Santa Monica College - SMC

Santa Monica College

Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 310, Interaction Design Studio 1

Course Title: Interaction Design Studio 1 Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: September 2015 Date Updated: October 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design. Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

With the prevalence of the computer in contemporary culture, Interaction Design has emerged as a practice that determines how people engage with technology. This course examines the specific field of Interaction Design; its history, human-centered design principles, and screen-based interaction patterns. Students learn how to design the behavior of interactive digital interfaces and gain an understanding of how design decisions impact a user's experience and the overall success of a product. Students analyze historical examples, contemporary user interfaces, and their own designs. Students also learn how to design, justify, and articulate using human-centered design principles and screen-based interaction patterns.

II. Examples of Appropriate Text or Other Required Reading: (include all publication dates; for transferable courses at least one text should have been published within the last five years)

1. Designing Interactions, Moggridge, Bill, MIT © 2007, ISBN: 978-0262134743 2. About Face 4: The Essentials of Interaction Design, 4th, Cooper, Alan; Cronin,

David; and Reiman, Robert, Wiley © 2014, ISBN: 978-1118766576

III. Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Identify key historical and contemporary Interaction Design examples. 2. Utilize human-centered design principles and screen-based interaction design

patterns to design a user interface in support of a user's needs, goals, and desires.

3. Assess the quality of a design using human-centered design principles. 4. Effectively contribute to class brainstorms, discussions, and critiques. 5. Demonstrate competency with deadline driven assignments in team settings. 6. Create visual techniques to effectively organize and articulate user experience

(UX) processes for a range of audiences. 7. Synthesize knowledge in graphic design, UX design, and human-centered

design principles to design effective user experiences. 8. Employ user testing and iterative design methodologies to develop interface

concepts that explore, compare, and contrast how to best meet a user's needs. 9. Justify design decisions through human-centered design principles, appropriate

interaction design pattern development, and user testing. 10. Effectively produce and give presentations that clearly communicate to a range

of audiences.

IIIb. Arranged Hours Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Understand how to conduct a user testing session to evaluate a user interface.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Group Work , Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Critique IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in user testing through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

40% Interaction design history, human-centered design principles, and screen-based interaction design patterns.

30% Analyze and critique interaction design based on human-centered design principles and screen-based patterns.

20% The application of human-centered design principles in user interface concepts.

10% Presentations, critique, and in-class discussion of examples, assignments, and projects.

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total

VI. Methods of Evaluation: (Actual point distribution will vary from instructor to instructor but approximate values are shown.)

Percentage Evaluation Method

10 % Oral Presentation

40 % Projects - Midterm Project 20% Final Project 20%

10 % Class Participation

40 % Homework - Design and Research Assignments

100 % Total

VII. Sample Assignments:

Assignment 1: Research one human-centered design principle.

Using historical and contemporary user interface examples, find 5 interfaces that follow the chosen principle and 5 interfaces that do not.

Create a presentation for your fellow classmates that introduces the principle, what is it, and the user interfaces selected. Give an overview of each user interface, how it used or did not use the principle appropriately. For each of the 5 that did not utilize the principle, provide your opinion on how it could be improved.

Assignment 2: Design a user interface based on provided user research.

Utilize an existing set of user research insights to design 3 or more user interface concepts. Use iterative sketching to explore variations in mental models, information architecture, wireframes, and an interaction flow for each.

In groups, analyze each individual concept based on the provided design research insights and human-centered design principles. Summarize the insights and create a pro and con list for each concept. Based on the analysis, conclude your presentation with your best design concept and your hypothetical next steps.

VIII. Student Learning Outcomes

1. Exhibit an understanding of interaction design history, human-centered design principles, and screen-based interaction design patterns.

2. Design, analyze, and justify using human-centered design principles and screen-based interaction design patterns.




Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: October 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): IXD 310 Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

Microinteractions, found in every user interface, are designed moments (e.g. log in, copy and paste, on or off) that are an integral part of every interface. This course reveals these seemingly invisible interactive controls, providing an overview of specific platforms, paradigms, and affordances. The studio prepares students to create task oriented end-to-end user experiences and interaction flows. Students learn how to design at the micro scale, exploring appropriate forms, states, feedback, and loops based on different contexts and user goals. Through iterative methodologies, students learn to refine the details of a specific feature interaction. Collaborating directly with users and fellow classmates, students prototype, critique, and test existing interaction examples and their own microinteraction designs. Students develop a critical understanding of how interactive forms communicate and influence a user's behavior.


1. About Face 4: The Essentials of Interaction Design, Alan; Cronin, David; and Reiman, Robert, Wiley © 2014, ISBN: 978-1118766576

2. Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design, Buxton, Bill, Morgan Kaufmann © 2007, ISBN: 978-0123740373

3. Microinteractions: Designing with Details, 4th, Saffer, Dan, O'Reilly Media ©

2013, ISBN: 978-1491945926 4. The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition, Norman,

Donald, MIT Press © 2013, ISBN: 978-0465050659

III. Course Objectives


1. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of platforms, paradigms, and design details.

2. Design effective microinteractions for a range of use cases. 3. Design end-to-end user experiences and detailed interaction flows. 4. Identify and apply appropriate interaction paradigms and forms based on screen

and software context. 5. Conduct user-testing sessions to develop further iterations of a project. 6. Create multiple paper and digital prototypes for a specific feature task-flow

analysis. 7. Contribute to group critiques and in-class discussions. 8. Effectively produce and give presentations that clearly communicate to a range

of audiences.



1. Demonstrate an understanding of how to user-test a specific feature interaction.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Critique , Group Work IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in user testing for a specific interaction through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

40% Historical and contemporary interaction design patterns, forms, paradigms for screen based systems and microinteractions.

30% Digital and paper prototyping methods for microinteractions.

20% System audits, task-flow analysis, flow diagrams.

10% Presentations of examples, assignments, and projects.

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total

VI. Methods of Evaluation: (Actual point distribution will vary from instructor to

instructor but approximate values are shown.)





40 % Class Work - Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Audit an existing software system feature and complete a task analysis.

Select an existing software system and user task (example: sign in). Collect a screen-shot of every possible interaction and state. Layout the screens and interaction as a flow diagram, providing an overview of the task within the context of the larger software system.

Based on the task and how it was designed, analyze the flow looking for possible user experience improvements such as:

Efficiency, transparency, consistency, intuitiveness, and affordances.

Assignment 2: Research a design detail.

Select one design detail, such as sidebars. Find historical and contemporary example. Create a presentation that explains the design detail's use cases. Conclude with a list

of pros and cons, using specific examples as reference.

Assignment 3: Design and prototype an end-to-end interaction flow for desktop and mobile.

Select a specific task and outline the user goals (example: setting an alarm). Develop one desktop and one mobile concept based on the interaction goals. Create a series of paper or digital prototypes for both concepts to test with at least 3 or more people.

Observe your user and discuss the prototypes in a tone of collaboration and exploration in order to openly assess their goals, expectations, and results. Take notes and photographs to document the test. Analyze what the user said versus how they behaved. Interpret and summarize the results, outlining how they will impact your next design iteration and what your next steps would be for the desktop and mobile flow.


1. Demonstrate knowledge of historical and contemporary interaction patterns, forms, and paradigms for screen-based systems.

2. Design with appropriate screen interaction paradigms and forms, creating detailed flow diagrams and digital prototypes.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 350, Interactive Storytelling

Course Title: Interactive Storytelling Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: November 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This design course focuses on the storytelling component of interaction design with a special focus on prototyping and motion graphics. Exploring different types of prototyping, from paper prototypes to digital, screen-based prototypes (e.g, web-based tools, video prototypes), students use storytelling to describe experiences in interaction design. Students use a hands-on approach to design a better experience for end users by sketching, storytelling, experimenting, making and testing. Students create prototypes at different levels of fidelity using appropriate tools and technologies.


1. Prototyping: A Practitioner's Guide, Zaki Warfel, Todd, Rosenfeld Media © 2009, ISBN: 978-1933820217

2. Storytelling for User Experience: Crafting Stories for Better Design, Quesenbery, Whitney, Brooks, Kevin, Rosenfeld Media © 2010, ISBN: 978-1933820477

3. Sketching User Experiences: The Workbook, Greenberg, Saul, Carpendale, Sheelagh, Marquardt, Nicola and Buxton, Bill, Morgan Kaufmann © 2011, ISBN: 978-0123819598



1. Evaluate different types of low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes as part of a design process.

2. Determine suitable types of prototypes depending on time, constraints, and the needs and goals to be tested.

3. Understand the role of storytelling in communicating end-to-end user experiences.

4. Create user interface designs using industry standard prototyping methodologies and tools.

5. Demonstrate ability to create simple three-dimensional sketches and prototypes. 6. Successfully build interactive prototypes using motion graphics and video. 7. Effectively contribute to class brainstorms, discussions, and critique. 8. Effectively produce and give presentations that clearly communicate to a range

of audiences.



1. Understand how to work with motion graphics and video editing software.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Lab , Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Critique , Group Work IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Other (Specify) , Online instructor provided resources Other Methods: Build skill set in motion graphics and video editing software through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

20% Principles of Storytelling

10% Paper Prototyping

40% Digital Prototyping

10% Video Prototyping

20% Presentation and critique of projects

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total




30 % Oral Presentation - Final Presentation

30 % Projects


30 % Class Work - Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Create a paper prototype. Identify a problem you deal with everyday and develop a concept, strategy, and story for solving this simple problem. Create a quick paper prototype of your concept and present your idea to the class focusing on the storytelling component of your concept.

Assignment 2: Demonstrate an interaction using motion graphics and/or video. Focusing on a specific interaction and using a paper prototype developed earlier, use motion graphics and/or video to demonstrate how a user interacts with the device or system.


1. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of storytelling and prototyping to communicate end-to-end experiences.

2. Create interactive prototypes using motion graphics and video to communicate experiences and to help develop better outcomes for the end user.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 360, Product Design

Course Title: Product Design Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: October 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): IXD 350 Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This course provides a hands-on introductory experience to the history, contemporary methodologies, and emerging practices of Product Design. This studio teaches students to think through "making" and includes in-class workshops on 3D modeling and rapid-prototyping. Students cross design disciplines and toolsets, using 3D forms to solve problems, act out new capabilities, and connect to other devices, objects, and people. The projects in this course are fast-paced, collaborative, and experimental.


1. Designing Multi-Device Experiences: An Ecosystem Approach to User Experience across Devices, Levin, Michal, O'Reilly Media © 2014, ISBN: 978-1449340384

2. Understanding Industrial Design: Principles for UX and Interaction Design, King, Simon; Chang, Kuen, O'Reilly Media © 2015, ISBN: 978-1491920398

3. The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition, Norman, Donald, MIT Press © 2013, ISBN: 978-0465050659


1. Demonstrate an understanding of key historical and contemporary Product Design examples.

2. Identify and research a user's problem and need. 3. Translate design research into 3D form and visually communicate to a user. 4. Utilize Product Design methodologies, such as sketching and physical

prototyping to develop product concepts and forms that solve user's needs. 5. Construct 3D models using digital software. 6. Produce multiple iterations of 3D objects using rapid prototyping tools such as

3D printing and laser cutting. 7. Employ 3D models for design research and user testing. 8. Synthesize previously acquired skills in UX design, interaction design, and

prototyping to illustrate an objects intended behavior. 9. Create user experiences that blend digital and physical interactions and connect

multiple devices, people, and environments. 10. Incorporate 3D modeling and rapid prototyping into their Interaction Design

practice.



1. Understand how to print a design using a 3D printer.

IV. Methods of Presentation:

Critique , Group Work , Lecture and Discussion , Observation and Demonstration , Projects

IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build understanding of how to use a 3D printer through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

40% Product Design history, contemporary practices, and product design methodologies.

50% 3D modeling and rapid prototyping.

10% Presentation and critique of examples, assignments, and projects.

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total




30 % Projects - Final Project


20 % Class Work - Process Documentation

40 % Homework - 10-12 Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Design a vessel. Design a vessel that is made to hold, contain, or protect something very specific. Start by sketching concepts and form explorations. While sketching think about things that are delicate or messy. Consider your user and what problem would the vessel would be solving? Is the vessel smart? Does it know when something is placed within it? How does it communicate its function to the user? Draw a front and side view of the vessel. Using your sketches as a guide, scan them in, trace in illustrator, and export the file to a 3D modeling program. Use the illustrator lines to forming your final design vessel but in three dimensions. Assignment 2: Design a family of smart objects. Design a family of 3D objects, for example, a collection of smart objects that are always listening. Start with 3D sketching to quickly generate concepts and explore form. How does the form communicate its function? Who is your user? Where are these

objects located? Are they in different locations or the same? Think through the user's experience with these objects. Do each of the objects listen for different audio or words? Do the objects collect audio? Do they provide the user with feedback? What is the interface? How does it turn on and off? How do they work together or not work together, both visually and behaviorally? Based on your sketches and early prototypes, use 3D modeling software to create your family of objects. Complete the project by sending your completed files to the 3D printer.


1. Exhibit knowledge of Product Design history, contemporary methodologies, and emerging practices.

2. Utilize 3D tools and processes to solve user needs and inform their interaction design practice.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 370, Design for Community Change

Course Title: Design for Community Change Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00


In this course, students work with a variety of organizations addressing a community need to design and develop a project with social impact. Students apply a variety of user experience and interaction design skill sets to work collaboratively with community stakeholders in identifying and helping to solve a need. Through this experience, students recognize and demonstrate many interaction design practices related to research, analysis, concept, design and prototyping to work on a project designed to serve a community need.


1. Designing for Behavior Change: Applying Psychology and Behavioral Economics, Wendel, Stephen, O'Reilly Media © 2013, ISBN: 978-1449367626

2. Designing For Social Change: Strategies for Community-Based Graphic Design, Shea, Andrew, Design Briefs, Princeton Architectural Press © 2012, ISBN: 978-1616890476

3. Design for Social Impact Workbook and Toolkit for The Rockefeller Foundation. Read more at https://www.ideo.com/work/design-for-social-impact-workbook-

and-toolkit



1. Collaborate with community stakeholders to identify needs and outcomes. 2. Effectively conduct field research to formalize an analysis and develop

solutions through creative concepts. 3. Identify the challenges at hand, brainstorm, and quickly prototype solutions. 4. Successfully integrate storytelling in concept development and to communicate

possible solutions. 5. Successfully demonstrate the value of the approach. 6. Narrow scope to allow team to develop depth in specific areas where the project

can create the most impact. 7. Design end-to-end user experiences and detailed interaction flows. 8. Conduct user-testing sessions to develop further iterations of a project. 9. Recognize the challenges around implementation and deliver comprehensive

prototypes with clear implementation plans. 10. Continue beyond design to ensure the concepts move forward. Create an

ecosystem to ensure implementation. 11. When presenting, speak the language of community sector clients and

communicate a clear understanding and passion for the work.



1. Understand how to conduct successful field research.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Service Learning , Critique , Group Work IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in field research through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

10% Field research and analysis.

20% Designing for community change and impact: Concept development.

20% Create information architectures, user narratives, mental models, network maps, and system flows.

30% Create multiple paper and digital prototypes for a system flow analysis.

20% Presentation and critique of projects.

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total





20 % Group Projects


40 % Homework - 10-12 Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Conduct field research Working in teams, conduct exploratory research to form strategies, concepts, experience maps, and user narratives to facilitate the identification, clarification, and analysis of a proposed problem or issue.

Working with the community stakeholder, lead a discussion on the team's research findings and analysis.

Assignment 2: Create a detailed task flow analysis

Based on the team's research work, analysis, and collaborative design, create end-to-end user experiences and detailed task and interaction flows that communicate

possible outcomes for the project.


1. Successfully design end-to-end user experiences, detailed interaction flows, and user-testing to develop comprehensive prototypes, and deliver clear plans that support recognition of the challenges around the project.

2. As part of a team, speak the language of community sector stakeholders to successfully communicate and demonstrate the value of the proposed design solutions.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 410, Project Management for Design

Course Title: Project Management for Design Units: 2.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 1.00 In-Class Lab: 2.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: November 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This course contextualizes project management for interaction designers. Project Management for Design provides a comprehensive overview of current design development processes and tools used to successfully deliver a high-quality project on time. Students will learn to clearly communicate with clients and manage the design process while integrating design objectives into the overall development timeline. Students will develop leadership skills, learn to plan, organize, motivate, and control resources based on project goals.


1. Applied Software Project Management, Stellman, Andrew; Green, Jennifer, O'Reilly Media © 2005, ISBN: 978-0596009489

2. Agile Experience Design: A Digital Designer's Guide to Agile, Lean and Continuous, Ratcliffe, Lindsay; McNeill, Marc, New Riders Press © 2011, ISBN: 978-0321804815


1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of different development processes, such as agile and continuous.

2. Exhibit a strong understanding of major milestones within the design process and articulate them clearly to a broad audience.

3. Utilize project management tools to plan and execute a design project. 4. Identify and articulate project objectives. 5. Translate project goals into a plan and process for design. 6. Write a project proposal, including a project brief, major milestones, expected

outcomes, and proposed budget. 7. Negotiate and collaborate with clients and partners, recognizing their different

objectives.



1. Interview a potential client to create a project proposal.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Critique , Lecture and Discussion , Observation and Demonstration , Projects IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build an understanding of how to successfully interview a client through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

30% Project Management processes and methodologies

30% Design development: processes

10% Design development: people and priorities

20% Developing and writing project plans and proposals

10% Presentations and in-class discussion of assignments and project plans

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of

course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total





50 % Projects - (Midterm and Final project)


30 % Homework - Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Write a project proposal. Select a particular project and contact the client. Interview the client to establish the project goals and objectives. Based on that project, write a detailed project proposal. Include a project description, objectives, schedule, tasks, resources, skills, and cost.

Present project proposal to client and receive feedback.

Assignment 2: Create a project schedule based on a provided project brief. Based on the provided project brief, create an outline of key design milestones. Within each milestone provide a description of work, assign the types of designers needed, major deliverables, estimated time, and cost.


1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of different design development processes such as agile and continuous.

2. Utilize Project Management methodologies to accurately manage project expectation, collaborate with clients, and clearly articulate design processes and outcomes in both oral and written form.





Students design for the complexities of large scale systems, services, and digital networks. The course provides a survey of current system design, information architecture, and topics in interaction design such as The Internet of Things. Working in teams modeled after professional studios, students conduct exploratory ethnographic research to form novel strategies, concepts, maps, user narratives, and models for our increasingly complex world of networked objects, spaces, and people. This course encourages students to leverage team brainstorms and critiques in order to develop consistency through an entire ecosystem.


1. Thinking in Systems: A Primer, Meadows, Donnella H, Chelsea Green Publishing © 2008, ISBN: 978-1603580557

2. Understanding Context: Environment, Language, and Information Architecture, Hinton, Andrew, O'Reilly Media © 2014, ISBN: 978-1449323172

3. This is Service Design Thinking: Basics, Tools, Cases, Stickdorn, Marc; Schneider, Jakob, Wiley © 2012, ISBN: 978-1118156308

4. Designing Multi-Device Experiences: An Ecosystem Approach to User Experience across Devices, Levin, Michal, O'Reilly Media © 2014, ISBN: 978-

1449340384



1. Design large scale systems, services, and digital networks. 2. Conduct ethnographic research through site visits and shadowing to discover

new user needs and product opportunities. 3. Document, summarize, and translate user research into actionable design

insights using photography and video. 4. Understand current interaction design topics such as new digital services, social

networking, and The Internet of Things. 5. Create information architectures, user narratives, mental models, network maps,

and system flows. 6. Design network systems to solve a user's need or want. 7. Effectively contribute to class brainstorms, discussions, and critique. 8. Collaborate effectively and efficiently on a large scale, team project. 9. Effectively produce and give presentations that clearly communicate to a range

of audiences.



1. Understand how to conduct an ethnographic research session to uncover a user's need or new product opportunity.


Critique , Field Trips , Group Work , Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Visiting Lecturers


Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in ethnographic research through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

30% System design, service design, and information architecture.

30% Digital services, social networking, and The Internet of Things.

20% Ethnographic research, documentation, summary of observations and insights, concept development.

10% Drawing systems or services through information architectures, user narratives, mental models, network maps, and system flows.


100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total




10 % Oral Presentation - Team Presentation



30 % Class Work - Team-based Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Model an existing large scale interactive system.

Select an existing large scale interactive system and reverse engineer the design. Complete a system audit, modeling the existing information architecture. Use the information architecture map to conduct a card sort with a user. Use the outcomes of the card sort activity to propose improvements to the information architecture. Map the re-designed information architecture.

Assignment 2: Identify a possible problem area or site that includes a series of tasks. Develop a series of open-ended, "why" questions (do not lead to a yes or no reply) about the task and the context surrounding it. Explore and observe the task first hand. Participate and complete the task yourself. Talk to at least 3 people. Take notes and

photographs.

Consolidate notes from observations, interviews, and photographs. In a group, create an affinity diagram, grouping similar observation or notes together. Create a framework that summarizes potential problem areas/areas of opportunity using key photographs, quotes, and observations.


1. Exhibit knowledge of current interaction design topics such as new digital services, social networking, and The Internet of Things.

2. Ability to design large scale systems, services, and digital networks collaboratively.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 450, Interaction Design Portfolio

Course Title: Interaction Design Portfolio Units: 2.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 1.00 In-Class Lab: 2.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: November 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): IXD 430 Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This course provides the interaction design student the opportunity to develop work under the supervision of the instructor on a one-to-one basis and to develop the skill to talk about their body of work in a professional setting. Emphasis is placed on developing a portfolio that displays a comprehensive understanding of industry expectations for a UX/interaction designer.


1. Rock Your Portfolio Website, McDowell, Wes, and Bergess, Joseph, The Deep

End Publishing © 2013, ISBN: B00D8K7LRE



1. Produce and present a professional portfolio that meets IxD program expectations and industry standards.

2. Create presentation materials and promotional strategies to support portfolio. 3. Demonstrate knowledge of industry trends and professional practices related to

UX/interaction design.

4. Contribute to group critiques and in-class discussions. 5. Communicate professionally using visual and verbal presentation skills. 6. Effectively produce and give presentations that clearly communicate to a range

of audiences.



1. Present portfolio of work effectively in a professional setting.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Critique IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in presenting portfolio of work through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

40% Produce a cohesive portfolio that reflects current trends in UX/interaction design while reflecting the student's body of work.

35% Develop and present 2 case studies that visually represent your work, design process, and outcomes. Produce a portfolio website highlighting these case studies.

25% Communicate professionally using both visual and verbal skills to present design portfolio.

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total




35 % Portfolios


30 % Projects


100 % Total


Assignment 1: Research future employers

Research future employers that may need or already have a need for UX/Interaction Designers. Create a list of places where you can apply for work. It can be a creative studio, entertainment company, an advertising agency, technology company, or client. The more thorough you are, the better this information will be for your future use.

Assignment 2: Self-evaluation

For each of your projects, answer the following questions: What is the project? Why should we care? What is the problem? What is the solution? How did you get to this outcome? Who are you as a designer? Do you consider yourself a Generalist or Specialist?


1. Assess, produce and present a professional portfolio that meets department expectations and industry standards.

2. Discuss and evaluate portfolios using visual and verbal presentation skills, and demonstrate ability to discuss body of work in a professional setting.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 460, Tangible Interaction

Course Title: Tangible Interaction Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00


Students explore the design of user interfaces that blend digital and physical interactions. Working with creative technologies such as microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators, students create functional prototypes that explore new interaction techniques, principles, and strategies. This course immerses students into prototyping through hands-on class workshops and research into contemporary examples such as the Internet of Things, Smart Objects, and Voice User Interface (VUI). Students explore the expressive capabilities of technology through user observations, affordances, and converting physical action into digital information.


1. The Internet of Things, Greengard, Samuel, MIT Press © 2015, ISBN: 978-0262527736

2. Designing Connected Products: UX for the Consumer Internet of Things, Rowland, Claire; Goodmand, Elizabeth; Charlier, Martin; Lui, Alfred, O'Reilly Media © 2015, ISBN: 978-1449372569


1. Use creative technologies to make interactive physical and spatial prototypes and concepts that use non-screen-based gestures, behaviors, and affordances.

2. Develop user experiences that utilize multiple interactive devices. 3. Think systematically, utilizing diagrams and various prototyping platforms to

develop and communicate complex concepts. 4. Demonstrate an understanding of creative technology techniques. 5. Successfully design and build working physical prototypes that make it easy for

users to engage and that provide clear feedback, and affordances. 6. Explore the emotional values of interactive user experiences. 7. Employ a hands on approach to designing and utilizing experiential prototypes

as physical interventions or in user testing scenarios.



1. Work effectively with Arduino and other creative technology materials.


Critique , Experiments , Group Work , Lab , Lecture and Discussion , Observation and Demonstration


Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build understanding of how to work with Arduino and other creative technology through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

40% What is tangible interaction along with contemporary examples of connected-devices, immersive interactions, smart objects and The Internet of Things.

30% Working with creative technologies such as microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators: new interaction techniques, principles, and strategies.

20% Observing the user interact, converting physical action into digital information.


100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total





40 % Class Work - 10-12 Assignments

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Complete a series of Arduino basic sketches. Blink: Turn an LED on and off. DigitalReadSerial: Read a switch, print the state out to the Arduino Serial Monitor. AnalogReadSerial: Read a potentiometer, print its state out to the Arduino Serial Monitor. Fade: Demonstrates the use of analog output to fade an LED. Button: use a pushbutton to control an LED. Assignment 2: Gestures and smart objects. In contrast to screen-based design, tangible interaction and smart objects work with physical gestures. Design a small device that lights up in response to a hand gesture. Create the device so its behavior expresses some attitude or emotion. Develop a scenario and story in which this object would exist and interact with a user.


1. Exhibit knowledge of tangible interaction techniques, principles, and strategies.

2. Design interactive concepts and prototypes using creative technologies.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 470, Interaction Design Senior Studio

Course Title: Interaction Design Senior Studio Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 90 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 2.00 In-Class Lab: 1.00 Arranged: 2.00

Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: November 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): IXD 430 Pre/Corequisite(s): IXD 410 Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This course focuses on an industry-sponsored project in which students use their integrated skills to create a forward-looking design in response to a real-world brief provided by the industry partner in collaboration with the faculty. This is a capstone course where students work in small teams and build on the knowledge and skills they acquired in earlier course work. The course is organized around a project that requires student teams to explore various design concepts and alternatives as well as explore recent practices, tools, and systems that may be related to the project. Students will design and produce a prototype as part of a team. Considering the pace of the development of the project, this requires students to engage in a considerable amount of independent as well as team-based learning.


1. Designing Connected Products: UX for the Consumer Internet of Things, Claire Rowland, Elizabeth Goodman, Martin Charlier, Ann Light, Alfred Lui, O'Reilly Media © 2015, ISBN: 978-1449372569


1. Synthesize and apply prior UX/interaction design knowledge to designing and implementing solutions to design problems while considering multiple constraints.

2. Successfully evaluate design concepts and alternatives. 3. Conduct design research. 4. Research and assess tools and practices for solving given problems. 5. Analyze quality for each iteration of the project. 6. Demonstrate competency with deadline driven projects in a team setting. 7. Solve project management issues, such as teamwork, project scheduling,

individual and group time management. 8. Produce design presentations to a range of audiences and group of peers. 9. Construct techniques for effective written communication for a range of

purposes (user research, design documentation, storyboards, etc.)



1. Make a professional design presentation effectively as part of a team.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Group Work , Lecture and Discussion , Projects , Critique IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build skill set in making professional presentations through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

20% Design research, documentation, summary of observations and insights, concept development.

20% System audits, task-flow analysis, flow diagrams, user narratives, mental models, network maps, and system flows.

30% Digital and paper prototyping methods and iteration.

30% Presentation and critique of projects

100% Total

Vb. Lab Content:

% of course Topic

50% Critiques

50% Team Exercises

100% Total




20 % Research Projects

20 % Projects

50 % Group Projects - Final Project


100 % Total


Assignment 1: Conduct design research. Based on the brief provided by the industry partner; conduct effective design research to facilitate the understanding of the problem and to help develop the concept for the design solution.

Assignment 2: Produce midterm presentation to industry partners. Create a team presentation to communicate to industry partner the following milestones: research insights, user experience documentation, design concept, prototyping outcomes, etc.


1. Successfully conceptualize, research, analyze, design, prototype, and iterate a design solution from beginning to end.

2. As part of a team, solve a complex design problem and justify a design solution to a group.


Course Outline For INTERACTION DESIGN 491, Interaction Design Internship

Course Title: Interaction Design Internship Units: 1.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 72 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: In-Class Lab: Arranged: 4.00

Date Submitted: November 2015 Date Updated: November 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This internship program provides students with the opportunity to work with a local firm to apply UX/IxD principles. Students become acquainted with the career fields in user experience design and interaction design by working in a professional design, entertainment, or technology company. Students spend a minimum of 60 hours during the term under the supervision of a design professional. Learning objectives and exit internship evaluation are required. Limited availability.




1. Work effectively in the UX/interaction design industry practices and activities. 2. Network effectively with design professionals.

IIIb. Arranged Hours Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. all hours are arranged hours, therefore all course objectives apply.

IV. Methods of Presentation: Work Experience (internship) IVb. Arranged Hours Instructional Activities:

Online instructor provided resources , Other (Specify) Other Methods: Build an understanding of how to create learning objectives and self-evaluation for internship through video materials and instructor online resources.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

85%

Students will work under the direction of an internship supervisor at a professional design, entertainment or technology company. Duties may include participating in design conferences and project meetings; shadowing working designers during their work day; research; creating sketches, comps or wireframes; prototyping; and/or other duties that will help the student achieve his or her learning objectives.

15% Students will establish course objectives for their internship and write a 2-3 page analysis of how these objectives have been achieved.

100% Total




85 % Class Participation - Work Experience. Successful completion of learning objectives as judged by design,

15 % Written assignments - Student will establish learning objectives and provide 2-3 page analysis of how those objectives are met.

100 % Total


Assignment 1: Student shadows interaction designer during a project meeting and follows the designer through the completion of a project.

Assignment 2: Student observes behind the scenes functions leading to production of an interactive, software, or product design release.


1. Relate UX/interaction design principles and techniques to a professional working environment at a design, entertainment, or technology company.

2. Demonstrate how interaction design professionals work as part of a team in the design workplace.




Date Submitted: November 2015 Date Updated: April 2016 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

In this internship program, students will work with a local firm to apply UX/IxD principles. Students become acquainted with the career fields in user experience design and interaction design by working in a professional design, entertainment, or technology company. Students spend a minimum of 120 hours during the term under the supervision of a design professional. Learning objectives and exit internship evaluation are required. Limited availability.









V. Course Content

% of course Topic

85%



100% Total




85 % Class Participation - Work Experience. Successful completion of learning objectives as judged by design,


100 % Total


Assignment 1: Student shadows interaction designer during a project meeting and follows the designer through the completion of a project.








Date Submitted: October 2015 Date Updated: April 2016 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of SMC GE: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

In this internship program, students will work with a local firm to apply UX/IxD principles. Students become acquainted with the career fields in user experience design and interaction design by working in a professional design, entertainment, or technology company. Students spend a minimum of 180 hours during the term under the supervision of a design professional. Learning objectives and exit internship evaluation are required. Limited availability.









V. Course Content

% of course Topic

85%



100% Total




85 % Class Participation - Work Experience. Successful completion of learning objectives as judged by design, entertainment, technology company internship supervisor.


100 % Total


Assignment 1: Student shadows interaction designer during a project meeting and

follows the designer through the completion of a project.






Course Outline For ENGLISH 300, Advanced Writing and Critical Thinking in the Disciplines

Course Title: Advanced Writing and Critical Thinking in the Disciplines Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 54 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 3.00 In-Class Lab: Arranged:

Date Submitted: November 2015 Date Updated: February 2016 Transferability: IGETC Area: CSU GE Area: SMC GE Area: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): ENGL 2

Admission to the SMC baccalaureate program Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

Written and oral communications vary greatly between disciplines and fields. Building on the critical thinking and writing skills developed at the lower division level, this course further prepares students in the application of logical reasoning, analysis, and strategies of argumentation in both written and oral communication of content specific information. Students examine scholarly and professional readings and apply theoretical perspectives in a variety of modalities (genres and media) in a way that is targeted to specific audiences. Through critical analysis and review of appropriate literature, as well as complex writing assignments, students develop writing as a core aspect of academic and professional practice.


1. Writing in the Disciplines: A Reader and Rhetoric Academic for Writers, 7th, Kennedy, Mary Lynch and William Kennedy, Longman © 2011, ISBN: -

2. The Language of New Media, Manovich, Lev, MIT Press © 2001


1. Evaluate the historical, theoretical, and critical texts of a specific profession. 2. Assess a writing objective, determine the appropriate genre/mode of response,

and create documents according to the requirements of the profession. 3. Analyze the process of writing and identify the habits, skills, techniques, and

technologies that enable the student to produce the highest quality professional writing.

4. Evaluate, critique, and synthesize primary and secondary sources of information most appropriate for successful argumentation in professional and academic contexts.

5. Construct persuasive presentations that make effective use of technology.


Lecture and Discussion , Other , Visiting Lecturers , Other (Specify) , Field Experience , Group Work Other Methods: Individual and group field experiences; i.e. conferences, installations, exhibits.

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

30%

Historical texts: read and analyze seminal written works by notable practitioners from the field. Topics include field-specific literacies, whether alphabetic, numeric, visual, sculptural, or musical; and genre, including structure, purpose, and audience of discipline-specific texts.

30%

Critical and theoretical texts: read and analyze relevant criticism and theory, and use those frameworks to evaluate and criticize profession-specific texts. Topics include recognizing and evaluating the patterns of logical thought or fallacies in a critical or theoretical work, as well as the logic of relations between elements of a profession-specific text.

20% Methods, materials, and structure of research papers and presentations, including a focus on profession-specific databases and sources, and how to locate and evaluate them.

10% Rhetorical and citation conventions of targeted discipline/area.

10% Individual and peer revision strategies.

100% Total



25 % Exams/Tests

40 % Papers - Formal criticism; critical analysis; journal article; white paper; blog post; 20-word gallery caption; press release

10 % Oral Presentation - group and individual presentations

15 % Projects - Summarize and evaluate an exhibition, conference, or thesis review.

10 % Class Participation - course blog

100 % Total


1. Write a 3-4 page literature review of contemporary research related to your inquiry. A literature review is a means of identifying what has been written about a particular topic, the current consensus (assuming there is one), the main players in the field, and any sites of disagreement. 2. Select a Request for Proposals from Google.org and write a 2-4 page paper that analyzes the proposal’s implicit values. These values can be cultural, social, technological, or economic. 3. Formal analysis. For this assignment, you will be working on the skills for analyzing and writing about a given project. Please view one of the installations that is a part of CURRENT: LA. Your task is to analyze the work and its mechanics as a cultural site. Key terms to consider are form, function, and address: what form does it take; how may this form be read, or what work does it do; and how does it address the viewer? 4. In a design context, fiction can be a tool for creating speculative worlds or scenarios that flesh out the possibilities and consequences of your projects beyond the merely probable. The story becomes the medium through which the design and its ideologies are manifest. While such fictions often avoid the conventions of scholarly work, they nevertheless convey an argument and a familiarity with the larger social, historical, and literary context. Write a 3-5 page work of speculative fiction that situates ideas discussed in this course in the material world.


1. Apply discipline-specific historical, critical, and theoretical knowledge to create written work in a variety of genres and formats.

2. Determine and evaluate appropriate genre/media for presentations of writing and research.

3. Critically analyze communications according to the rhetorical expectations and vocabulary of the discipline.


Course Outline For PSYCHOLOGY 320, Cognitive Psychology

Course Title: Cognitive Psychology Units: 3.00 Total Instructional Hours (usually 18 per unit): 54 Hours per week (full semester equivalent) in Lecture: 3.00 In-Class Lab: 0 Arranged: 0

Date Submitted: September 2015 Date Updated: September 2015 Transferability: IGETC Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of IGETC: CSU GE Area: Does NOT satisfy any area of CSU GE: SMC GE Area: Degree Applicability: Credit - Degree Applicable Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 1

and MATH 54 and ENGL 1 and Admission to the SMC baccalaureate degree program

Pre/Corequisite(s): None Corequisite(s): None Skills Advisory(s): None I. Catalog Description

This upper division Cognitive Psychology course addresses how humans learn to process information in their environment as well as how they decide how and when to act on their environment. This course includes a survey of cognitive psychology, specifically, the science and study of how people acquire, represent, transform and use verbal and nonverbal information. In this context we will explore sensation and perception of objects, surfaces, space, and motion. Additionally, key cognitive functions are explored including imagery, memory, representations of knowledge, language, decision making, thinking and reasoning, attention and vigilance. Finally, we will review developmental considerations in cognitive psychology from early infant cognition to maturation and cognition as we age.


1. Cognitive Psychology: A Students Handbook, 7, Eysenck, M.W. & Keane,

M.T., Psychology Press © 2015, ISBN: 1848724160 2. Designing With The Mind In Mind, Johnson, J., Elsevier © 2010, ISBN:

9780123760303



1. Demonstrate a high level of understanding of cognitive domains including perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, reasoning, executive processes, cognition, and decision making.

2. Explain, critique, compare, and contrast the established theories in cognitive psychology domains.

3. Apply and incorporate key concepts in the domain of cognitive psychology to explain and predict psychological phenomena in a wide variety of situations.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of how the key findings and theories in cognitive psychology relate to how we interact with our external world.

5. Outline and conceptualize the relationship between key findings and theories in cognitive psychology and the function and development of the brain.

6. Evaluate critically research methods in cognitive psychology and how findings can be applied to real world problems or challenges.

7. Apply, critique, and operationalize current empirical research on how humans process incoming information and formulate an action.

8. Analyze critically the limits of human cognitive capacities.


Observation and Demonstration , Projects , Visiting Lecturers , Group Work , Lecture and Discussion

V. Course Content

% of course Topic

10%

Introduction

• why study Cognitive Psychology? • history and origins of cognitive psychology. • development of cognitive psychology over time • current state of cognitive psychology research and knowledge

10%

Perceptual Processing: Visual and Auditory systems

• top-down vs. bottom up processing • the visual system • representation and organization of visual percepts • theories of visual processing • speech perception and processing • music perception and processing

5%

Attention

• levels of attention • limits of attention • theories of attention

5%

Consciousness and metacognition

• what is consciousness and what it is not • metacognition • sense of the self • theories of consciousness and metacognition • limits of consciousness

10%

Working Memory

• theories of working memory • limits of working memory • components and types of working memory • working memory in our day to day experience of the world

10%

Long Term Memory

• what is and isn’t considered long term memory • encoding into long term memory • storage of the memory • retrieval of long term memories • consolidation and reconsolidation, “forgetting” • factors that increase remembering and those that block it • mnemonic techniques

5%

Mental Imagery

• visual imagery and mental rotation/transformation • auditory imagery • relationship to working memory • mental representation of spatial representations (maps) • limits of mental imagery

5%

Semantic Knowledge

• acquisition of semantic knowledge • nature of semantic knowledge

• theories of semantic knowledge (prototype, networks, exemplar) • schemas • scripts

10%

Language

• parts of language • linguistics and psycholinguistics • limits of comprehension • auditory vs. reading language processing • language processing disorders • language production • speech • multilingualism • speech disorders • writing

5%

Creativity

• what is creativity? • motivational states and creativity • origins of creativity • theories of creativity • limits of creativity (writer's block)

5%

Problem Solving

• identification and representation of the problem • problem solving strategies and theories • influences of problem solving strategies and success • challenges and limits of problem solving

10%

Reasoning and Decision Making

• deductive reasoning • strategies in reasoning • pitfalls, shortcuts, and limits of reasoning • how we make decisions • influences on our decision making • pitfalls, shortcuts and limits of decision making

10% Developmental Considerations in Cognition

• infant Cognition • childhood cognition • giftedness and cognitive deficits • cognition in the elderly • normal vs. pathological cognitive decline

100% Total



20 % Exams/Tests - There will be 2 midterms each worth 10% of the total grade

20 % Papers - see assignments

10 % Oral Presentation - presentation of group project

10 % Group Projects - Groups will meet in and outside of class to work on their project/presentation

20 % Homework - report of in class demonstrations. See Assignments.

15 % Final exam - There will be a cumulative Final Exam worth 15% of the final grade

5 % In Class Writing - short answers to prompts/thought questions

100 % Total


Popular Article Evaluation Identify a report on cognition from the science section of a newspaper or an online article. Briefly describe the main idea of the article. Then, explain what evidence they present to support their main idea. Compare this evidence to relevant cognitive theories, as described in your textbook. Note any points of agreement or disagreement between your article and your textbook, as well as any questions you have that are not answered in the article. Conclude with an evaluation of the article, explaining both how accurate you think the article is, as well as whether or not you think the article is likely to be helpful to the average person (i.e., someone who has not taken cognitive psychology), and why. Turn this in with your article. The Perfect Crime Imagine you are a thief—the kind who only steals for good reasons. You are

planning a heist at a well-guarded mansion, where the owner employs a number of security guards who regularly patrol the halls. Explain how you would use what you’ve learned about the science of perception and attention to evade detection by these security guards. Make sure you have a number of backup plans, in case something goes wrong. You can be as creative as you want, but make sure to explain how your plans are supported by cognitive theory. Group assignment Take a website (from the list given, or come to the teacher and suggest your own). Your group has to apply at least two of the cognitive psychology theories you learned so far to this website. Your aim is to evaluate the usability of the website with the theories in hand, and explain why certain things may work very well and why other things may be harder to use. You should also give some recommendations for improvements, again based on the theories. Your group should give a ten minute presentation which introduces us to the website and its users, and then discusses your outcomes. One mark is given to the group, where necessary adjusted for individual contributions. Individual final assignment: Target user groups: Choose one of these three target user groups with specific cognitive disabilities:

• visual comprehension difficulties, • dyslexia, • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Topic: Find a well-known and popular website to investigate and select a small part of that site that takes care of one specific interaction (login, submitting something, contacting the site, making a payment, etc). This can be one page or a short sequence of web pages. Before you proceed, you have to get the approval of the teacher to work on this topic, to ensure you do not choose something too simple or too complex. Task: Evaluate and critique the topic from the perspective of the specific target user group you have chosen. Then redesign the pages using sketches and/or wireframe to improve the user experience for the target group. Produce a professional presentation to explain your design choices. Finally, discuss how your design affects the other two groups mentioned above: Which choices benefitted all groups and which choices were actually at the detriment of the other groups?

Depending upon wishes we could have them use wireframes / invision (invisionapp.com), sketches or actual webpages.


1. Apply approaches and methods utilized by cognitive psychologists to critically analyze the strengths and limitations of these methods to tap into human cognition.

2. Evaluate, measure, and inter-relate the various capacities and domains of cognition, as they are expressed in day-to-day life, with an appreciation for their natural limitations.

3. Apply cognitive psychology ideas, theories, and findings in numerous contexts (such as interaction design, human factors, cognitive disorders, etc.).

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