Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne Australia
Future Students - Courses
Duration
Contact Hours
Campus
Prerequisite
Corequisite
1 Semester
3 Hours per Week
Hawthorn
Students who are not native speakers of English should have a knowledge of English equivalent to level 7 in the IELTS test across all bands. Students are advised that it is preferable for them to have completed HATC410, HATC411, HATC412 and HATC413 before attempting this unit.
Nil
Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points
A unit of study in the Graduate Diploma of Social Science (Technical Communication)
Aims: This unit aims to introduce students to the theoretical principles underlying the concept of usability. It does this by exploring human computer interactions, graphical user interface design, and good design practices in general. It aims to give students the skills to develop scenarios, run participatory design sessions, and think critically about design. It also aims to help students learn how to analyse and test the usability of software, paper documents and online texts in such a way as to improve design and increase efficiency. Objectives: On completing this unit students will: • Understand the principles of user-centred design • Appreciate the costs and benefits of usability • Know about the core activities in user-centred design in-depth • Appreciate the political contexts in which usability must be implemented • Have the skills to conduct usability evaluations • Have the skills to conduct participatory design activities • Have the skills to conduct in-depth analyses of business requirements • Have the skills to conduct in-depth analyses of user needs and tasks • Be motivated to ensure that user needs are given appropriate consideration when designing documents and the systems those documents support • Have the ability to think critically about design.
Aims: This unit aims to introduce students to the theoretical principles underlying the concept of usability. It does this by exploring human computer interactions, graphical user interface design, and good design practices in general. It aims to give students the skills to develop scenarios, run participatory design sessions, and think critically about design. It also aims to help students learn how to analyse and test the usability of software, paper documents and online texts in such a way as to improve design and increase efficiency.
Objectives: On completing this unit students will: • Understand the principles of user-centred design • Appreciate the costs and benefits of usability • Know about the core activities in user-centred design in-depth • Appreciate the political contexts in which usability must be implemented • Have the skills to conduct usability evaluations • Have the skills to conduct participatory design activities • Have the skills to conduct in-depth analyses of business requirements • Have the skills to conduct in-depth analyses of user needs and tasks • Be motivated to ensure that user needs are given appropriate consideration when designing documents and the systems those documents support • Have the ability to think critically about design.
Lectures, seminars, self-study exercises, group discussions, external guest lecturers
Assignment (50%), participation (10%), examination (40%)
On completion of this unit students will know how to act as intermediaries between developers and users of software and other products. It also enhances their ability to think critically and their confidence to communicate and apply that thinking.
• Usability practices • User profiling (goals of organisations and of users) • User interface design • User-centred interface and navigational design, including: navigation; functionality; user control; clear terminology; gathering feedback; consistency; error prevention; visual clarity • Design considerations: disabilities • Business needs analysis • Information architecture • Usability testing
Garrett, J.J., The Elements of User Experience, New Riders, USA, 2003. Kuniavsky, M., Observing the User Experience, Morgan Kaufmann, USA, 2003. Snyder, C.,Paper Prototyping: The Fast and Easy Way to Design and Refine User Interfaces, Morgan Kaufmann, USA, 2003 Vicente, K., The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live With Technology, Routledge, USA, 2004
