User Interface Design Spring 2021

Design innovation shapes our daily experience. In this course, you will learn foundations for designing, implementing, and evaluating interactive software that solves problems that people experience. The problem solving skills, knowledge, and confidence gained from this course will prepare you for a career in user experience design and will transfer to many job contexts. Topics include human abilities, user research, prototyping, evaluation techniques, event-driven programming, design communication, and team skills. The course emphasizes mobile interaction design, though content will also draw from the Web, desktop, and product design domains.

Professors Brian Bailey
Office hours: M W 11-12 CST by Zoom.
Prerequisites CS 225
Lectures Mon: 9:30–10:45 a.m. CT by Zoom
Wed: 9:30–10:45 a.m. CT by Zoom
Design Studios Fri: 09:30–10:50 a.m. CT by Zoom
Fri: 11:00–12:20 p.m. CT by Zoom
Fri: 12:30–13:50 p.m. CT by Zoom
Fri: 14:00–15:20 p.m. CT by Zoom
Teaching Assistants Emily Hastings
Gina Do
Textbooks The Design of Everyday Things (revised and expanded edition, 2013) by Donald Norman.
Task-Centered User Interface Design by Clayton Lewis and John Rieman.
Team Project All students must complete a team project. The project will require designing, building, and testing a user interface project of your choice. Students must work in teams (about 5 students per team) on the project. Teams will need to meet outside of class, as well as in class, to complete the project. Students are not allowed to work individually as a team of one. The project will require a large time commitment and will contribute significantly to your course grade.
Grading Team project (60%)
Exams (20%)
Workbooks (10%)
Studio (10%)

Anti-Racism and Inclusivity

The Grainger College of Engineering and the staff of this course are committed to the creation of an anti-racist, inclusive community that welcomes diversity along a number of dimensions, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity and national origins, gender and gender identity, sexuality, disability status, class, age, or religious beliefs. The College recognizes that we are learning together in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, that Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous voices and contributions have largely either been excluded from, or not recognized in, science and engineering, and that both overt racism and micro-aggressions threaten the well-being of our students and our university community. The effectiveness of this course is dependent upon each of us to create a safe and encouraging learning environment that allows for the open exchange of ideas while also ensuring equitable opportunities and respect for all of us. Everyone is expected to help establish and maintain an environment where students, staff, and faculty can contribute without fear of personal ridicule, or intolerant or offensive language. If you witness or experience racism, discrimination, micro-aggressions, or other offensive behavior, you are encouraged to bring this to the attention of the course director if you feel comfortable. You can also report these behaviors to the Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART) (https://bart.illinois.edu/). Based on your report, BART members will follow up and reach out to students to make sure they have the support they need to be healthy and safe. If the reported behavior also violates university policy, staff in the Office for Student Conflict Resolution may respond as well and will take appropriate action.

Covid-19 and Personal Well-being

Following University policy, all students are required to engage in appropriate behavior to protect the health and safety of the community, including wearing a facial covering properly, maintaining social distance (at least 6 feet from others at all times), disinfecting the immediate seating area, and using hand sanitizer. Students are also required to follow the campus COVID-19 testing protocol.

Students who feel ill must not participate in any in-person class activities. In addition, students who test positive for COVID-19 or have had an exposure that requires testing and/or quarantine must not attend in-person class activities. The University will provide information to the instructor, in a manner that complies with privacy laws, about students in these latter categories. These students are judged to have excused absences for the class period and should contact the instructor via email about making up the work.

Students who fail to abide by these rules will first be asked to comply; if they refuse, they will be required to leave the classroom immediately. If a student is asked to leave the classroom, the non-compliant student will be judged to have an unexcused absence and reported to the Office for Student Conflict Resolution for disciplinary action. Cumulation of non-compliance complaints against a student may result in dismissal from the University.

Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, substance/alcohol abuse, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance, social development, and emotional wellbeing. The University of Illinois offers a variety of confidential services including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, psychiatric services, and specialized screenings at no additional cost. If you or someone you know experiences any of the above mental health concerns, it is strongly encouraged to contact or visit any of the University’s resources provided below. Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do -- for yourself and for those who care about you.

Counseling Center: 217-333-3704, 610 East John Street Champaign, IL 61820
McKinley Health Center:217-333-2700, 1109 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801