HCI 310 Intro to HCI

Spring 2001 Syllabus

John Trzesniak, Instructor
jtrz@cs.depaul.edu
Office Hours:  Loop Campus, 9:00 - 10:00 pm by appointment only

Text

The text for the course is...

The Essence of Human-Computer Interaction
Christine Faulkner
1st edition, Prentice Hall
ISBN:  0-13-751975-3

Prerequisite Skills

This is an introductory course that assumes no familiarity with HCI.  There will be no programming done in the course.  But it is assumed that any student in the course can send/receive e-mail and work their way around the World Wide Web using a browser.

Prerequisites

Sophomore Standing

Topics

• HCI Overview:  Definition, Why study it ?, Related fields of study.
• Human Processes:  Capabilities and constraints, implications for HCI, the senses, cognition, memory, metaphors, mental models, graphic design
• Computer Processes:  What's important here, interface design, interface types, input/output devices, heuristics, usability engineering.
• Ergonomics
• HCI Design Cycle:  Overview, Needs Analysis, User Analysis, Task Analysis, Usability goals, Evaluation, Prototyping
• Environments:  Work, Home, Cultural, Legal Issues, Socio-Technical Engineering
• The Future

Attendance Policy

Required.  Before coming to class, consult this website for links to each week's handouts and homework assignment. 
You might want to make a copy of them and bring them to class.

Homework Policy

• Homework is due on the day of class - NO EXCEPTIONS.  After that it is worth ZERO points.
• Each assignment will state its deliverables and method of delivery.

Grading Policy

30% Homework Assignments
30% Midterm Exam
30% Group Project
10% Participation - based in part, on input from your other team members.

A - 90 and above
B - 80 to 89
C - 70 to 79
D - 60 to 69
F - 59 and below

+/- grades are given based on effort and are at the discretion of the instructor

After the posted due date submitted homework is worth ZERO points. 

Illness or other family emergency is the only acceptable excuse for missing an exam.
If you are going to miss the exam, contact the instructor or the receptionist (312-362-8381) before the exam is to take place.

Any and all makeup tests will be oral.

Failure to give your final presentation at the time announced by the instructor will result in failure of the course. Don't be late.

These and all other class policies are located on the Class Policies page.