Office: TSRB 316A
Office Hours: By appointment.
Email: ledantec@gatech.edu
Class Meetings: Tuesday/Thursday, 3:00–4:15PM
Location: Swann 115
Course Description
In this course we will study and explore the principles and practices of interaction design. You will be introduced to a number of different techniques and tools for understanding particular interaction design challenges, you will develop scenarios and storyboards, create low-fidelity prototypes, and iterate on those prototypes to create a final design project.
Prerequisites
CS 1301 or CS 1315 or CS 1321 or CS 1371 and LCC 2100 or LCC 2700, LCC 2720 strongly recommended
Course Objectives
After taking this course you should have an advanced understanding of interaction design and developed skills that will enable to you to:
- Compellingly communicate design concepts and the rationale behind them
- Create inventive design artifacts with an awareness of history, audience, and context
- Contribute to the development of new genres and forms of digital media
- Appreciate and evaluate future trends in the development of digital media
- Be able to work effectively in teams to accomplish a common goal
Grading
The total grade for the class will be based upon the following factors and weights:
| Participation | 10% |
| Reading responses | 10% |
| Individual Design Assignment: Typography | 5% |
| Individual Design Assignment: Page Layout | 5% |
| Group Project: Requirement Gathering | 15% |
| Group Project: Low-fidelity Prototype | 15% |
| Group Project: Evaluation, Iteration | 15% |
| Group Project: High-fidelity Prototype | 15% |
| Group Project: Final Presentation & Documentation | 10% |
Participation & Attendance
Class attendance and participation is mandatory. Participation in class discussion and in design crits are imperative because they allow you to explore content and design process collaboratively. Participation in class also challenges you to continuously question, refine, and articulate your own ideas and interpretations.
Missing more than 2 classes will result in a loss of 1 letter grade.
Please note that there are three kinds of absences that will not be counted against your participation grade provided that you provide appropriate documentation within one week of the absence:
- If you have a family emergency and provide me with a note from the proper authority.
- If you have a GT extracurricular activity and provide me with a note from your coach or advisor.
- If you have an internship or job interview and provide me with documentation from the company in question (the invitation to the interview is ideal in this case).
Readings & Reading Responses
There are no required texts for this course. All readings will be made available through the class’ T-Square site.
You will need to write 300- to 500-word responses to the readings through the course of the semester. Each response should be posted as in-line text (no attached documents!) to the “Reading Responses” Slack channel by 8am the day the readings are assigned. Responses are graded on a 3-point scale (3 = exceptional, 2 = adequate, 1 = insufficient). You may earn a maximum of 25 points for the semester.
Course Schedule
What follows is an outline for the semester. As the semester progresses, we may adjust dates and materials; however, unless specifically stated in class, you should assume this schedule is current and accurate.
| Week 1 |
August 22 |
Introduction to the course and first day administrivia. Individual Design Assignment: Typography |
|
August 24 |
Brainstorming & Critique |
|
| Week 2 |
August 29 |
In-class Critique Individual Design Assignment: Layout |
|
August 31 |
Good Interaction Design & Design Process Reading: Buchanan, “Good Design in the Digital Age” Moggridge, from Designing Interactions |
|
| Week 3 |
September 5 |
Prototyping Interaction I Reading: Lim, Stolterman, and Tenenberg “The Anatomy of Prototypes: Prototypes as Filters, Prototypes as Manifestations of Design Ideas” Lichter “Prototyping in Industrial Software Projects – Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice” |
|
September 7 |
In-class Critique |
|
| Week 4 |
September 12 |
No class. Hurricane. |
|
September 14 |
No class. Conference travel. |
|
| Week 5 |
September 19 |
Prototyping Interaction II Reading: Warfel, Prototyping, ch. 1–3. Begin group project |
|
September 21 |
Understanding Users Reading: Wixon et al. 1990. Contextual Design: An Emergent View of System Design |
|
| Week 6 |
September 26 |
Storyboards, Scenarios, Personas Reading: Greenburg et al., –The Narrative Storyboard– |
|
September 28 |
In-class Critique Group Project cont’d |
|
| Week 7 |
October 3 |
Doing Synthesis/Generating Concepts Reading: Kolko, “Abductive Thinking and Sensemaking: The Drivers of Design Synthesis” |
|
October 5 |
Studio day. Conference travel. |
|
| Week 8 |
October 10 |
No class. Fall Break. |
|
October 12 |
From Concept to Prototype |
|
| Week 9 |
October 19 |
In-class Critique: Prototypes |
|
October 21 |
In-class Critique: Prototypes Group Project cont’d |
|
| Week 10 |
October 24 |
Heuristic Evaluation Reading: How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation |
|
October 26 |
Usability Testing Reading: Dumas and Redish 1999. A Practical Guide to Usability Testing, Chapter 1 |
|
| Week 11 |
October 31 |
Data Analysis Reading: Gergel and Tan. “Experimental Research in HCI,” in Ways of Knowing in HCI |
|
November 2 |
Studio Day |
|
| Week 12 |
November 7 |
Modes & Metaphors Reading: Norman 1988 Psychology of Everyday Things, Chapter 1 |
|
November 9 |
Studio day |
|
| Week 13 |
November 14 |
Project presentations: Evaluation Group Project cont’d |
|
November 16 |
The Future of Interaction Design Reading: Sterling, Design Fiction |
|
| Week 14 |
November 21 |
Studio day |
|
November 23 |
No class. Thanksgiving break. |
|
| Week 15 |
November 28 |
Studio day |
|
November 30 |
Final Presentations |
|
| Week 16 |
December 5 |
Final Presentations |
|
|
General Class Policies
It is important to keep in mind that this class focuses on the principles and processes of information design, not on technical skills; it is therefore up to you to develop and/or hone your facility with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.
Students whose work meets all criteria outlined for an assignment will receive a grade of C; students whose work meets all criteria and shows additional sophistication, thoughtfulness, research and creativity will receive a grade of B; students whose work meets all criteria and goes well beyond the expected in terms of sophistication, thoughtfulness, research, and creativity will receive a grade of A; students whose work fails to meet to all criteria outlined for an assignment will receive a grade of D or F.
Two points will be deducted for all typographic, spelling, and grammatical errors in all writing assignments.
Late assignments will not be accepted. Presentations must be given on the designated day.
Lectures will not be posted. It is your responsibility to take notes and remain attentive in class.
If you have questions or concerns about this or any other course policies stated in this syllabus, class assignments, email correspondence, or announced in class, please speak with me in class, during office hours, or via email as soon as possible so that we can discuss your concerns.
Debate, Diversity, and Respect
In this class, we will present and discuss a diversity of perspectives. Although you may not always agree with others’ perspectives, you are required to be respectful of others’ values and beliefs. Repeated inappropriate or abusive comments and/or behavior will be cause for disciplinary action. If you feel that your perspectives are being ignored or slighted, or you in anyway feel uncomfortable in the classroom, please contact me immediately.
The Communication Center
The Communication Center is located in Clough Commons, Suite 447. It is an excellent resource for any student (undergraduate or graduate) who wants help with a communication-related project. You can visit the center for help at any stage of the process for any project in any discipline. The knowledgeable and friendly tutors are available to help you develop and revise your projects. They are not available to “fix” your projects. Please do not ask the tutors to proofread or edit your projects.
For information on making an appointment please visit their website. If you need assistance with the appointment system, you can call 404-385-3612 or stop by the center.
All services are free and confidential.
Students with Disabilities
Students should self-report to the Access Disabled Assistance Program for Tech Students at:
220 Student Services Building
Atlanta, GA 30332-0285
404.894.2564 (voice) or 404.894.1664 (voice/TDD)
www.adapts.gatech.edu/guidebook.html
Scholastic Dishonesty and Academic Misconduct
This class abides by the university’s policies relating to plagiarism, scholastic dishonesty, and academic misconduct. Per the Georgia Tech Code of Conduct, plagiarism is defined as:
- Unauthorized Access: Possessing, using, or exchanging improperly acquired written or verbal information in the preparation of a problem set, laboratory report, essay, examination, or other academic assignment.
- Unauthorized Collaboration: Unauthorized interaction with another Student or Students in the fulfillment of academic requirements.
- Plagiarism: Submission of material that is wholly or substantially identical to that created or published by another person or persons, without adequate credit notations indicating the authorship.
- False Claims of Performance: False claims for work that has been submitted by a Student.
- Grade Alteration: Alteration of any academic grade or rating so as to obtain unearned academic credit.
- Deliberate Falsification: Deliberate falsification of a written or verbal statement of fact to a Faculty member and/or Institute Official, so as to obtain unearned academic credit.
- Forgery: Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any Institute document relating to the academic status of the Student.
- Distortion: Any act that distorts or could distort grades or other academic records.