Human Computer Interaction | BIT Yr3 Sem 1

TEAM UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TEACHING PORTFOLIO

Lecturer: Muwanguzi Benard
Contact: +256708646603
Email: info@ictconnect.org | Email 2: muwanguzibenard2017@gmail.com

COURSE TITLE: BIT3107 – HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

Course Description

This course helps students to appreciate the delicate and divergent nature of human and computer interactions. It explores the dynamics of user interface designs, their evaluation, and usability issues for both software and devices. Emphasis is placed on understanding how humans perceive, think, and behave in relation to technology, and how this knowledge is applied to design interactive systems that are efficient, user-friendly, and socially relevant.

Course Objectives

This course aims to:
a) Provide students with established approaches and techniques in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
b) Equip learners with knowledge on designing and presenting effective user interfaces.
c) Enable students to apply design principles in creating interactive systems.
d) Introduce evaluation methods and usability testing for interfaces.
e) Cultivate an understanding of social, cultural, and psychological factors in technology use.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:
a) Apply established HCI approaches and techniques in designing interactive systems.
b) Produce conceptual and physical designs using prototyping methods.
c) Evaluate software interfaces using usability heuristics.
d) Demonstrate knowledge of user diversity, cultural influences, and social aspects in HCI.
e) Analyze the impact of usability on user satisfaction, productivity, and safety.

Detailed Course Description

• Unit 1: Introduction to HCI – significance, conceptual frameworks, usability, contexts of HCI (mobile, consumer, business, web, collaboration, games), multidisciplinary nature (5 Hrs)
• Unit 2: User Interfaces – principles, standards, user interface events, UI construction (6 Hrs)
• Unit 3: Design – design approaches, look-and-feel (layout, color, fonts, menus, labeling), human/system failure handling, design mistakes, task modeling, visualization, multimedia interaction, device-specific design (12 Hrs)
• Unit 4: Evaluation – paradigms, frameworks, heuristics, usability testing (efficiency, learnability, user satisfaction) (7 Hrs)
• Unit 5: Behavior and Form – software posture, flow, navigation, interaction styles (command line, menu, voice, gestural, WIMP), metaphors, idioms, tone, software attributes (8 Hrs)
• Unit 6: Human and Social Factors – cultural aspects, user diversity, documentation, applied psychology, social psychology, social networking (7 Hrs)

Total Contact Hours: 45 Hrs

Mode of Delivery

• Lectures
• Practical sessions
• Peer discussions
• Case studies
• Group work
• Demonstrations

Mode of Assessment

• Continuous Assessment (30%) → Assignments, Practical Tests, Group Work, Presentations
• Final Examination (70%)
• Total: 100%

References

1. Baecker, R. M. (2014). Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: Toward the Year 2000. Morgan Kaufmann.
2. Booth, P. (2014). An Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (Psychology Revivals). Psychology Press.
3. Helander, M. G. (2014). Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction. Elsevier.
4. Peres, S. C. (2013). Human Computer Interaction.

Grade Scale

• 80–100: A
• 75–79: B+
• 70–74: B
• 65–69: C+
• 60–64: C
• 55–59: D+
• 50–54: D
• 0–49: F