Course Title: User-centred Design

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: User-centred Design

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COSC2628	City Campus	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2014, Sem 2 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 2 2015, Sem 1 2016, Sem 2 2016
COSC2628	City Campus	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 2 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 2 2020, Sem 1 2021
COSC2628	City Campus	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2022, Sem 1 2023
COSC2652	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	140H Computer Science & Information Technology	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2015, Viet3 2015, Viet2 2016
COSC2652	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	171H School of Science	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2018, Viet1 2019, Viet3 2019, Viet1 2020, Viet1 2021
COSC2652	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2022, Viet1 2023, Viet2 2023, Viet1 2024
COSC2653	Open Learning Australia	Non Award	171H School of Science	Distance / Correspondence	OUASP2UG21
COSC2653	Open Learning Australia	Non Award	175H Computing Technologies	Distance / Correspondence	OUASP4UG23
COSC2710	RMIT Vietnam Hanoi Campus	Undergraduate	175H Computing Technologies	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2023, Viet1 2024

Course Coordinator: Dr. Dana Mckay

Course Coordinator Phone: -

Course Coordinator Email: dana.mckay@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: -

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This is an introductory course to user-centred design and usability experience; consequently, if you have already completed User Interface Design or User Interface Programming, you do not need to take this course.

User-centred design is a design methodology that focuses on the needs of end users, limitations of end users, preferences of end users, and business objectives. This course is concerned with the development of interactive systems with a strong focus on user-centred design and usability principles. You will learn what characteristics of a user interface can make it easy or hard for people to use, and how to design user interfaces that take into account human capabilities and constraints. The emphasis will be on design first (iteratively, on paper or with prototyping tools). The design principles you learn here will be applied in the follow up courses in web and mobile application development.

 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for BP094 - Bachelor of Computer Science, BP162 - Bachelor of Information Technology, BP232 – Bachelor of Technology (Computing Studies), BP096 - Bachelor of Software Engineering

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes:

PLO1: Knowledge - Apply a broad and coherent set of knowledge and skills for developing user-centric computing solutions for contemporary societal challenges.

PLO2: Problem Solving - Apply systematic problem solving and decision-making methodologies to identify, design and implement computing solutions to real world problems, demonstrating the ability to work independently to self-manage processes and projects.

PLO4: Communication - Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, employing a range of communication methods in interactions to both computing and non-computing personnel.

PLO5: Collaboration and Teamwork - Demonstrate effective teamwork and collaboration by using tools and practices to manage and meet project deliverables.

 

Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:

1. analyse users’ needs, usability goals and user experience goals of a small-to-medium-sized software application
2. understand the components of a design plan and apply user-centred design process from requirement gathering to user studies and evaluation
3. critically analyse usability of sample interfaces and identify key features that make an outstanding user-centred interface, and evaluate the usability of a small-to-medium-sized software application
4. create a ‘usability checklist’ that enhances the usability of a web or mobile application, in order to summarize and explain usability concepts, relevant alternatives, and decision recommendations to your peers and IT specialists
5. apply software and paper prototyping tools to design user interfaces that take into account human capabilities and constraints, users’ needs, usability goals and user experience goals
6. synthesize the design and evaluation of various components of user interface effectively in teams in and peer-review team members’ works and contributions.

 

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities may include: review of pre-recorded lectures, completion of preparation activities, lectorials, laboratory-based activities, webinars, post-lecture exercises, assignment and project work, and self-study.  

A total of 120 hours of study is expected during this course, comprising: 

Teacher-directed hours: Teacher-directed activities may include lectorials, webinars, laboratory-based activities and QA sessions. The teacher-directed hours may vary depending on delivery mode location. Refer to Part B of the course guide for details applicable to each of the study period and location. 

Student-directed hours: You are expected to be self-directed, studying independently outside class. 

Overview of Learning Resources

You will make extensive use of computer laboratories and relevant software provided by the University. You will be able to access course information and learning materials through myRMIT. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided.

The course is supported by the Canvas learning management system which provides specific learning resources. See the RMIT Library Guide at http://rmit.libguides.com/compsci

 

Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

The assessment tasks are in two schedules: A and B. You will be advised at the start of the teaching period which of the two schedules apply: 

Schedule A  Assessment Task 1: Practical project with a milestones (group) -- 50% There are three milestones, and students need to submit a written report for each milestone:  Milestone 1. User study  Milestone 2. Prototype design documentation   Milestone 3. An interactive prototype (mock-up) and user testing  This assessment task supports CLOs 1-6.  Assessment Task 2: Recorded reflection (individual) -- 15% This will assess student’s contribution to each critical milestone in their group project.  This assessment task supports CLOs 1-6.  Assessment Task 3: Case study-based practical assessments (individual) -- 30% The task requires students to answer the questions in an interview setting (recorded and written).  This assessment task supports CLOs 1-5  Assessment Task 4: In class participation (individual) -- 5% This task comprises short online exercises, conducted every week.  This assessment task supports CLOs 2-5

 

Schedule B Assessment Task 1: User research study (individual)  --30% The practical work involves evaluating an existing user interface. This assessment task supports CLOs 1-6. Assessment Task 2: Prototype development (individual)  -- 40% This practical work involves designing a high-fidelity prototype based on a client brief. This assessment task supports CLOs 1-6.  Assessment Task 3: Case study-based practical assessments (individual) -- 30% The task will assess students in a work-like environment as a UCD practitioner. This assessment task supports CLOs 1-5.