Autumn Quarter
HCDE 518 User-Centered Design (4): Explores the user-centered design paradigm from a broad perspective, emphasizing how user research and prototype assessment can be integrated into different phases of the design process. Students learn to think like a user-centered designer and carry out activities that are key to user-centered design.
Winter Quarter
HCDE 517 Usability Studies (4): Discusses the human-computer interface (HCI) as the communicative aspect of a computer system. Analyzes usability issues in HCI design, explores design-phase methods of predictability, and introduces evaluative methods of usability testing.
HCDE 521 Emerging Issues in HCDE (2): Topics of current interest in human centered design and engineering. Prerequisite: HCDE 517 and HCDE 518. Credit/no-credit only.
In addition, students may elect to take one elective this quarter, depending on offerings and if space is available. For some students, this may allow them to finish the UCD Certificate in Winter Quarter.
Spring Quarter
HCDE 525 UX Speaker Series (1): Industry experts present on current issues and research in User Experience (UX) research and design. Credit/no credit only. Prerequisite: HCDE graduate student status or permission of instructor.
Students choose one of the following electives:
HCDE 508 Visual Communication (4): Reviews principles of visual communication and design used in HCDE so that students gain a systematic and critical understanding so they can create visual communication components of print and interactive media. Students develop this understanding through hands-on exercises, design critiques, discussions, lectures, and readings in a studio environment.
HCDE 511 Information Visualization (4): Covers the design and presentation of digital information. Uses graphics, animation, sound, and other modalities in presenting information to users. Studies understanding vision and perception. Includes methods of presenting complex information to enhance comprehension and analysis; and incorporation of visualization techniques into human-computer interfaces.
HCDE 515 Accessibility and Inclusive Design (4): An introduction to designing, prototyping, and evaluating inclusive user interfaces that meet the needs of a diverse range of users - such as older adults, users with visual, cognitive or motor disabilities, and users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Building on basic concepts in human-centered design, students will learn about design exclusion and barriers to use, and methods by which these can be overcome. Prerequisite: HCDE 518.
HCDE 536 Interaction Design & Prototyping (4): Investigates advanced topics in the theory and practice of interaction design, using a project-oriented approach. Develops expertise in design, development, and critique of solutions in online and mobile platforms. Examines issues such as interaction theory, requirements and specifications, design language, prototyping, evaluation, and presentation of projects. Prerequisite: HCDE 518.
HCDE 537 User-Centered Web Design (4): Theory and practice of the user-centered web development process. Principles and processes for documenting and implementing various development stages, including requirements analysis, user needs analysis, information architecture, prototyping, mockups, and production. Prerequisite: HCDE 518.
Course Offerings
Four credit courses are offered from 6:00 - 9:50 PM Monday-Thursdays, only one evening per week. HCDE 521 UX Speaker Series is usually offered over lunch time on Fridays, but is available online.