Course Title: Design user interfaces
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term2 2014
Course Code: VART6060C
Course Title: Design user interfaces
School: 650T TAFE Business
Campus: City Campus
Program: C6102 - Advanced Diploma of Business (Public Relations)
Course Contact : Sally Parrott
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175
Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Natalie Wallis
Nominal Hours: 50
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit requires the application of visual communication principles to the design of user interfaces that form part of interactive media products, such as web environments, games or e-learning resources.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CUFDIG402A Design user interfaces |
Element: |
1. Identify project requirements |
Performance Criteria: |
Rubrics available in blackboard |
Element: |
2. Draft design specifications |
Performance Criteria: |
Rubrics available in blackboard |
Element: |
3. Finalise user interface designs |
Performance Criteria: |
Rubrics available in blackboard |
Learning Outcomes
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to design user interfaces for interactive media products.
Details of Learning Activities
In this course students will:
- Use design specificationsto clarify the target user, audience and purpose of interactive media products
- Obtain samples of text content and media assets to be integrated into user interfaces
- Generate ideas
- Research interactive media product user interfaces, designs, images, artwork and other creative sources that may inspire design ideas
- Use sketches and concepts in specifications as the basis for generating range of design ideas that are technically feasible and provide creative solutions to all design issues
- Present interface design ideas to relevant personnel for discussion and feedback
- Identify range of appropriate industry-standard graphics software
Teaching Schedule
| Week | Week Commencing | Topics |
| 1 | 7 Jul | 1) Course Induction • Course delivery and assessment details • Course support documents • Online learning environment • Grading • Plagiarism • Appeals • Extensions • Feedback • Privacy • Submission requirements • Resubmission policy • Where to get support • Student responsibilities (2) Pre-Training Review (3) Course Overview - What are User Interfaces? |
| 2 | 14 Jul | Introduction to User Experience Presentation and Exercises to introduce the concept of User Experience, What is it and why is it important? |
| 3 | 21 Jul | Evaluate User Interfaces Examines how we use UI to assess effectiveness, appropriateness to the user and audience and technical feasibility, of both new and existing interfaces. |
| 4 | 28 Jul | Big Data What is Big Data, and why is everyone talking about it? Examine the kind of data being collected. Examine how it can be used to create interesting and useful user interfaces. |
| 5 | 4 Aug | Typography and Design Re-cap Look at Re-look at Typography and Design. Examine student current levels and understanding with exercises. Look at presentation techniques. Look at types of presentations, informative vs. the pitch. |
| 6 | 11 Aug | Task 1 Due In Class You will receive the feedback in week 7. If required, resubmission for this assessment is due by the end of week 8 |
| 7 | 18 Aug | Brainstorming Look at different brainstorming techniques and idea generation. Plan approach: design selection, graphic software choice, explore typographical and visual design elements Paper prototypes: concept sketches including functional areas and design specifications |
| 8 | 25 Aug | Use software to develop Prototypes Apply visual design and communication principles to the development of user interfaces. Examine software tools, including tutorials on software techniques. |
| 9 | 8 Sep | Project Definition – Branding your Ap Does your project have a logo or any interesting graphics? In class we will use the creative suite to give your ap the brand definition that it would need in the marketplace. |
| 10 | 15 Sep | Visual design We will look at organising the user interface purposefully, in meaningful and useful ways based on clear, consistent models that are apparent and recognizable to users. Ensure user interfaces meet all design and relevant standards Make sure the design makes simple, common tasks easy, communicating clearly and simply in the user’s own language, and providing good shortcuts that are meaningfully related to longer procedures. |
| 11 | 22 Sep | Style Sheets and Style Templates Look at creating prototypes that meet professional standards Save UI in appropriate output format |
| 12 | 29 Sep | Pitching to client Exercises to prepare for pitching to client which is very different an informative presentation. Students Aps should be in the final iteration stage, ready for in class feedback |
| 13 | 6 Oct | Task 2 Due In Class You will receive the feedback in week 13. If required, resubmission for this assessment is due by the end of week 14. |
| 14 | 13 Oct | Evaluate user interfaces Review UI to assess effectiveness, appropriateness to the user and audience and technical feasibility |
| 15 | 20 Oct | Task 3 Due In Class If needed resubmission for this assessment will be week 16. |
| 16 | 27 Oct | Re-submissions |
| 17 | 3 Nov | re-submissions |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Resources for the course tbc, and will be available in Blackboard
Overview of Assessment
Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.
Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Assessment Tasks
Assessment 1 – Individual (Due in class Week 6)
Presentation: Examination/User Report
Individually, students will be given a real user Interface to examine. This interface will be one that helps to manage a data sets (such as tram tracker or webjet). Students are then to produce a detailed analysis report to be delivered in class. This presentation will cover all aspects of the user experience, that include the words that users have to interact with, the visual representations the user interacts with on the interface including, typography, diagrams, icons, and other graphics. The space with which the user or users interact, the content that changes over time such as sound, video, or animation, and the behaviour defines the users actions reaction to the interface and how they respond to it.
Instructions:
• This assessment is an individual assessment
• The assessment can be accessed through the BlackBoard / Assessments / Create User Interfaces Students MUST follow the outline provided
Marking Guide:
The marking guide will be available on BlackBoard under Design User Interfaces. All content in blackboard is under this unit code.
Assessment 2 – Group (Due in class Week 13)
User Interface Design
Working in groups, the second assessment will focus on students’ ability to create a professional prototype of a User Interface. This project will involve a range of research and technical tasks to be completed using various software tools in the Adobe Creative Suite. You will be given data sets, and the aim of user interface design is to make the user’s interaction as simple, efficient, enjoyable and perhaps even fun as possible. Your final prototypes will be presented to a group of industry experts.
Instructions:
• This assessment is an group assessment and will entail identifying project requirements and drafting design specifications
• The assessment is accessed through the BlackBoard / Assessments / Create User Interfaces
• Students MUST follow the instructions provided
Marking Guide:
The marking guide will be available on BlackBoard under Create User Interfaces
Assessment 3 – Individual (Due in class Week 15)
Online Test
Individually students will complete an online test in class. You will need to show a solid understanding of key material covered over the semester including User experience (UX), digital platforms, and prototyping software.
Instructions:
• This assessment is an individual assessment.
• The assessment is accessed through the BlackBoard / Assessments / Create User Interfaces
• Students MUST follow the instructions provided
Assessment Matrix
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not yet competent
Course Overview: Access Course Overview