Kursusbasen

Kursusoversigt

Kursusbeskrivelse

Kursusnavn (dansk):	User Experience and Prototyping
Kursusnavn (engelsk):	User Experience and Prototyping
Semester:	Efterår 2014
Udbydes under:	cand.it., spil (games)
Omfang i ECTS:	15,00
Kursussprog:	Engelsk
Kursushjemmeside:	https://learnit.itu.dk
Min. antal deltagere:	12
Forventet antal deltagere:	20
Maks. antal deltagere:	50
Formelle forudsætninger:	A wide knowledge of game design literature and of games is desirable but not required. Programming skills are required as students will be developing game prototypes individually.
Læringsmål:	After this course, students should be able to: * Compare and contrast different key user experience (UX), interaction design (IxD), player experience (PX), participatory design (PD), and prototyping methods in the context of players and game design. * Conduct design research for the purpose of learning about players. * Harness design research findings to inform and inspire game design and game mechanics. * Establish different ways of prototyping a game mechanic or other game design concept. * Develop prototypes to effectively communicate various aspects of game play, including aesthetics and kinesthetics. * Conduct different forms of testing of prototypes with players for the purpose of refining and assessing design success. * Reflect on the process and challenges of incorporating UX, IxD, PX, and PD methods into game development.
Fagligt indhold:	In this course, we will examine the current state-of-the-art of design methods related to prototyping, playtesting, and player experience. But we will look further afield than game design and game studies research and explore user experience and interaction design methods and how they may be re-appropriated for a game development context. We will look at how to design for specific target groups and personas through an iterative prototyping process, and use these prototypes to develop an understanding of player experience. Some of the prototyping methods we will explore are: paper and other forms of physical prototyping techniques, video documentation, and digital prototyping: including aesthetic, gameplay, and technological aspects. The game designs may be for games of any type, as long as they are digital. Students may develop for any platform of their choosing, provided that they are able to develop for that platform.
Læringsaktiviteter:	14 ugers undervisning bestående af forelæsninger og øvelser 14 weeks of teaching consisting of lectures and exercises. Writing blog entries and reading literature will form a part of the weekly learning activities. It is expected that all readings will be completed every week, as summaries and discussions of the readings will form a mainstay of every class. The learning activities throughout the semester are structured such that students gradually work their way towards developing individual final prototypes. Leading up to the final prototype, students will carry out design research (i.e. applying design research methods covered in class on target players for the purpose of inspiring design concepts), and develop early prototypes based on the research, which will get refined over the course into what will eventually develop into the final prototype. The final prototype that the students submit must be based on the design research and the earlier prototypes, and must represent the core mechanic and aesthetics of the envisioned game. This prototype will be assessed formally, and will count towards the students’ final grade, along with a written report.
Obligatoriske aktivititer:	By the relevant deadline dates below, students must hand in the following mandatory assignments at LearnIT: - 9. oct. Presentation: research + physical prototypes (in class) - 4. dec. Presentation: Digital prototype - incl video. (in class) - 12. dec. Final prototype, final report
Eksamensform og -beskrivelse:	X. experimental examination form (7-scale; external exam), 7-trins-skala, Ekstern prøve In addition to the mandatory activities, students will be expected to regularly write blog posts in their own blogs that they will set up for this course on topics relating to their progress, readings, or other course material. Posts should be around 250 - 500 words long. At the end of the semester, students must hand in their blog entries alongside their other assessment materials. Students will examined on the basis of: - a final prototype - a final report - blog entries The assesment will be calculated as follows: - 50% final prototype - 40% report - 10% blog entries
Litteratur udover forskningsartikler:	Throughout the course, students will be assigned particular games (digital and not), videos, and other media that they will be expected to play/watch/explore.