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CS798H FCH

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40 views2 pages

CS798H FCH

Uploaded by

omkar
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CS798H – Human Computer Interaction

2023-2024 Semester-II
What is the course about?
Daily we come across several computing devices and tools ranging from smartwatch trackers to search
engines; some of them are a delight to use, and some are difficult and frustrating to learn, understand
and use. Ever wondered what makes them so? Ever wondered why using a smartphone or learning to
code are so easy and natural for some people, and so hard for others? Is digital transformation in India
going to take off, or no, and why? Will ChatGPT make us all smarter or dumber? All these, and more,
are the concerns of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) as a field.

In this course, we will cover the basic ground for HCI, specifically answering the question: how we
systematically design computing systems and interfaces that are a delight, and not a frustration to
learn and use. Along the way, we’ll also learn to answer the above questions, all within the framework
of design thinking, a process successfully adopted by several large organizations and startups alike. As
a field, HCI is interdisciplinary, so we will also learn bits and blobs from various fields such as
psychology, computer science, design, sociology and anthropology, as needed.

At the end of the course, you will be able to gain an appreciation for usability and human-centered
design, recognize when something is well designed or poorly designed, know what makes it so, and
find ways to fix them!

Who should take it?


If you are looking to get a job as an interaction designer, user researcher, product manager, or any
form of design job – this course would be required. These are great fields of work for students in
CSE, CGS and Design!

If you are a researcher in CS and are looking to understand how people will use the stuff you build,
then you should take this. There is a human aspect to pretty much every subfield of computer
science—and a lot of work is publishable in all major CS conferences (Check yours!).

If you intend to start up, this course is a must-have, because design is a key differentiator between
competing products.

Anyone else who is curious, wants to better understand the world we cohabit with computers, and
exercise their creative brain muscles – this will be a fun course!

More formally, this course is geared towards M.S. / Ph.D. / M. Tech students and interested 3rd and
4th year undergraduate students. It might be of particular interest to students in CSE, CGS and
Design, but I welcome students from other departments and years as well!

What is the course going to be like?


• HCI is an “applied” discipline, so expect to be hands-on in class, in projects and homework.
• The course load is 6-8 hours per week, on average. This includes 2:30 hours of lectures per
week, assigned readings, group projects and individual homework.
• There will be quizzes and individual homeworks throughout the course.
• There is a mid-sem and end-sem exam.
What material will we cover?
Chapter-1: (2 Lectures) Introduction to HCI. What is HCI – Interdisciplinary nature of HCI – History of
HCI – Importance of design and HCI – The design process – Design thinking and the double diamond
of design.

Chapter-2: (6 Lectures) Need finding. Data collection (interviews and focus groups, surveys,
observational studies in lab and field, contextual inquiry and content analysis). Sampling. Qualitative
data analysis (coding, thematic analysis/card sorting, focus group, inter-rater reliability, threads to
validity, triangulation). Ethical considerations in human studies.

Chapter-3: (3 Lectures) Basics of Humans. Basics of human cognition – perception, memory,


attention, emotions, model human processor, learning, mental models, creativity.

Chapter-4: (6 Lectures) Basics of designing and prototyping. Metaphors, basics of visual design
(colors, fonts, layouts), low and high-fidelity prototyping, cognitive dimensions, prototyping
techniques, input and output modalities.

Chapter -5: (4 Lectures) Evaluation (quantitative – controlled experiments, measures, statistical


comparisons; qualitative – heuristics, cognitive walkthroughs, desirability and reaction toolkits,
hallway usability study).

Chapter-6: (4 Lectures) Special topics. Human-information interaction, Human-AI interaction,


Creativity and Collaboration, Development and Inclusion.

Grading policy
Tentatively, the grading will include a combination of:

- Exams (35%)
- Assignments and quizzes (30%)
- Project (35%),

Administrivia
Instructor : Dr. Sruti Srinivasa Ragavan (srutis) Department of Computer Science
TAs : Abhishek Jaiswal, Harshit Goel, Shanu Saklani
When & Where : Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 12-1:15pm @ L-16
Office hours : Right after class, or by appointment.

Course policies
1. This class has large elements of creativity, so dishonesty is easy to catch. There will be
consequences to dishonesty according to the institute and CS department policies.
2. Group projects are grade based on individual roles, performance and contribution.
3. There is no formal attendance, but regular in-class assignments will be graded.
4. Late submissions or absence in exams and project presentations are not entertained by
default. For exceptions (medical, bereavement, clashes), please contact the instructor as
soon as possible. Post-hoc requests are strictly not entertained!
5. For any special requirements or accommodation (e.g., visible or invisible disabilities, bringing
in children) please contact the instructor.

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