Technical Interaction Design (Autumn 2023)

Abstract

This course teaches the foundation of constructing user interfaces for computer systems. This problem is likely harder than you might think: computer programs very often perform complex tasks, yet users demand and need simple interfaces. Producing such interfaces requires an understanding of both the user—e.g., what are they trying to accomplish? what do they know already?—and the technology—e.g., how can we  implement a in a given UI framework the interactions that we want to present the user with, how do we interact with a backend API? In this course, students will develop both their design knowledge, but also their technical skills.

Description

Formal prerequisites

The students are required to have basic programming experience in general and strongly recommended to have basic web programming experience - JavaScript in particular.

Intended learning outcomes

After the course, the student should be able to:

• Explain and compare interaction design processes and principles.
• Understand and apply usability principles to user interface design.
• Create, evaluate, and critique the design and of an interactive web application.
• Design a domain model and create an implementation using a low-code backend platform.
• Compose a technical implementation of a design using a frontend framework.
• Reflect on and apply source code usability principles in order to support maintainability.

Learning activities

The course is designed around a practical project that is developed throughout the semester. The project is done in teams of up to four people. There will be lectures and exercises designed to familiarize and equip the students with the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out the project work. The teams present the evolution of their projects throughout the semester in a combination of progress presentations and written portfolio contributions.

Mandatory activities

In order to be able to be approved to participate in the oral exam, a student is required to:

• participate in the development of the course deliverables (portfolio contributions and project source code)
• provide constructive feedback to the design of another group in the form of a report review 
• participate in group-to-group presentation of the group project.

The student will receive the grade NA (not approved) at the ordinary exam, if the mandatory activities are not approved and the student will use an exam attempt. If the student fails to pass a mandatory assignment, they may re-submit the assignment before the final exam hand-in.

The student will receive the grade NA (not approved) at the ordinary exam, if the mandatory activities are not approved and the student will use an exam attempt.

Course literature

The course literature is published in the course page in LearnIT.

Student Activity Budget

Estimated distribution of learning activities for the typical student

• Preparation for lectures and exercises: 9%
• Lectures: 13%
• Exercises: 13%
• Project work, supervision included: 43%
• Exam with preparation: 13%
• Other: 9%

Ordinary exam

Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.

reexam

Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.

Time and date

Ordinary Exam - submission Wed, 20 Dec 2023, 08:00 - 14:00
Ordinary Exam Wed, 10 Jan 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Ordinary Exam Thu, 11 Jan 2024, 09:00 - 21:00
Ordinary Exam Fri, 12 Jan 2024, 09:00 - 21:00