COSC 3461 Human-Computer Interaction

COSC 3461.03 User Interfaces

Fall 2001

Last update: 6-Nov-01

Calendar Information

This course introduces user interfaces and the tools and mechanisms to create and prototype them. Students work in small groups and learn how to design user interfaces, how to realize them and how to evaluate the end result.

Cross-listed to: AS/AK/ITEC 3461 3.0

Prerequisite: AK/AS/SC/COSC 2011 3.0 or AK/AS/SC/COSC 2031 3.0 or AK/COSC 3501 3.0 or AS/AK/ITEC 2011 3.0.

Degree credit exclusions: AS/AK/ITEC 34613.0. Not open to students who sucessfully completed AS./SC/COSC 4341 3.0 or AS/SC/COSC 4361 3.0 before Fall 1999

Section A

Lectures: MW 16:00 – 17:30, 303SC
Special Dates:
            Monday, Sept. 10 – first class
            Wednesday, Sept. 19 – no class (Rosh Hashanah)
            Monday, Oct. 8 – no class (Thanksgiving)
            Wednesday, Dec. 5 – last class
Instructor: Scott MacKenzie
Office: CSB 3014/3045
Phone: TBA
Office Hours: Posted on Section B web site

Section B

Lectures: TR 11:30 – 13:00, 303SC
Special Dates:
            Thursday, Sept. 6 – first class
            Tuesday, Sept. 18 – no class (Rosh Hashanah)
            Thursday, Sept. 27 – no class (Yom Kippur)
            Thursday, Nov. 29 – last class
            Tuesday, Dec. 4 – no class (Women’s Remembrance 11:30 – 13:30)
Instructor: Scott MacKenzie
Office: CSB 3014/3045
Phone: TBA
Office Hours: Posted on Section B web site

Topics

Introduction
User interfaces

Input model, event-driven programming, output model, window managers, model-view-controller concept, graphical user interfaces, widgets, text interfaces, direct manipulation

Mechanisms for creating user interfaces

UI prototyping, scripting languages (one or more of Python, Perl, Tcl, Javascript, Visual Basic), GUI builders, interaction devices (input & output devices), WWW user interfaces

Introduction to human-computer interaction

The human, guidelines and basic principles for UI design, usability tests

Recommended Text

Dan Olson, Developing User Interfaces, Morgan Kaufmann, 1998.

Other Texts

Craig D. Knuckles, Introduction to Interactive Programming on the Internet using HTML & Javascript, Wiley, 2001.
R. Eckstein, M. Loy, D. Wood, Java Swing, O'Reilly, 1998.
Alan Dix, Janet Finlay, Gregory Abowd, Russell Beale, Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd ed, Prentice Hall, 1998.
Alan Cooper, The Inmates are Running the Asylum, Sams 1999, ISBN 0-672-31649-8. {excellent book, highly recommeded!}
Everett N. McKay, Developing User Interfaces for Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Press, 1999. {good book with lot's of useful tips}
Jef Raskin, The Humane Interface, Addison Wesley, 2000.
Donald A. Norman, The Design of Everyday Things, Doubleday, 1988. {An old classic, but still up-to-date and very relevant}
Chris Bates, Web Programming: Building Internet Applications, Wiley, 2000.
Michael Moncur, Teach yourself Javascript 1.3 in 24 Hours, Sams, 1998.
David M. Geary, Graphic Java 2, Mastering the JFC, Volume II: Swing, Prentice Hall, 1999.
Larry Gonick, Woollcott Smith, Woolcott Smith, The Cartoon Guide to Statistics, HarperCollins, 1994.
Ben Shneiderman, Designing the User Interface, Addison Wesley, 3rd ed. 1998.
Jenny Preece, Human-Computer Interaction, Addison Wesley, 1994.
Michael E. Wicklund, Usability in Practice: How Companies Develop User-friendly Products, AP Professional, 1994
Donald A. Norman, S. Draper, editors, User Centered System Design, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1986.

Evaluation

The topics of this course will be applied in practical programming assignments and group projects.

Work	Due	Weight
Assignment 1 (Javascript)	Friday, Sept 28	10%
Assignment 2 (Basic JFC/Swing)	Friday, Oct 19	5%
Midterm exam (in class)	Mon/Tues, Oct 22/23	15%
Assignment 3 (JFC/Swing)	Friday, Nov 9	10%
Assignment 4 (JFC/Swing, user test)	Thursday, Nov 29	20%
Final exam	Wed, Dec. 19, 15:30-17:30 SFH West	40%

Assignments are due by midnight on the specified date and are to be submitted electronically with the 'submit' command in Ariel (except if specified otherwise).

Note: Students must achieve at least an average of D on the two exams to pass the course!

The drop date is November 9, 2001. Click here to view the Registrar’s “Sessional Dates” for Fall 2001.

Course Policies

Late Assignments. Late assignments will not be accepted, unless prior arrangement has been made with the instructor. Note that exceptions to the late policy will be made only under very special circumstances, e.g. serious illness. Missed midterms are handled in the same manner.

Switching Sections. Students are required to attend the section in which they are enrolled. For questions pertaining to changing your enrolment status, please visit the Computer Science Undergraduate Office.

Software Development Platform. For the purpose of marking, programming assignments are required to compile and execute on Ariel. Software developed on other platforms should be verified on Ariel before submission.