COMPSCI 345 / SOFTENG 350 Welcome, “What is HCI?” and Course Overview Prof Jim Warren

Welcome! This is run as a combined CS/SE course Your training so far (“preparation”) has been slightly different, so the course will feel different (for each individual! - but esp. across the different degrees)

CS > SE? The teaching staff are primarily affiliated with the Dept of Computer Science (and there are rather more CS students enrolled than SE students) So the course may feel a bit more CS than SE Both lecturers, however, teach and supervise research in SE [Jim had the words ‘software engineering’ in his PhD thesis title!] It’s just an arbitrary (but rather thick – Faculty level) line in the sand – nuff said; don’t worry about it

What is HCI? Study of where ‘man meets machine’ Catchy, but not gender inclusive Study of how people work with machines ‘Machines’ in this case being computing hardware and the application software running on that hardware

Computer use is like this

But your training has been like this

This course completes the picture

Yeah, but... “I didn’t sign up for CS/SE because I want to study PEOPLE?” Fair enough, a lot of us find the machines more interesting, but there’s a question of...

Effectiveness Most people don’t have what it takes to be CS/SE majors They think differently (not as well is some ways!) Once upon a time most computer users were at the demographic leading edge of being INTO computers (“early adopters”) But, computers are for everybody nowadays and we have to be able to design for everybody We need...

Empathy em·pa·thy / ˈɛ mpəθi/ [em-puh-thee] –noun 1. the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

Usability For interactive software systems, if the system doesn’t work well for the user, then the system doesn’t work well It’s a problem if the users Can’t figure out how to use it correctly Can’t work with it as quickly (efficiently) as needed Hate it! (look for other ways to get the job done)

So HCI is... The study of whatever we need to know to make usable software HCI = UI Design Human-Computer Interaction is what you need to understand to achieve effective User Interface Design

So HCI is study of... Humans (sensory and cognitive properties, measuring their performance) Interaction (modelling interaction, types of interfaces, construction of interfaces) Design (process for achieving a good design, understanding common elements [e.g. icons])

Course Structure WeeksTopicLecturer 1Intro, interaction paradigms, UI stylesJim, Gerald 2-3Assessing usabilityJim 3-5Modeling interaction and tasks*Gerald 6Some things about humansGerald, Jim 7Recapping, testGerald, Jim 8-9Designing UIsJim 10-11Programming UIsGerald 11-12Specific design topics/issues**Jim, Gerald * Modeling applies at multiple phases – to understand the task before even setting requirements, to understand & specifiy a design, or to assess a design ** User support (e.g. Online help), Text, Icons

Assignments #TopicDue 1Usability assessmentStart of W5 2ModelingStart of W7 3UI DesignEnd of W10 4UI Implementation / ProgrammingEnd of W12 Notes A1 is done in groups of 2. Previous A1s have assessed a Youth Depression website and Airline Reservation Systems – this year we look at sorted.org A2 is individual work. Previous A2s have modeled nDeva and Google Maps A3 and A4 are done in groups of 3 and are linked (you program what you designed). Previous project domains have been Child Diet Diary and Mobile West Coast Drive Guide Workload is rather back-loaded so we can lecture the concepts before you’re assessed on ability to apply them. Don’t like it? Start early.

Tests, Quizzes, Exam Test – 30 April 12% of mark, everything through Tuesday of W7, closed book, in class (we’ve booked a 2 nd room - Conference Centre Lecture Theatre/ ), structurally resembles light very version of exam Pop Quizzes 3% of mark total, unannounced, in lecture, closed book, 2-4 of them, relating to recent lectures Exam 65% of marks, 2-hours, closed book, comprehensive, some simple recall, strong relationship of high point questions to assignments and tutorials

Sessions Lectures in MLT1 Tue 11am, Wed 1pm, Fri 10am (we’re not using the Th lecture shown in nDeva) Labs/Tutorials in GTL (303S.G75) 2-hour blocks, 10am-8pm, FCFS sign-up, organised by Mrs Mehnaz Adnan

Website URL for lecture, assignment and tutorial details 45s1c/ (hopefully not too much trouble with new CS content management system!) Cecil Go there for marks and also to sign up to assignment groups

Course Team Prof Jim Warren, course coordinator / lecturer, ( Tamaki based, really prefer Dr Gerald Weber, lecturer, Mrs Mehnaz Adnan, tutor, Questions?