Human-Computer Interaction Course

Lesson 1 • Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology

Covers perception, attention, memory, and motor control as they constrain interface design. Links psychological limits directly to design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Theoretical Frameworks in HCI

Introduces activity theory, distributed cognition, and situated action as lenses for analysis. Students apply each framework to a simple interaction scenario.

Lesson 3 • Core Concepts and Terminology

Defines usability, affordance, feedback, and mental models as foundational vocabulary. Ensures consistent language use throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • History and Evolution of HCI

Traces HCI from batch processing to touchscreens, anchoring modern practice in historical shifts. Provides context for understanding why current design norms exist.

Lesson 1 • Communicating Research Findings

Teaches how to present research to stakeholders through reports, journey maps, and presentations. Focuses on translating evidence into design recommendations.

Lesson 2 • Analyzing and Synthesizing Research Data

Covers affinity diagramming, thematic analysis, and persona creation from raw data. Students transform messy findings into actionable design insights.

Lesson 3 • Quantitative Research Techniques

Introduces surveys, task-completion metrics, and log analysis for measuring user behaviour at scale. Emphasises choosing metrics aligned with research goals.

Lesson 4 • Qualitative Research Techniques

Teaches interviews, contextual inquiry, and diary studies for capturing user behaviour and attitudes. Students practise moderating and probing techniques.

Lesson 1 • Designing for Error and Recovery

Covers error message design, undo mechanisms, and graceful degradation strategies. Reduces user frustration by anticipating failure modes.

Lesson 2 • Core Usability Heuristics

Examines Nielsen's ten heuristics and Shneiderman's eight golden rules as evaluation criteria. Students apply each heuristic to real interface examples.

Lesson 3 • Interaction Design Patterns

Introduces reusable solutions for navigation, forms, notifications, and data display. Students select and adapt patterns to fit specific design contexts.

Lesson 4 • Gestalt Principles in Interface Design

Applies proximity, similarity, continuity, and closure to visual layout decisions. Connects perceptual grouping laws to navigation and content hierarchy.

Lesson 1 • Rapid Iteration Techniques

Introduces design sprints, time-boxed sketching, and critique-driven revision cycles. Builds habits for fast, evidence-based design improvement.

Lesson 2 • Prototyping for Diverse Interaction Modalities

Extends prototyping skills to voice, gesture, and mixed-reality interaction scenarios. Students adapt fidelity strategies to non-screen-based interfaces.

Lesson 3 • Wireframing Fundamentals

Teaches layout grids, placeholder conventions, and annotation standards for wireframes. Students produce annotated wireframes communicating intent to developers.

Lesson 4 • Fidelity Spectrum in Prototyping

Defines low-, mid-, and high-fidelity prototypes and when each is appropriate. Aligns prototype choice with project stage and evaluation goals.

Lesson 1 • Search and Findability

Addresses search box placement, autocomplete, faceted filtering, and zero-results handling. Improves findability for users who prefer search over browsing.

Lesson 2 • Card Sorting and Tree Testing

Teaches open and closed card sorting for category discovery and tree testing for navigation validation. Students run both methods and interpret results.

Lesson 3 • Designing Navigation Systems

Covers global, local, contextual, and supplemental navigation patterns and their appropriate use. Students design multi-level navigation for a content-rich product.

Lesson 4 • Fundamentals of Information Architecture

Defines organisation, labelling, navigation, and search as the four IA components. Establishes vocabulary for structuring large content systems.

Lesson 1 • Unmoderated and Remote Testing

Introduces automated remote testing platforms, asynchronous task completion, and screen recording analysis. Expands evaluation reach beyond lab constraints.

Lesson 2 • Conducting Moderated Usability Tests

Teaches think-aloud protocol, note-taking roles, and moderator neutrality during live sessions. Students practise facilitating tests without biasing participant behaviour.

Lesson 3 • Expert Evaluation Methods

Covers heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthroughs, and GOMS analysis as inspector-based techniques. Students conduct structured expert reviews and document findings.

Lesson 4 • Usability Testing Planning

Addresses test objectives, task scenario writing, participant screening, and lab versus remote setups. Connects planning rigour to the validity of test results.

Lesson 1 • Disability Models and Inclusive Design Principles

Contrasts medical and social disability models, then introduces the curb-cut effect and universal design. Frames accessibility as a benefit for all users, not just edge cases.

Lesson 2 • Testing for Accessibility

Combines automated scanning tools, manual keyboard testing, and user testing with disabled participants. Students produce an accessibility audit report with remediation steps.

Lesson 3 • Accessible Visual and Content Design

Covers colour contrast ratios, typography legibility, plain language, and alternative text standards. Integrates accessibility into visual design decisions from the start.

Lesson 4 • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Explains the four WCAG principles—perceivable, operable, understandable, robust—and conformance levels. Students audit a live interface against each criterion.

Lesson 1 • Gesture and Touch Interaction Design

Examines direct manipulation, multi-touch gestures, and mid-air gesture vocabularies. Students prototype gesture-based interactions and evaluate discoverability.

Lesson 2 • Voice and Conversational Interface Design

Covers dialogue flow design, error handling, and personality in voice user interfaces and chatbots. Students design and test a multi-turn conversational flow.

Lesson 3 • Ethical Dimensions of Emerging Interfaces

Examines dark patterns, surveillance risks, and cognitive manipulation in advanced interfaces. Students apply ethical frameworks to critique and redesign problematic interactions.

Lesson 4 • AI-Driven and Adaptive Interfaces

Explores recommendation systems, predictive input, and adaptive UI personalisation from an HCI perspective. Students evaluate transparency and user control in AI interfaces.