This course explores the relationship between (computer-based) interfaces and human attitudes and behaviors. There are two organizing questions for the course:
(1) What are the causes and consequences that link various aspects of interfaces to the social psychology and culture of individuals and groups?
(2) How should the answers to question (1) influence interface design?
The goal of the course is to provide tools for answering these questions, rather than simply answering them. You can think of the course as built around three types of activities:
a) Consuming. The readings and lectures will present you with theories of interfaces from both social science and design perspectives. We will often read authors who strenuously disagree with each other. Instead of focusing on who’s right and who’s wrong (although that’s certainly not irrelevant), we will be concerned with the theoretical and/or empirical approaches by which they reached their conclusions. This part of the course is designed to give you a set of ideas with which to analyze and create. Your skills in this area will be assessed via the midterm, final, and section (and secondarily by the projects).
b) Analyzing. An excellent way to reinforce an understanding of a theory is to apply it rigorously. In class lectures and in the exams, you will be asked to apply what you consumed to interfaces. That is, you will be asked to critique interfaces (drawn from past, present, and future products), from the variety of perspectives presented in readings, lectures, and section. The goal here is to exercise general ideas by analyzing how they play out in real interfaces drawn from PC-based software, the Web, voice portals, handheld devices, etc. Your skills in this area will be assessed via the midterm, final, and section (and secondarily by the projects).
c) Creating. It’s easier to be a critic than a creator. If you really understand interfaces, you should be able to create one of your own! Hence, the third type of activity in the course will be a group project in which you will be asked to create a storyboard for a new product or service and provide arguments that explain why your design is wonderful! The emphasis here is on creativity, ingenuity, and playfulness constrained by meeting the needs of your target user. Because the most interesting and educational design projects are those that involve users that are different from you, and because there is tremendous demand for information technology and services for the developing world, the design projects will focus on developing countries. There will be opportunities to make your projects a reality for developing countries via a number of different opportunities which I’ll discuss in class. Your skills in creating interfaces will be assessed via the projects (and secondarily by the midterm, final, and section).
