Course Syllabus

Course Information

CSS 478 Usability and User-Centered Design

Winter 2021

Instructor: Annuska Zolyomi
Email: annuska@uw.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 11:30 - 12:30, or by appointment

About the Course

Course Overview

The foundation of successful and innovative design is shaping the experiences to meet the existing and anticipated needs of users. CSS 478 is an introduction to the user-centered design (UCD) process and to how it can be leveraged throughout the software design lifecycle. The course is oriented toward the practice of UCD in industry settings, and approaches user research from a broad perspective throughout the design and development process. You will practice commonly used research methods used in the generative, formative/evaluative, and summative stages of the design process. These methods are used widely for software systems and services, web design, mobile application design, and even hardware design. You will develop a framework for identifying, adapting and creating new methods as you encounter novel user experience questions that need to be answered. This class will helpf you get started on answering the question, “How do we design things that are useful, usable, and compelling; and that meet user needs in innovative and more effective ways?”

(Credit for portions of my CSS 478 syllabus goes to Arnold Lund and Dave Hendry. All mistakes or typos are credited to me.)

Learning Goals

In general, the goals of the course are to help you:

1. Develop an appreciation for the theory and sensibilities of user-centered design
2. Achieve a deeper understanding of users, and apply that understanding to uncovering opportunities
3. Understand how to create usability and other metrics that will help teams achieve successful user experiences
4. Develop skills in the use and application of a variety of user research methods, specifically applicable to user-centered design
5. Improve your individual and collaborative skills in design-based problem solving and design thinking

Objectives

On completing the course, you should be able to:

1. Support designers and software engineering teams by defining and implementing a program of research throughout the development lifecycle
2. Help the team center their efforts on the needs of users in the expected contexts in which their work will be used
3. Apply the most common research techniques at a basic level of competence (e.g., interviews, personas, storyboarding, sketching, lo and hi fidelity prototyping, and evaluation), and be able to identify alternatives and potentially adapt them for novel situations
4. Describe the issues and challenges to achieving a user-centered design process and how you can address them
5. Gather useful information about users and activities through observation and systematic inquiry, and engage teams and sponsors in leveraging your results to improve designs

This is an important time in the history of designing applications that help people learn, play, conduct business, interact with one another, address individual/global problems and improve our quality of life. We are entering the next wave in human-computer interaction technologies and methods. With the vast improvements in processors, graphics, networking, databases, telephony, sensing technologies, mobile computing devices and the overall availability of information – completely new approaches to designing application interfaces are emerging and new experiences are being enabled. But to be successful—whatever the technology--solutions need to meet the needs of people. If they don’t work for people, they don’t work. UCD is the heart of Design Thinking and other emerging user experience design approaches within the evolving software engineering lifecycle approaches.

The way we will approach UCD for much of the course is to organize into teams, and each team will focus on a different web site. Each team will identify the personas that should be using the site, dive deeply into the needs of those users, and develop recommendations for improving the existing designs and proposing approaches to new mobile, smart speaker, and other tools that could provide value. The goal of each team will be to develop a compelling set of prioritized recommendations based on grounded insights about users.

Required Texts

Observing User Experience: A Practitioner’s Guide to User Research (2^nd Edition). (2012) Elizabeth Goodman, Mike Kuniavsky, and Andrea Moed, Morgan Kaufmann: Elsevier ISBN 978-0-12-384869-7

The textbook is available as an electronic book at the UW Libraries : https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/lvbsh/TN_cdi_safari_books_9780123848697

(If you  need assistance accessing UW Libraries resources,  use the “Chat with a Librarian” service through Ask Us: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/bothell/askus.)

There will be additional readings posted on Canvas to address specific topics, posted to the Course Schedule page.

Grading

Students will engage in individual and group graded activities during the quarter. There will also be a few opportunities, announced in class and posted to Canvas Assignments, to do optional extra credit assignments for a small number of points. 

If you are unable to participate synchronously (in real-time) in classes throughout the quarter due to your circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., living in a different time zone), contact the instructor so we can determine ways you can participate asynchronously.

♦ Group Project.  The cornerstone of this course is a group project that will be worked on throughout the quarter. Project groups will be formed by students and should be 4 students in size (with exceptions made to account for the total class size.)  Groups will have two checkpoint assignments or presentations throughout the quarter. Groups will present their projects status and outcomes throughout the end of the quarter.

* Your score for group work will be adjusted (higher or lower) based on feedback from your peers on how much you are contributing to the group activity and how well you are collaborating.

25%     Group Formative Research Project

25%     Group Evaluative Research Project

♦ Individual Assignments. Throughout the quarter, several individual assignments will be given. Most of the individual assignments will be kicked off during our class sessions.  These short assignments are designed to help prepare for upcoming class lectures and enhance the readings – and help you practice the concepts and methods you learn about in class. Oftentimes, group activities will be based on the results of your work so be sure to be prepared with your completed assignments.

30%     Individual Assignments

♦ Reading Discussions. There are required readings every week and a corresponding Canvas Discussion thread. The discussion prompt will be posted at the top of every weekly thread. Please be sure to do the assigned reading before you come to class. Some of these assigned readings are required for the class activities. 

20%     Readings and Discussions

♦ Extra Credit. There will be a small number of extra credit assignments made available throughout the quarter and announced in class. These will likely be in the form of experience reports relating to you exploring different research methods.

Grading Scale

All activities will be scored on the customary 4.0 scale based on these anchor points; above 97% is a 4.0 and below 60% is a 0.0. The following table represents the official UW conversion of standard letter grades to the UW decimal grade scale and the conversion to the 100-pt scale used in this class:

	A Range		B Range			C Range			D Range
Letter	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-
Min Decimal	3.9	3.5	3.2	2.9	2.5	2.2	1.9	1.5	1.2	0.9	0.7
Min 100-pt	95	90	85	82	78	75	72	68	65	62	60

The official decimal class grades (0.0 - 4.0) will be determined from a weighted average of your individual grades (see the weightings above), including the team participation adjustment to the group score. This scale represents a minimum decimal grade.

NOTE: Canvas doesn’t do the summary grade with the way contributions to the grade are being weighted (and incl. extra credit points), so only take Canvas as an approximate measure of how you are doing.

In general, my expectation is that meeting the rubric basic requirements posted in Canvas for an assignment is around a B grade (unless it is in essence CR/NC). That leaves room to acknowledge really extraordinary work (an A) and everything in between when students choose to put in that level of effort. In addition, my assumption that doesn’t need to be stated is that since the class is primarily taken by Juniors and Seniors, assignments will be well written and proofed. They will meet the requirements given in class and in Canvas. And they will be well designed, as they would be if they were a deliverable to a boss in industry or to a project sponsor.

Grading of Group Work

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, when work is completed in groups of two or more, all group member receive the same grade. For the multi-part, quarter-long group project, each group member will be given an opportunity to provide feedback to me regarding the relative contributions of each of the group members. I will use this collective feedback when assigning project grades to individual group members. Extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to:

1. A group member fails to adequately participate in a project
2. A group member creates severe conflict because of, for example, hateful speech, bulling, or similar
3. A group member plagiarizes. 

Should your group encounter difficulties please let the teaching assistant or instructor know as soon as possible. The sooner we know, the sooner we might be able to help. 

Late Policy

Assignments must be turned in at the day and time indicated on Canvas.

Without prior arrangements, the late penalty for all deliverables is 10% per day to a maximum of 30% off. If you anticipate a conflict, you can submit assignments early.

Deliverables must be completed on the specified due date unless you make prior arrangements with me (preferably more than 48 hours before the due date).  During this difficult pandemic quarantine, I anticipate you may experience challenges that may impact your individual and teamwork. As feasible, contact me and your teammates when you know your work effort will be impacted to make alternative arrangements and re-distribute workload.

How? Send an email to the instructor or grader requesting additional time, specify how much time you need, and explaining the general situation. Or, if you like, request a one-on-one meeting in person or by Zoom or by phone. Please do not forward the following:  

• • Sensitive details about your illness or injury (just the general situation)
  • Doctors' notes or letters
  • Photographs documenting injuries or illnesses.

Some examples, where additional time to complete work is typically granted: 

1. You need to care for a family member or close friend;
2. You need to attend a funeral; 
3. You become ill or are in an accident; 
4. You experience mental health challenges; 
5. You have a job interview; 
6. You have an opportunity to attend a professional conference; 
7. You are an athlete, musician, or performer and you have an upcoming event; 
8. You have several substantial deliverables from different classes all due at the same time; 
9. Your computer is stolen or otherwise fails.

Re-grading Policy

If you believe there was an error in grading one of your assignments, you can request that your assignment be re-graded. To have work re-graded, please submit a Re-grade Request within five days of when your work was returned. The request must be an e-mail to the grader and instructor with the following information:

• Subject line: CSS 478 Re-grade Request: Assignment XXX
• Your identifying information
• An explanation for why you would like your work re-graded. 

The grader and instructor will consider your request and, if warranted, will re-grade your work. Please note: In general, a re-grade request means that the entire piece of work is regraded, which means that it is possible to receive a lower grade.  

Fostering an Open, Respectful Class Environment

Keeping in Touch

Check Canvas often. Assignment descriptions and lecture notes will be posted on the site. When you send a Canvas message or an email, make sure to include “CSS478” in the Subject field. Otherwise, I may not respond to your email in a timely manner.

You can also reach me via the Canvas Discussion board. It is helpful when students submit their questions to the class Discussion board, because other students may have the same question and because others in the class may be able to answer your question before I can.

Zoom Recordings

This course is scheduled to run synchronously at your scheduled class time via Zoom. These Zoom class sessions will be recorded. The recording will capture the presenter’s audio, video, and computer screen. Student audio and video will be recorded if they share their computer audio and video during the recorded session. The recordings will only be accessible to students enrolled in the course to review materials. These recordings will not be shared with or accessible to the public.

The University and Zoom have FERPA-compliant agreements in place to protect the security and privacy of UW Zoom accounts.

Students who do not wish to be recorded should:

• Change their Zoom screen name to hide any personal identifying information like their name or UW Net ID; and
• Not share their computer audio or video during their Zoom sessions

Inclusivity

The Information School is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive learning environment. In this class, I will strive to foster a learning environment of mutual respect. I will promote active listening and encourage all students to engage in respectful, active listening in the class session, breakout rooms, and communication with each other outside of class. I have dedicated much of my technology and academic career to (1) deepening our understanding of socio-technical scenarios involving disabled people, and (2) advocating for increased access to technology and information for marginalized populations, which is becoming even more critical during periods like COVID-19. If you have any concerns, comments, or questions about ways we, as a class, can do more to foster an inclusive learning environment, please contact me or the grader.

Course Schedule

 This is the TENTATIVE schedule for the quarter (subject to change to allow for flexibility during the pandemic and to incorporate the interests of the class) See the course Home page for the up-to-date Course Schedule and Modules topics and links to assignments and readings.

Class	Topics	Readings	Milestones
Week 1 Jan 4	CSS 478 Introduction and Course Plan Value of User Research in User-Centered Design Observations	Textbook, "Observing the User: A Practitioner's Guide to User Research," Chapter 1:  Introduction Textbook Chapter 9: Field Visits: Learning from Observations Textbook Ch 2: Do a Usability Study Now!	Observation Skill Plan for nano-usability study
Week 2 Jan 11	Formative research about users and market Secondary Research Ethnographic research Research through the SDLC Process Team Formation and Project Selection	Formative research reading	Conduct Nano-Usability Test Ethnography of user scenarios relevant to the group project Competitive analysis and inspirational design Propose groups and domains
Week 3 Jan 18	*  Monday: No class for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Research Planning Hunt Statements Personas Journey Maps Guest speaker on Citizen Science	Formative research reading	Project groups and domains approved Project domain immersion Define project group norms
Week 4 Jan 25	Formative Research Methods Surveys, Diary Studies, Focus Groups	Formative Research Methods reading	Group journey map Group Hunt Statement Plan for micro-user research study
Week 5 Feb 1	*    Analyzing research results	Analyzing qualitative research readings	Conduct micro-user research. Group chooses research method.
Week 6 Feb 8	* Tools for Evaluative Research Storyboards Task-based Scenarios Prototyping	Readings for Storyboards, scenarios and prototyping	Formative research roll-up
Week 7 Feb 15	*    Monday: No class for Presidents Day Evaluative Research Usability Metrics	Heuristics analysis and accessibility	Conduct heuristic review Plan group usability test
Week 8 Feb 22	*  Evaluative Research: Usability Testing of Prototypes	Readings on tasks for usability studies	Demo of prototype for usability tests
Week 9 Mar 1	·  Synthesizing usability test data - Reporting	Synthesis readings	Analysis of group usability tests
Week 10 Mar 8	* Course Review	Resources for going forward	Group presentations on evaluative research

Syllabus Resources

Access and Accommodations

Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS on your campus. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions.  Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS.  It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

• UW Bothell: Disability Resources for Students (UW Bothell) Email: uwbdrs@uw.edu Phone: 425-352-5307
• UW Seattle: Disability Resources for Students (UW Seattle) Email: uwdrs@uw.edu Phone: 206-543-8924
  
• UW Tacoma: Disability Resources for Students (UW Tacoma) Email: drsuwt@uw.edu Phone: 253-692-4508 

  

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Common Course Policies for the School of STEM:

 The following policies have been compiled by the Faculty Council of the School of STEM and adopted as a standard for use in all STEM courses. Please click on this link to read details about specific policies related to the following important areas: http://www.uwb.edu/getattachment/stem/about/stem-policies/classroom-policies-stem-fc-1-12-17.pdf (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.

Academic Integrity

Honesty and integrity are essential to the free exchange of ideas and knowledge at UW Bothell. Academic integrity will be upheld in this course. Please see https://www.uwb.edu/studentaffairs/studentconduct and https://www.uwb.edu/academic-affairs/policies/studentconduct/student-guide ; for crucial information regarding academic integrity. For the full text of the student conduct code please see http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=478-120&full=true . The library also has an extremely useful website with resources at https://guides.lib.uw.edu/friendly.php?s=bothell/ai .

Plagiarism is not tolerated in our classes. Here are two links to help you learn what constitutes plagiarism. https://www.uwb.edu/studentaffairs/studentconduct/student-misconduct/academicmisconduct https://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=345664&p=2331762 .

 

You are responsible for knowing what constitutes a violation of the University of Washington Student Code, and you will be held responsible for any such violations whether they were intentional or not.

 

Access and Accommodation

Your experience in this class is important to us, and it is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you experience barriers based on disability, please seek a meeting with Disability Resources for Students (DRS) to discuss and address them. If you have already established accommodations with DRS, please communicate your approved accommodations to your instructor at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.

 

DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary or permanent disability that requires accommodations (this can include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 425.352.5307 or rosal@uw.edu.

 

Classroom Emergency Preparedness

Please see https://www.uwb.edu/safety/are-you-ready for detailed information on the following topics: active shooter, inclement weather, bomb threat, crime or violence, earthquake, fire, hazardous material spill, identity theft, lockdown, medical emergency, online safety, power outage, sexual assault, student in distress, suspicious mail, theft, pandemic flu, and extreme heat.

 

For Our Veterans

Welcome! We at UW Bothell understand that the transition into civilian life can be challenging for our veteran students and we have many resources for any who may want to reach out for guidance or assistance in these matters including our Vet Corp Navigator through the WDVA and our Student Veterans Association (SVA) and tutors/mentors for veterans. Please contact Veteran Services at 425.352.5307 or rosal@uw.edu. For those of you needing more URGENT support, please call The Suicide Prevention Hotline 1.800.273.8258 or connect with the UWB CARE Team https://www.uwb.edu/studentaffairs/care-team.

 

Grade for Incomplete

According to University rules “an incomplete is given only when the student has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work until within two weeks of the end of the quarter and has furnished proof satisfactory to the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control.” A grade of Incomplete can be granted only to students who have a verifiable issue that prevents them from completing the coursework in a timely fashion. Please see https://www.uwb.edu/registration/policies/grading/grading-ug for more details.

 

Inclement Weather

Please check if the campus may be closed due to weather. Information on suspension of operations will be made public and available through the media. You can learn of campus operations status from the UW Bothell website or by calling the Campus Information Hotline 425.352.3333. You may also sign up with an alert system that will contact you via email or text message if classes are canceled. For more information on the alert process, please see https://www.uwb.edu/emergency. Class activities will be rescheduled as needed.

 

Parenting Student Resources

Parenting students are encouraged to take advantage of the resources provided on campus. These resources include the Parent Union at UWB, the Childcare Assistance Program, on-campus Family Friendly Spaces, priority access at Bright Horizons Bothell and Bothell KinderCare, and back-up/sick care at one of these locations. On campus resources include lactation rooms and baby changing stations. For more detailed information, visit https://www.uwb.edu/studentaffairs/resources/student-parents or contact the Parent Union on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PUUWB.

 

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Faculty Syllabus Guidelines and Resources. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available at https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/.

 

Respect for Diversity

Diverse backgrounds, embodiments and experiences are essential to the critical thinking endeavor at the heart of university education. In STEM and at UW Bothell, students are expected to: • Respect individual differences which may include, but are not limited to: age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender presentation, immigration status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, as well as those who have experienced trauma-related violence. • Engage respectfully in discussion of diverse worldviews and ideologies embedded in course readings, presentations, and artifacts, including those course materials that are at odds with personal beliefs and values. Students seeking support around these issues can find more information and resources at https://www.uwb.edu/diversity.

 

Surviving Sexual and Relationship Violence

For survivors of sexual and relationship violence (referred to as sexual misconduct in UW code) free on and off-campus support that would include confidential consultations with specially trained “Victim Advocates” as well as counselors at the Counseling Center is provided. The following resources are available for individuals who have undergone such experiences. • Access to a Victim Advocate who specializes in handling students who have experienced sexual and relationship violence or stalking. Located in UW1-080; 425-352-3183 or uwbvae@uw.edu. https://www.uwb.edu/sexualassault/victim-advocacy-and-support. • Counseling Center: Located in UW1-080; 425-352-3183. https://www.uwb.edu/studentservices/counseling. • Disability Resources for Students (DRS): For students who have been diagnosed with anxiety, PTSD, depression or other mental health conditions. Contact info: 425.352.5307 or rlundborg@uwb.edu. • Safe Campus: Prevention tips for students: http://www.washington.edu/safecampus/topics/stalking/ and http://www.washington.edu/safecampus/topics/relationship-violence/

 

Other Student Support Services

• Career Services: https://www.uwb.edu/careers, 425-352-3706; • CSS Tutoring: https://www.uwb.edu/css/advising;
• IT Helpdesk: http://uwbit@uw.edu, 425-352-3456; • Library: http://library.uwb.edu, 425-352-5340;
• Quantitative Skills Center: https://www.uwb.edu/qsc, 425-352-3170; • School of STEM Advising: stemadv@uw.edu, 425-352-3746;
• Student Counseling Services: https://www.uwb.edu/studentaffairs/counseling, 425-352- 3183;
• Student Success and Career Services: https://www.uwb.edu/studentservices/successservices,425-352-3427;

Wondering how to address faculty?

At UW Bothell we encourage and appreciate our ability to interact closely with our students, and we value faculty-student collaboration very highly. It is also important to maintain an appropriately professional relationship. When addressing faculty, it is more appropriate to refer to them as Dr. X, Prof. X, or Mr./Ms. X as appropriate unless told to do otherwise.