Overview
Computer Science 648: Advanced Topics in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) is a study of several emerging issues in the discipline of HCI, including advanced HCI theories, collaborative software, multimedia, and ubiquitous computing. With the advent of computing systems, human factors in HCI have gone from simple sensory and motor concerns to include most aspects of users’ affective, cognitive, and social persona. All these concerns are viewed as constraints and capabilities within the context of developing applications with constantly evolving information technology.
Software systems developers should understand the preferences, capabilities, and constraints of their users. User requirements and technology both impact and shape the design of any system. Social software, such as that used for computer conferencing and collaborative workspaces, brings new challenges as the needs of multiple synchronous users must now be considered. For these applications, practice tends to run ahead of HCI theory, and recent empirical findings may be only loosely tied to theory. This course covers the aforementioned issues and will introduce you to the various aspects of the disciplines related to HCI.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
- interpret the contributions of human factors and technical constraints on HCI.
- perform a comparative analysis of current HCI theories in software design.
- apply HCI techniques and methods to software design.
- compare the usability of different software tools in terms of their HCI components.
- categorize and differentiate various aspects of multimedia interfaces.
- develop a holistic view of the characteristics of ubiquitous computing technology, including the use of multimedia and collaborative systems.
- effectively communicate course work verbally and in writing.
Materials
All course materials are found online.