Mulungushi University

ICT 462 Human Computer Interaction

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 Content
• Prerequisites
• Aims of course
• Objective of course
• Course outline (course content)
• Assessments
• Text books

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 Prerequisites
• ICT212 Data Structures and Algorithms
• ICT441 Web Systems and Technology

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 Aims of course
• This course presents a comprehensive
introduction to the principles and
techniques of human computer interaction

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 Objective of course
At the end of the course, students should
• Evaluate software user interfaces using heuristic evaluation and
user observation techniques
• Conduct simple formal experiments to evaluate usability
hypotheses.
• Apply user centered design and usability engineering principles as
they design a wide variety of software user interfaces
• Propose design approaches that are suitable to different classes of
user and application
• Identify appropriate techniques for analysis and critique of user
interfaces
• Be able to design and undertake quantitative and qualitative studies
in order to improve the design of interactive systems
• Understand the history and purpose of the features of contemporary
user interfaces 5
Course outline (course content)
• Foundations of human-computer interaction: Motivation; contexts for
HCI; human centered development and evaluation; human
performance models; human performance models; accommodating
human diversity; principles of good design and good designers;
engineering tradeoffs; introduction to usability testing
• Human-centered software evaluation: Setting goals for evaluation;
evaluation without users; evaluation with users
• Human-centered software development: Approaches,
characteristics, and overview of process; functionality and usability;
specifying interaction and presentation; prototyping techniques and
tools
• Graphical user-interface design: Choosing interaction styles and
interaction techniques; HCI aspects of common widgets; HCI
aspects of screen design; handling human failure; beyond simple
screen design; multi-modal interaction; 3D interaction and virtual
reality 6
Course outline (course content)
• Graphical user-interface programming: Dialogue independence and
levels of analysis; widget classes; event management and user
interaction; geometry management; GUI builders and UI
programming environments; cross-platform design
• HCI aspects of multimedia systems: Categorization and
architectures of information; information retrieval and human
performance; HCI design of multimedia information systems; speech
recognition and natural language processing; information appliances
and mobile computing
• HCI aspects of collaboration and communication: Groupware to
support specialized tasks; asynchronous group communication;
synchronous group communication; online communities; software
characters and intelligent agents
• Interaction techniques. Historical survey of user interface
techniques, leading to the current industry standards of direct
manipulation and platform-specific style guidelines. 7
Course outline (course content)
• Heuristic evaluation. A basic approach to systematic analysis of
usability from an engineer's perspective.
• Psychological user models. Black box models of human
performance, including perception, motor control, memory and
problem-solving.
• Quantitative analysis of performance. The Model Human Processor,
Keystroke Level Model, and GOMS descriptions of user
performance.
• Modelling of system understanding. Mental models and metaphor,
use of design prototypes, controlled experiments.
• Cognitive walkthrough. Evaluation from the perspective of a novice
learning to use the system.
• Task analysis and design. Contextual and qualitative studies, use-
case driven design.
• Research techniques. Cognitive dimensions of notations, CSCW,
ubiquitous computing, new interaction techniques, programmability.8
 Assessment
• Time Allocation:
• Lectures: 3 hours per week
• Tutorials: 1 hour per week
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• Assessment:
• Continuous assessment 40% (20%
assignments and 20% tests)
• Final examination 60%
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 Text books
• Prescribed Textbooks:
• Sharp, H., Rogers, Y. & Preece, J. (2007). Interaction design:
beyond human-computer interaction. Wiley (2nd ed.).
Carroll, J.M. (ed.) (2003). HCI models, theories and frameworks:
toward a multi-disciplinary science. Morgan Kaufmann.
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• Recommended Textbooks:
• Dix, J. Finlay et al (1998): Human-Computer Interaction (2nd edition),
Addison-Wesley.
• Gibbs S., Tsichritzis D. (1995): Multimedia Programming: Objects,
Environments, and Framework, Addison-Wesley.

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