Curriculum / DescriptionsCOMP_SCI 330: Human Computer Interaction
This course is not currently offered.
Prerequisites
CS 214 and has not completed CS 329 or Graduate Standing and has not completed CS 329Description
Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and the design of systems that work for people and their organizations. HCI serves as the bridge between computing and humanity. The effective design of HCI systems requires a keen understanding of how interfaces and computer systems usefully support human endeavors (or not). Why would a particular set of characteristics of a system lead to reaching a desired outcome, while others encounter an obstacle? How might a good argument for a design be instantiated with effective interface and system models? Taking a step back, are our solutions actually addressing the underlying problem that humans face? What is actually the problem?
We will, as a learning community, learn to ask and answer these questions for ourselves. One focus will be on developing our critical thinking and problem solving skills through team projects and studio critique, with special emphasis on learning more effective structures and representations for thinking about the design of HCI systems. Another focus will be on learning to soften into a deeper understanding of problems that people encounter than we might at first assume - that is, developing our capacities for humility, empathy, and curiosity. Last but not least, we focus on *doing* — agile sprints, rapid prototyping and testing, iterating — learning to face and embrace fears, imperfections, failures that may otherwise hold us back from moving forward. Through this we will learn to become more skillful in how we work on difficult problems.
- This course satisfies the CS Project Course & CS Breadth: Interfaces requirement.
- Spring: Students will be required to attend two lectures (MW) and one lab (Th or F).
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: None
REFERENCE TEXTBOOKS: None
COURSE INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Haoqi Zhang
