2024 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Industrial Engineering and Economics
Prototyping UX
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Industrial Engineering and Economics
- Instructor(s)
- Katelyn Adrienne Seaborn
- Class Format
- Lecture/Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Mon / 7-8 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- IEE.C306
- Number of credits
- 110
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This hands-on, skill-building course will introduce engineering students to the practice of prototyping user experiences (UX) with computer-based technologies. Through in-class activities and project work, students will learn guidelines for best practice and develop applied skills in prototyping for human-computer interaction (HCI) with modern technologies and toolkits. Key topics include the maker and open source movements, prototyping for user research, vocabularies of interaction, international standards and design patterns, Internet of things (IoT) and web programming, maker kits, tangibles, voice interfaces, wearables, and graphic user interfaces (GUIs), and more. The main objective is to enable students to design, develop, and test their own prototypes for their research thesis and class work. Students will be able to transfer this applied knowledge and skill base into future work in academia and technical industries.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe key concepts in prototyping for UX and the domains in which prototyping is historically and presently carried out.
2. Make design and development decisions based on knowledge of human factors, international standards, and industry-level guidelines.
3. Demonstrate an ability to craft basic prototypes using modern technologies, toolkits, and development environments.
4. Communicate the reasons behind design decisions and justify these with respect to user findings and/or guidelines of practice.
5. Extend the knowledge and skills developed in this course to future thesis work, coursework, research, industry, and beyond.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
Instructor worked in industry and as a contractor. Currently open source developer and research prototyper.
Keywords
Design practice, prototyping, user experience (UX), user-centered design, human-computer interaction, interaction design, practical skills, web programming
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The first class each week will introduce a new topic, incorporating interactive activities, individual reflection, and group discussion. Students may be given a tutorial or homework assignment in preparation for the second class. The second class will be dedicated to hands-on exercises and project work. Attendance will be taken within the first 5 minutes of every class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Foundations | Explain key concepts at a high level. Explain the history of prototyping, including the maker and open source movements. |
| Class 2 | Interaction Fundamentals | Explain the basics of interaction design and how interfaces can be designed to harness or support human senses and abilities. |
| Class 3 | Standards and Guidelines | Explain why we use these, where do they come from, and the most common ones. |
| Class 4 | Hands-on with Web Interaction ① | Demonstrate ability to use a modern web tool to create a basic interface. |
| Class 5 | Interaction on the Web | Explain modern approaches, paradigms, and tools for web-based interaction. |
| Class 6 | Hands-on with Web Interaction ② | Demonstrate ability to create basic interactions using modern web tools. |
| Class 7 | Prototypes for Research | Explain the role of prototyping in user research, especially to answer research questions about people. |
| Class 8 | Hands-on with Web Interaction ③ | Demonstrate ability to use a modern web tool to create a basic interface. |
| Class 9 | Interaction Beyond the GUI | Explain the basics of developing tangible and physical computers, wearables, mixed and augmented reality, and virtual reality. |
| Class 10 | Hands-on with Web Interaction ④ | Demonstrate ability to use a modern web tool to create a basic interface. |
| Class 11 | Special Topics in Interaction Design | Learn about and possibly try out the latest advances in the field of interaction design. |
| Class 12 | Hands-on with Voice Interaction | Demonstrate ability to use text-to-speech (TTS) libraries and tools. |
| Class 13 | Studio | Refine a previous in-class project or work on the final project. |
| Class 14 | Presentations | Present and discuss the final project with classmates. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class. They should do so by referring to the course material.
Textbook(s)
n/a
Reference books, course materials, etc.
n/a
Evaluation methods and criteria
The main graded components will be individual assignments (20%), two team assignments (30% + 36%), and attendance (14%). Assignments are typically due at 23:59. Late assignments will be penalized by 25%.
Related courses
- IEE.C203 ： Engineering Psychology
- IEE.A207 ： Computer Programming (Industrial Engineering and Economics)
Prerequisites
IEE.C304: Ergonomics