneiderman, 4th edition (2004), Addison-Wesley. ISBN: 0-321-197860.

Recommended:

Yale Style Guide: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites, 2nd edition by Lynch, P. J. &Horton, S., 2002, Yale University Press. ISBN-10: 0300096828. Note: Available onlineat http://www.webstyleguide.com/index.html?/index.html3rd edition forthcoming 1/15/2009, ISBN-10: 0300137370.

Prioritizing Web Usability by Jakob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger, 2006, Pearson, ISBN:9780321350312.

2
http://www.webstyleguide.com/index.html?/index.htmlhttp://www.webstyleguide.com/index.html?/index.html

8/7/2019 09_6362_Syllabus

3/5

Programming Windows, The Definitive Guide to the Win32 API by Charles Petzold, 5 th edition,Book&Cd Rom edition (1998), Microsoft Press. ISBN: 157231995X.

Selected readings (supplied to student) taken from:

Interaction Design by Preece, J., Rogers, Y., & Sharp, H., 2002, Wiley. ISBN: 0471492787

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 3 rd edition by Louis Rosenfeld and PeterMorville, 2006, OReilly Media. ISBN: 0596527349

Human-Computer Interaction, 3rd edition, by Alan Dix, Janet E. Finlay,Gregory D. Abowd, andRussell Beale, 2003, Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0130461091

Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity by Nielsen, J., 1999, New RidersPublishing. ISBN: 156205810X

Web Usability: A User-centered Design Approach by Jonathan Lazar, 2006, Addison Wesley.ISBN: 9780321321350

3D User Interfaces: Theory and Practice by Bowman, D., Kruijff, E., LaViola, J. J., andPoupyrev, I., 2005, Addison Wesley. ISBN: 0201758679

Learning Objectives

Describe the event-driven software architecture typically used in interactive systems. Explainwhy this type of architecture, versus others, is appropriate for user interfaces. Discuss thedifferences in control flow in event-driven architectures and other software architectures.

Identify the components of a specific windowing system, e.g. X Windows, MicrosoftWindows, in the context of the more general event-driven architecture.

Define and discuss usability. Why is it important, economically, organizationally, culturally?

List 3 projects in which usability testing either increased effectiveness, or the lack of wasdetrimental.

Define and discuss requirements analysis, indicating stages.

Define universal usability and benefits from striving for it in system design.

Discuss the role of guidelines in interface design and how they differ from principles andtheories.

Determining users skill levels is a useful principle for interface design. Explain what ismeant by the principle and provide two examples of its application.

Discuss the (potential) role of agentsin interfaces. Comment on issues of automation vs.human control that arise with the use agents in computer systems.

3
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Alan%20Dixhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Janet%20E.%20Finlayhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Gregory%20D.%20Abowdhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Russell%20Bealehttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Alan%20Dixhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Janet%20E.%20Finlayhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Gregory%20D.%20Abowdhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-3654957-0579044?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Russell%20Beale

8/7/2019 09_6362_Syllabus

4/5

Write a Microsoft Windows program that provides each of the functionalities common to userinterfaces.

Give the pros and cons of participatory design for user interfaces.

Describe direct manipulation interfaces and their advantages.

Describe teleoperation and the difficulties associated with it.

Discuss virtual reality, as described by Sheiderman and in class.

Describe the relation between virtual reality and immersion.

Discuss the classes of menus presented in Shneiderman.

Discuss content organization in menu.

4

8/7/2019 09_6362_Syllabus

5/5

Schedule

Week Lecture TopicsText Chapter

(Schneiderman)Programming Topics

Programming Textand Other

1, 1/14 Interactive Systems: Introduction

and History

1 Event-driven Software

Architectures (EDAs):Intro.

1

2, 1/21 Interactive Systems: Theory,Principles, and Guidelines

1, 2Preece, 1

EDAs: Programming 1, 2

3, 1/28 Design Process and Evaluation3, 4

WindowsDetails/esoterica, EDA

Control Flow Detail

3

4, 2/4 Human Information Processingand Cognition

Dix 3 2-d Graphics Objects,Mouse Events, Hit Testing

4, 5, 6

5, 2/11 Interaction Styles and

Direct Manipulation

6

Hutchins paper

Menus 10

6, 2/18 Menus, Forms, Dialog Boxes;Command and Natural Language

7, 8 GDI Raster Operations,System Timers

4, 7

7, 2/25 Interaction Devices, ResponseTimes, and Presentation Styles

9, 10, 11 Child/Parent Windows,Dialog boxes

8, 11

8, 3/4 Midterm Exam

Spring Break

9, 3/18 Hypertext History & Implication

Web Design 1: Intro

Bush paper

Nielsen, 1-3

Web Information

Architecture

Rosenfeld &

Morville chaps.

10, 3/25 Web Site Design Lynch andHorton, 1

Web Site Design Lynch and Horton,2, 3

11, 4/1 Web Page Design Lynch andHorton, 4, 7

Design Evaluation

12, 4/8 Virtual Environments 6 3D Interfaces Bowman, 1-3

13, 4/15 Student Critiques 1-4 Student Critiques 5-8



5/4 FinalExam

5

09_6362_Syllabus

Documents

Transcript of 09_6362_Syllabus