IN4MATIX 131 / ICS 104:
Human-Computer Interaction

General Educational Aims: This course gives an introduction to human-computer interaction with an emphasis on user interface design. Students learn about HCI theory, guidelines for effective interface design, and the evaluation of user interfaces.

Specific Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
- realize the importance of user-centered design, design prototyping, and formative and summative evaluation,
- have attained the ability to design and evaluate user interfaces of low and medium complexity based on guidelines,
- realize the impact of human factors research and cognitive psychology on HCI, and
- be familiar with some of the outstanding research problems being studied in the field of HCI.

Requirements: Students should have used computers and different software for at least one year.

Character of course: Lecture with discussion, self-study of the required readings, some homework, and a term project in collaboration with the UCI library.

Location and Time:        Lecture:   TTh 8:00-9:20am, ICS 180
                                     Discussion:   F   12-1:50pm, PSCB 210 (starts 9/29)
                                                          w/ TA Judy Chen (judychen @ uci.edu)

Required readings:

• Ben Shneiderman and Catherine Plaisant (2004): Designing the User Interface, Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-321-19786-0.
• Farkas, D. K. and Farkas, J. B. (2000): Guidelines for Designing Web Navigation. Technical Communication 4(2000), 341-358.
               Electronic version (for class usage only! )             
  Another required reading will be distributed when due.

Optional readings:

• Jeff Johnson (2000): GUI Bloopers: Don'ts and Do's for Software Developers and Web Designers. Revised edition. Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-582-7.
• Catherine Courage and Kathy Baxter (2005): Understanding Your Users: A Practical Guide to User Requirements -- Methods, Tools, & Techniques. Morgan Kaufmann. ISBN-1-55860-935-0.
• Jenny Preece, Yvonne Rogers, Helen Sharp, David Benyon (1994): Human-computer interaction. Addison-Wesley Pub, 1994, ISBN 0201627698.
• Michael G. Paciello: Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities.CMP Books, 2000. ISBN 1-929629-08-7,
• Kent L. Norman (1991): The Psychology of Menu Selection. Exeter, England and Portland, Oregon: Intellect. ISBN 089391553X
• Jan H. Spyridakis: Guidelines for Authoring Comprehensible Web Pages and Evaluating Their Success. Technical Communication 4 (2000), 359-382.
              Electronic version (for class usage only!)
  
  All books should be available in the UCI bookstore, and from a reserve in the Science Library.
  Compare off-campus prices: Shneiderman/Plaisant, Johnson, Courage/Baxter, Preece et al, Paciello, Norman

Course Notes: HTML, PDF

Grading:	25% for mid-term exam
	35% for final exam
	15% for term project
	10% for homework
	10% for takehome exams
	5% for pop quiz (second half of quarter)
	up to 10% bonus for active in-class participation

Efficient reading: see here
Cheating: see here
Students with Disabilities: see here

ICS Deadlines:   Adding/dropping this class: through WebReg only (by Oct. 6)
Course Evaluation: November 24 until December 3 (11:59pm)

Office hours: After class, or Tue 9:30-10:30am, Rm 430C, CS Building (302)
                       (contact me in class or send email beforehand)

This course is prerequisite for:
IN4MATX 132 / ICS 105: Project in Human-Computer Interaction and User Interfaces

Syllabus:

Unit	Date	Topic	Reading (*)	Homework
1	9/26	What is HCI and why should we learn about it?	SP1.1-1.5, P1	Homework 1 (due 10/6**)
2	9/28	Elements of HCI	P2	Takehome quiz 1 (distributed in class; due 10/6**)
3	10/3	Cognitive Foundations	P4-6	Takehome quiz 9 (distributed in class; due 10/6**)
4	10/5	Interface Metaphors, Conceptual Models	P7
5	10/10	Input and Output Devices	SP9, P11-12	Takehome quiz 2 (distributed in class; due 10/13**)
6	10/12	Interaction Styles, Style-Independent Design Principles (overview); Command Interfaces	SP2.2-SP2.3, P13	Homework 2 (due 11/3)
7	10/17	Menu Interfaces, Guidelines	SP7.1-7.3, P13.2-3, N4.1	Takehome quiz 8 (distributed in class; due 10/**) Takehome quiz 7 (due 10/20**)
8	10/19	Menus and Navigation	SP7.3-7.6, P13.3, N6
9	10/24	Form-Fills	SP7.7, P13.4
10	10/26	Direct Manipulation	SP6.1-6.3, P13.6-7
	10/27	Discussion of midterm example questions (12-1:50pm, PSCB 210)
11	10/31	Midterm exam (open books)
12	11/2	Style-Independent Design Principles	SPp473, SP12.2	Takehome quiz 6+11 (distributed in class; due 11/9 at the beginning of the class)
13	11/7	Screen layout	SP12.4	Homework 3 (due 11/31) Takehome 3+4 (distributed in class; due 11/17)
14	11/9	Guidelines for Selected Screen Elements (text, graphics, colors, windows, etc.)	SP12.4-12.6, P14
15	11/14	Interfaces for Hypermedia Systems	F&F	Start term project (distributed in class; due 12/8)
16	11/16	Interfaces for CSCW, Virtual Reality and Mobile Devices	SP10, P16.1-16.2, P28.4
17	11/21	Interfaces for People with Disabilities User-Adaptive Applications	SP1.5, Pa1-4	Takehome quiz 10 (distributed in class; due 11/31) Takehome quiz 5 (distributed in class; due 11/31)
18	11/23	No class (Thanksgiving)
19	11/28	Iterative Design, Interface Development Tools	S5.3-5.4, P27-28.3
20	11/30	Evaluation	SP4, P29-31, CB
	11/31	Questions on final exam (12-1:50pm, PSCB 210)
		Final Exam: Dec 5, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. Term project due on Dec. 8

(*) Only the Shneiderman & Plaisant (SP) and the Farkas & Farkas (FF) texts are required readings
(**) These items are due at the beginning of the discussion session.

Codes: P ... Preece et al. (1994)
            Pa: Paciello (2000)
            J: Johnson (2000)
            SP: Shneiderman & Plaisant (2003)
            CB ... Courage & Baxter (2005)
           N ... Norman (1991)
           FF .... Farkas and Farkas (2000)
           P1-2                        Preece et al., Chapter 1-2
           P1.3-1.5                  Preece et al., Sections 1.3 through 1.5
           Pp.101-103             Preece et al., page 101-103
      Exercises in the books are not required, albeit doing them is useful.