User Interface Design and Evaluation
The user interface (UI) can be critical to the success or failure of a computer system. The development of UIs requires an iterative design and evaluation process that involves users at every stage. M873 illustrates this user-centred design process by discussing a variety of UIs, including websites, graphical user interfaces and embedded systems. Industrial applications illustrating how UI design issues have been addressed within different organisations will be discussed. Practical exercises using different media are also included. You will design and evaluate a UI in collaboration with its users.
The course will be of interest to many people, but is particularly useful for:
- people who want to become usability professionals or technical writers in the field;
- computing science, management or psychology professionals working in software development, software management or related fields;
- software design and development specialists in industry or commerce;
- people who have managerial responsibility for the development of computer systems.
Specifically, the course develops skills and understanding in:
- developing a UI in a flexible, iterative manner, working in close collaboration with the users;
- identifying who will use the system, the tasks they want to carry out and the environment in which they will be working;
- creating a conceptual design;
- choosing the most appropriate interaction style;
- choosing appropriate interaction devices;
- using text, colour, images, moving images and sound effectively;
- designing various kinds of UI, in particular graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and websites;
- evaluating UIs;
- the realities of developing usable UIs in an organisation.
Computing Department
Faculty of Mathematics and Computing
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
United Kingdom
