Human-computer interaction in application domains

Course goals

The learning objectives for this course have been formulated as follows:

1. domain understanding
   1. deeply understanding and applying various research methods to gain domain knowledge, including selecting relevant partners to aid a quick understanding
   2. making a complete inventory of the relevant stakeholders, their questions, their interests, their gains and losses, and their attitudes
   3. Applying methods to jointly prioritize needs 
2. design methodologies in context
   1. understanding and explaining the following approaches:
      1. design thinking
      2. participatory design / co-design
      3. value-driven design
   2. making a well-founded selection and systematically applying one of these methodologies to a design project in a specific domain.
3. concept development in context
   1. translating needs and questions to viable concepts
   2. making a well-founded selection of a relevant concept 
   3. elaborating the concept and developing a prototype (paper prototype, clickable or coded)
   4. understanding various user evaluation methods and applying appropriate ones to your project
4. translation of concept to requirements
   1. translating design concepts to development requirements
5. project management
   1. understanding and explaining various project management strategies and their corresponding frameworks, including the role of design in these strategies
   2. working with SCRUM in your project
   3. knowing  how to adapt to other project management strategies, and applying them if and when required
6. communication and stakeholder management
   1. demonstrating an ability  to communicate the value of HCI & design (user research, domain research, user testing), for your project in particular, in a manner that resonates with your audience
   2. effectively and convincingly explain design decisions and gain support for them
   3. working with different stakeholders, and keeping them engaged 
   4. Presenting and reporting end results in a convincing, succinct, engaging and actionable manner.

Assessment
The course is assessed with

• a project, including all artefacts such as but not exclusively personae, value-matrices, prototypes (60% of the final mark)
• an Individual examination (open book) where concepts are being applied to case studies (40%)

 

Learning objectives	Project	Exam
1	1a, 1b, 1c	1a,1b
2	2a,2b	2a,2b
3	3a, 3b, 3c, 3d	3b, 3d
4	4a
5	5a, 5b, 5c	5a
6	6a, 6b, 6c, 6d	6a

To qualify for a repair of the final result the mark needs to be at least a 4, or “AANV”.

Content

Human Computer Interaction is inherently an applied science. That means it is essential to learn how to quickly gain a deep understanding of any new domains in which you might be working with the HCI toolbox.
As a successful professional, it is essential to  be able to translate your knowledge to practice.

The project and corresponding assignments you will complete in this course may serve as your first steps towards professional proficiency. To that end, we will involve the professional field in this course, providing you with real life cases, involving complex user needs, complicating constraints, and stakeholders that have at times conflicting interests.
You will necessarily work in an interdisciplinary setting in all phases of the design process: understanding the domain, conceptualizing solutions and designing prototypes.
As a result, the completed project will help you carve out your spot in the professional field. Outcomes of the course can be used as input for your portfolio assignment of the HCI Colloquium.

Course form

• two classes a week, all comprising a lecture (half) and group work (half)
• guest lectures

Literature
To be announced.