1.2 HCI Course Notes Overview
Learning Goals
3 major learning goals:
Understand common principles in human–computer interaction (HCI).
Understand the design life cycle and the role of iteration.
Understand the breadth of the HCI field and current applications (e.g., healthcare, virtual reality, sonification).
Learning goals identify what you should understand by course end; learning outcomes identify what you should be able to do.
Learning Outcomes and Design Foundations
The single learning outcome: to design effective interactions between humans and computers.
Design has two forms:
Apply known principles to a new problem (e.g., using feedback at the right time).
Design as a process: gather information, develop design alternatives, evaluate with users, and revise.
Example: designing a new thermostat involves both applying principles (feedback, error tolerance) and iterative design with user feedback.
Design should focus on designing interactions and tasks, not just a better-looking interface.
Effectiveness depends on the goal (often usability, but could be research goals or energy reduction).
The emphasis is on human–computer interactions, not just interfaces.
Design Approach and Thermostat Example
Two sides of design are important and complementary:
Apply established HCI principles to a problem.
Use an iterative, user-informed design process.
Example outcome: Nest learns from the user to automatically adjust temperature, illustrating designing interactions, not just an interface.
The bulk of course material covers principles and methods from human factors engineering and HCI research, plus gathering user requirements, developing designs, and evaluating interfaces.
Learning Strategies and Community
Learning strategies in this course:
Learning by example: running examples throughout the course.
Learning by doing: design interactions to solve problems.
Learning by reflection: relate concepts to everyday life.
Caution: you are not your own user; avoid over-relying on personal experience.
Community-based strategies: peer learning, collaborative learning, learning by teaching, and communities of practice.
Project-based learning: form a team early, tackle a defined problem, and potentially produce a real-world product or research idea.
Assessments and Course Structure
Learning assessments and goals: assessments evaluate whether you can design effective interactions, not just produce a final artifact.
Phased work: start with small tasks (e.g., improving existing interfaces), then scale up to a full solution evaluated through process and final design.
Course structure: lessons are designed to be as independent as possible, but follow a logical order: principles → research methodologies → iterative life cycle → broader HCI community.
Tips for Success
Five quick tips for doing well in this course:
Look over the assignments early; some require coordination with users or prototyping.
Start the assignments early to gather inspiration from daily life.
Participate: engage with classmates on forums and posts.
Select an application area to explore and revisit it throughout the course.
Leave behind what you know: ground understanding in user needs, not just your own experiences.
Principles, Methods, and Applications
The video material covers three general areas: principles, methods, and applications.
Applications will be kept in mind while learning principles and methods, and later revisited for deeper exploration.
The course will preview application areas to guide focus during the rest of the conversations.