Introduction to UI Design

About this course: In this course, you will gain an understanding of the critical importance of user interface design. You will also learn industry-standard methods for how to approach the design of a user interface and key theories and frameworks that underlie the design of most interfaces you use today. Through a series of case studies on commercial systems - many of which you likely use on a regular basis - we will illustrate the benefits of good design. We will also demonstrate how the costs of bad design can often be severe (in user experience, money, and even human lives). You will then gain a high-level understanding of the user-interface design process. You will be introduced to common design scenarios - e.g. improving on existing designs and starting a new design from scratch - and the general design processes that tend to be used for each scenario. Finally, we will begin introducing the large body of existing knowledge on design by providing overviews of core user interface design theories and concepts. This key foundational information will help you avoid “reinventing the wheel” when you are designing your interfaces in this specialization.

Who is this class for: Although our primary audience is people with some programming experience, you do not need to know how to program to successfully complete this course!

Created by:  University of Minnesota

• Taught by:  Loren Terveen, Professor

  Computer Science and Engineering

• Taught by:  Haiyi Zhu, Assistant Professor

  Computer Science and Engineering

• Taught by:  Lana Yarosh, Assistant Professor

  Computer Science and Engineering

• Taught by:  Dr. Brent Hecht, Assistant Professor

  Computer Science and Engineering

• Taught by:  Joseph A Konstan, Distinguished McKnight Professor and Distinguished University Teaching Professor

  Computer Science and Engineering

Basic Info Course 1 of 5 in the User Interface Design Specialization Level Beginner Commitment 4 weeks of study, 3-8 hours/week. Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.6 stars Average User Rating 4.6See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Introduction and Overview



10 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: Introductory Panel: UI Design and Why it Matters
2. Video: Introduction to the Specialization, Courses, and Capstone
3. Video: User Interface Hall of Fame / Shame
4. Video: Case Study #1: UI Disasters, including GPS fails
5. Video: Case Study #2: Corporate Value: Citibank ATM
6. Video: Case Study #3: Microsoft Office 2007 Ribbon
7. Video: Case Study #4: International Children's Digital Library
8. Video: Case Study #5: Taxes and Tickets
9. Video: Case Study #6: AirBnB vs. CouchSurfing
10. Video: Introductory Video
11. Reading: Activity: Hall of Fame/Shame Interfaces

Graded: Intro to UI Design: Introduction and Overview

WEEK 2


UI Design Process



11 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: Design Process Introduction
2. Video: Designing to Address a Problem w/o Solution Ideas
3. Video: Designing for a known solution direction
4. Video: Designing to iterate on/improve an existing solution
5. Video: Common Elements
6. Video: Usability Engineering and Task-Centered Approaches
7. Video: Use Cases, Personas, Tasks, and Scenarios
8. Video: Intro to Design-Centered Approaches
9. Video: Design-Centered Methods & When They Work Best
10. Video: Pulling it all Together: Best from Each; Practical Techniques for someone who isn't a trained designer
11. Video: Assignment Video: Tasks and Scenarios
12. Reading: Sample Task and Scenario #1
13. Reading: Sample Task and Scenario #2
14. Reading: Sample Task and Scenario #3

Graded: Task/Scenario Evaluation #1
Graded: Task/Scenario Evaluation #2
Graded: Task/Scenario Evaluation #3
Graded: Task and Walkthrough Scenario Assignment
Graded: Intro to UI Design: UI Design Process

WEEK 3


Psychology and Human Factors for User Interface Design



11 videos, 3 readings, 1 practice quiz expand

1. Reading: Read Me First: About these two weeks
2. Video: Intro
3. Video: Fitts' Law
4. Video: Short- and long-term memory, attention
5. Video: Perception and visualization, hierarchy
6. Video: Mistakes, Errors, and Slips
7. Video: Conceptual models
8. Video: The Gulf of Execution and the Gulf of Evaluation
9. Video: Design Principles: Visibility, Feedback, Mappings, Constraints
10. Video: Interacting beyond individuals (social psychology)
11. Video: High-Level Models: Distributed Cognition, Activity Theory, Situated Action
12. Video: Assignment Video: Interface Critiques
13. Reading: Part 1: Assignment Overview and Properties of a Good Critique
14. Reading: Part 2: Worked Examples
15. Practice Quiz: Part 3: Test your knowledge

Graded: Interface Critique

WEEK 4


Psychology and Human Factors -- Continued



1 video expand

1. Video: Interview with Don Norman

Graded: Intro to UI Design: Psychology and Human Factors: Shortcuts to Understanding Your Users