Designing Human-Computer Interaction (6389.6)

Please note these are the 2019 details for this unit
Home
/
Find your course
/
Designing Human-Computer Interaction
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Science And Technology
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Academic Program Area - Technology Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit provides the theory and practices needed to design and specify the user requirements for the HCI aspects of an information system. Emphasis is placed on user-centred design - designing for use and user experience. Foundation knowledge of human perception and cognition is matched to emerging technological facilities and devices for information collection and expression. Relevant sections of Australian and other Standards and guidelines dealing with software quality management, software ergonomics and software usability are deployed in design. Design patterns, Web Information Architecture and how HCI design is implemented in programming are examined.

This unit may be cotaught with 6673 Designing Human-Computer Interaction G.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Undertake a human-computer interaction design project in a professional manner;
2. Conduct an evaluation of an HCI design or implementation in terms of the interaction of user types, situation of use and technology;
3. Specify use-cases and their technological implementation justified in terms of human and technological communication; and
4. Apply policies and procedures from relevant guidelines, patterns and standards.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware


Prerequisites

4478 Introduction to Information Technology

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

6673 Designing Human-Computer Interaction G

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

6348 Information Systems in Organisations and 5915 Database Design.
Availability for enrolment in 2025 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 05 February 2024 On-campus Dr Ram Subramanian
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 On-campus Dr Ram Subramanian
Not available

Required texts

There is no prescribed textbook for this unit. All requisite material would be provided as part of the lecture notes.

However, the following book will be used to teach required content: "Benyon, David. 2019. Designing User Experience, A guide to HCI, UX and interaction design, PEARSON." 

This book has been ordered by the library for short-term loan and E-Text is available for purchase from the Campus Bookshop. A draft version of this book is also available online.

The following texbook is also very helpful for students with little Math background to understand basic data analytics and quantitative design evaluation: "Statistical Methods for Psychology by David C. Howell (8th Edition), Cengage Learning, 2012." A draft version of this book is available online.

Links to reference material will be provided on the unit website. Online databases provide further reference material, in particular, the journals of the ACM accessible through the UC Library portal. Another good starting point is an HCI bibliography at http://www.hcibib.org/ .

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

To PASS this unit, students have to aggregate a minimum of 50% over all  assessment items. In addition, you will need to aggregate a minimum of 25 (50%) over the group assessments (Design Review + Poster and Design Package assessments). See the Assessment Guide for details.

Higher grades will be awarded on the basis of the total mark being ≥ 65% for a credit, ≥ 75% for a distinction and ≥ 85% for a high distinction. Some scaling of marks and academic judgement may be applied to determine students' final grades - in this process no student will be disadvantaged.

In the case of any assignment that places you in jeopardy of a Fail in the whole unit, appropriate moderation procedures will be used.

If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the unit convener about the matter.

All work quoted from any source should be appropriately referenced using a recognized style, the "Harvard" referencing style as described in the link below (note that there are multiple version of the Harvard referencing style, and you should use the one described here) is preferred.

http://canberra.libguides.com/referencing

Students who are not familiar with referencing academic work should undertake the Academic Integrity Module.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

 

The following is a guide that may help you plan your semester's effort levels:

 

Lectures 2hrs = 24hrs

Tutorials 1hrs * 10 Weeks= 10hrs

PACT analysis = 22hrs

Conducting a Design Review= 24hrs

Poster and Design Package = 28hrs

Evaluation Instrument =22hrs

Weekly independent study, tutorial attendance, tutorial submissions = 18hrs

Peer review marks = 2 hrs

Total = 150 hrs

Participation requirements

The lecture slides and other material are published on the website. You are strongly advised to attend and listen to all lectures and to fully participate in all tutorials. The tutorials are particularly important because there is recurring and ongoing group work throughout the unit. Lecture slides should not be considered a substitute for attending the tutorials.

Announcements made in lectures or published using the website are deemed to have been heard and read by all students in the unit.

Required IT skills

You are expected to be a competent computer user and familiar with word processing, presentation software, pdf and project packages or similar in this unit. All assignments are expected to be submitted electronically in Canvas and in one of Microsoft Office, Open Office or Star Office formats; unless specifically stated otherwise.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None.