IE 455:
User Interface Design
10:30-12:00, Tuesday &
Thursday, RAI 121
Thomas
A. Furness III
Professor
Industrial Engineering
Office in AERB 141A
Office Hours: Tu/Th 9:00-10:30
(Other times by appointment)
Telephone: 543-4608 (IE);
685-8626 (HITL)
Email: tfurnessu.washington.edu
Homer
Pryor
Teaching Assistant
Office in FLK 215
Office Hours: By appointment
Telephone: 616-1493
Email: hpryorhitl.washington.edu
Purpose
This course addresses the
fundamentals of designing interfaces between humans and complex machines,
notably computer systems. Topics
include models of human-computer interaction; the interface design process;
hardware, software, and human factors elements associated with interfaces;
interface psychology; and sensory, perceptual, and cognitive aspects of
human-computer interaction and virtual environments. In addition to theoretical concepts, group work will be
emphasized since it is important for students to develop skills which will
allow them to work effectively on interdisciplinary design teams in
industry. The course includes projects
and a field trip which give students further “hands on” experience in designing and assessing interfaces in
various settings. Other topics will be
presented as time permits.
Prerequisites
Industrial Engineering 315 & 316, equivalents, or
consent of instructor.
Required Materials
1. Norman, D.A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things, New York,
NY: Basic Books.
2.
Selected papers to be available for copying.
Recommended
Materials
1. Baecker, R.M. & Buxton,
W.A.S. (1995). Readings in Human-Computer
Interaction: Toward the Year 2000, San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann
Publishers.
2. Preece, J. (1994).
Human-Computer Interaction, New York, NY: Addison-Wesley Publishing
Company.
3. Laurel, B. (1990). The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design, Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Grading
Professor Furness will grade the
projects. A teaching assistant will
grade the weekly design problems, quizes and video game projects. The teaching assistant will also work with
project groups to critique and provide feedback on the organziation and
development of the projects. The final
grade will be determined based on the following:
Weekly
Design Problems/Quizes 30%
Video Game Project 20%
Major Interface Design Project 50%
Design Problems
During the course of the quarter
several short design problems will be assigned involving a fundamental interface issue. Both thorough analysis
and design creativity are expected for the design problems. Some problems will be given to be done
quickly in class. Others will be due at
the next class meeting. Students will
be expected to devote more time to these homework problems than to the in-class
problems; however, the write-up/design sketch should be limited to one
single-sided page. In some cases, students will work in project groups to
accomplish the short design problems.
Video
Game Project
For this project, take a pocket
full of quarters to your local video game parlor or arcade, choose a game that
you are not familiar with, and read the instructions. Make an attempt to play the game based on
the instructions and knowledge you have of how other electronic games are
played. Then replay the game (several
times, but do not get hooked!) again using additional knowledge that you have
obtained from your first experience.
This must be a “real” arcade game and not a game on your computer or
home video game system. Both the Health
Sciences Student Center and Husky Union Building have arcade game rooms; however, you can wherever you want.
Readings for the Video Game Assignment (copies available at the Ram Copy
Center on University Ave.)
1. Chapanis, A. (1965). Words,
words, words. Human Factors, 7, 1-17.
2. Crawford, C. (1990). Lessons from
Computer Game Design. In Laurel, B. (Ed.) The
Art of Human-Computer Interface Design, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley
Publishing Company, 103-111.
3. Crawford, C. (1982). The Art of Computer Game Design, Berkeley,
CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill, 77-92.
4. Wickens, C. (1984). Engineering Psychology and Human
Performance, 138-145.
5. Fisk, A.D., Scerbo, M.,
& Kobylak, R. (1986). Relative value of pictures and text in conveying
information. Proceedings of the Human
Factors Society 30th Annual Meeting, 1269-1272.
Video Game Project Paper
The student is to prepare a five
page paper (including bibliography) for this assignment. The paper should discuss the game, it’s
instructions and interface paradigm.
Use the following questions to guide the analysis of the game and the
writing of the paper:
1. Do the instructions provide a
novice with all the information necessary to play the game successfully on the
first try? Discuss the procedural
knowledge necessary to understand the structure and function of the game. Also, discuss the necessary perceptual-motor
skill needed to play the game.
2. How much help was your prior
knowledge of how other video games work in learning to play the present one
(i.e., consistence of elements, sounds, movements, and devices)?
3. Analyze the instructions based on
principles of instructional design found in the reading by Chapanis, Wickens,
and Fisk et al. Other references are encouraged. Provide suggestions for improving the
instructions. Would pictures and fewer
works do a better job conveying the relevant information?
4. Attempt to find an expert user of
the video game you selected (hint, they are probably much shorter than
you). Ask the expert user how the game
should be played. Compare these
instructions to the written instructions.
Which set of instruction would be more useful for the novice?
5. Compare the game with the
principles of design outlined by Crawford.
Which of these principles does the game employ? Which are the most successful in making the
game fun?
6. Include observations for
improvement of the user interface.
Due Date for Video Game Project
Tuesday,
Oct 17, 2000
Major
Interface Design Project
For this project, you will be
assigned to a four person group on October 3rd. The assignment of groups will be based on an experience/interest
questionnaire given on the second day of class. Design problem domains will be suggested. You are to decide on a specific application
within that domain, perform a literature search or background review on the
topic, design an interface for the particular application chosen, and test and
evaluate your design. Students will
turn in an interface as part of the project.
This can be a mockup, artwork or software demonstration. For the purpose of this class, the interface
itself is not as important as the process of designing it. You will be graded based on how well you
complete the process. Specifically, you
grade will be determined by how well the process, as associated with your design,
is illustrated and communicated in your final report. Your performance on the project will also be graded by your other
group members.
Project Proposal
Each group is to write a one page
proposal outlining the specific interface problem which it will be
addressing. This proposal will be due on
Oct 10th after the groups are assigned.
The purpose of this proposal is to get the groups started as quickly as
possible. Each group will be asked to
meet with Mr. Pryor to discuss the project based on this proposal so that they
may ask any questions which they have and so that Mr. Pryor can provide them
with some directions and pointers to the literature.
Background Review
A brief (3-5 pages) background
review related to the design problem and possible interface solutions should be
prepared by the group. This background
should include references to relevant literature and existing
technologies. The instructors will read
and edit these reviews. They will then
be returned so that they may be incorporated into the final paper.
Project Presentation to the Class
During class times 11/30 and 12/5
or another agreed upon date, each group will be required to present their work
in a ten minute presentation to class members, instructors and a panel of
judges. This presentation should
quickly summarize the need or problem, the design of the resulting interface
and include an explanation of why your design is the best solution for the
problem. Note, each project will be
graded independently and on its own merits.
However, the panel will also judge the projects, and prizes will be awarded
to the groups with the best designs.
Final Project Paper
The final paper should completely
detail the design developed by the group.
As stated earlier, the focus should be on the interface design
process. This paper will be used by the
instructor as the primary tool for evaluating the design. The paper should be approximately 15 pages
with a brief (3-5 pages) appendix, if necessary. The paper will be evaluated on these sections:
•
Statement of Problem
•
Background Literature
•
Interface Concept (detailed sketches of the design)
•
Performance requirements
•
Methods Used
•
Documentation of Redesign and Changing Specifications
•
Results (some form of evaluation of the interface is necessary)
•
Discussion
•
Conclusions
The due date for the final
project report is 5 pm on 12/7/2000 outside room 141A, AERB