CS 185:  Human-Computer Interaction

Spring 2011

This home page and the CS185 GauchoSpace will be used as centers of communication for the class. While the webpage provides you with up-to-date information about assignments and what is currently going on in class, the GauchoSpace serves as an open forum: questions, answers, suggestions, etc.

General Information

Class Hours:    MW, 3:30-4:45pm
Class Location:	Phelps 3505
Instructor:     Tobias Höllerer
Office Hours:   Thu, 2pm-3pm, or by appointment
Office:         2155 Harold Frank Hall, (805) 893 8759
e-mail:         holl@cs...

Discussion:     F, 11:00-11:50 Phelps 2524, (maybe sometimes 10:00-10:50am, Cooper Lab)   

TA:		Domagoj Baricevic
e-mail: 	domagoj@cs...
Office hours:	Tue, 11:30am - 1:30pm, Phelps 1413

Course Description

The study of human-computer interaction enables system architects to design useful, efficient, and enjoyable computer interfaces. This course teaches the theory, design procedure, and programming practices behind effective human interaction with computers, and - a particular focus this quarter: smart phones and tablets.

We will examine interaction design, implementation, and evaluation. The design process requires a solid understanding of the theory behind successful human-computer interaction, as well as an awareness of established procedures for good user interface design, including the 'usability engineering' process. Iterative evaluation is an important aspect of this procedure, and we will learn and practice prototyping and evaluation using scenario-based case studies. We will look at specific interface success stories and spectacular failures to learn from past experiences. Students will apply their gained knowledge in a series of practical assignments that highlight selected portions of the design cycle, as well as familiarize them with sound programming practices and effective tools and techniques to create successful user interfaces. The course will also introduce novel interfaces that go beyond what we normally see in today's graphical user interfaces.
 

Book

• Handouts in class
• Designing the User Interface, by Ben Shneiderman and Catherine Plaisant, 5th edition,
  Pearson Addison Wesley, 2009

Other Sources

• Usability Engineering, by Mary Beth Rosson and John M. Carrol, Morgan Kaufmann, 2002
• Universal Principles of Design, by W. Lidwell, K. Holden, and J. Butler, Rockport, 2003
• The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald Norman, Basic Books, 2002
• Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: Toward the Year 2000, Morgan Kaufman, 1995
• The Humane Interface, New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems, by Jef Raskin,
  Addison Wesley, 2000

Course Requirements and Grading

This class teaches the theory and practice of effective user interface design. You will learn about principles, procedures, and programming approaches. You will create, judge, and evaluate interaction designs.

There will be one exam (in week 8 or 9), as well as a series of design, prototype, evaluation, and implementation assignments that lead up to individual or group class projects. We will continuously assign reading material from the book and assorted handouts, which is supposed to help your design efforts and to stimulate class participation. Here is how your final grade will be determined:  

• Exams (tentatively 35%-40% 35%)
• Up to 6 one to two - week homework assignments (tentatively 30% 35%)
• Final project implementation, documentation, and presentation (possibly a UI tournament) (tentatively 30%)
• Class participation and activities [paper summaries, UI critiques, etc.] will be noted

In case you disagree with any grade, submit your grievance in writing (email or paper) to the grader responsible, explaining and documenting your case.

Lateness Policy

All assignments are due at midnight on the scheduled due date. To make the deadlines more manageable, each student will be allowed three four ``late days'' during the quarter for which lateness will not be penalized. Late days may be applied to all assignments, including design sketches and programming assignments, but not the final project! Your  late days may be used as you see fit -- one or multiple per assignment -- but once you used a late day it's good and gone, you cannot reapply it to another assignment. Anything turned in after 12:00:00am until midnight the next day is one day late. Every day thereafter that an assignment is late, including weekends and holidays, counts as an additional late day.

Absolutely no late work will be accepted after the deadline if you have used up all your late days. If you're not done on time you must turn in what you have to receive partial credit. There will be no exceptions from this rule. Please make sure you understand this policy.

When making use of your late days, the online submission provides the timestamp that counts. 

Academic Misconduct

We will strictly enforce UCSB's academic misconduct policies. We use electronic tools to detect plagiarism among submitted homework solutions and sources from the internet. Read these guidelines before beginning each programming assignment. Any form of  plagiarism, collusion, or cheating will result in an "F" in this course and may result in suspension from UCSB for two quarters. When in doubt about any forms of receiving help on your assignments, ask us!

Open Door Policy

I would like the course to be informative and enjoyable. Let us know what you find just, good and interesting about the course. Let us know sooner if you feel something could be improved. See us, send an e-mail, or leave us a note.

Class Materials

See handout column in the class schedule!

Class Schedule

Assignments

• For Wed, March 30: Watch Starfire video (see handout column), note the realistic (already implemented) and unrealistic (far out) features. The video is from 1993 and set in 2004.
   
• HW assignment 1 is due Wed, April 6, 23:59:59. You can submit your answers in plain ASCII or PDF format (any other formats, check with the TA). Use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw1@cs185 <file or dirname>
   
• HW assignment 2 is due Wed, April 13, 23:59:59. It's a simple Android programming assignment. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw2@cs185 <project 1 folder> <project 2 folder>
   
• HW assignment 3 is due Wed, April 27, 23:59:59. It's a combined UI Analysis / Android programming assignment. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw3@cs185 <dir>
   
• HW assignment 4 is due Wed, May 4, 23:59:59. This is a simple user-based evaluation. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw4@cs185 <dir>
   
• HW assignment 5 is due Thu, May 12, 23:59:59. This Android Programming assignment covers multi-touch gestures. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw5@cs185 <dir>
   
• HW assignment 6 is due Mon, May 23, 23:59:59. This C++ programming assignment covers an introduction to Qt. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin hw6@cs185 <dir>
   
• The Class Project is due Thu, June 9, 23:59:59, NO EXTENSIONS, NO LATE DAYS. This C++ Qt project is a UI design/implementation project and will produce an interface to a simple 2D graphical game, which you will showcase in a UI tournament on Fri, June 10th. Please use the turnin command on CSIL to submit your homework: turnin project@cs185 <dir>