Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Interface Design
Module Code	CM269
School	School of Communications
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Declan Tuite Semester 2: Declan Tuite Autumn: Declan Tuite
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

Interdisciplinary in content and structure, the module provides students with an understanding of the principles and practice of organizing digital information using graphic user interface design.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical evaluations of information design and human centred design
2. Recognise the significance of the graphical in information design; paradigms and genre as structuring devices; navigation and the simplification of complex structures; site architecture, wayfinding and mapping.
3. Create professional graphical user interface competently
4. Appraise the key principles in integrating data and display in multimedia environments
5. Recognise and implement the appropriate use of multimedia assets and techniques to formulate a valid and creative solution

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Lecture	36	Lectures
Seminars	89	Seminars, project and self-practice
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction to Structure and Organisation of Module.
Survey of key themes and concepts to be addressed; Definition and explication of learning objectives; Applications of interface design in multimedia - an introduction..

Principles of Commercial Product Design.
Historical Perspectives.

Origins and evolution; Key historical developments;.
Principles of Interface Design.

Historical Perspectives.
Origins and evolution; Key historical developments; New media and graphic design; analogue and digital;.

Principles of Information Design.
Defininginformation;.

Information vs. communication - functions of communication; Towards a working model of information and communication..
Principles of GUI - Graphic User Interface.

Tools.
Categorisation - theory and applications; Visualisation.

the significance of the graphical in information design; Paradigms and genre as structuring devices; Navigation and the simplification of complex structures; Site architecture, wayfinding and mapping;.
Human Centred Design.

Precepts and principles; Factoring human cognitive processes into information and interface design; Perception as a factor in the design of interfaces; Metaphor and the representation of abstract concepts, objects and ideas..
User Testing.

Developing user profiles, questionnaires and models. Understanding the relationship between the commercial client, interface designer and user..
Case Study.

Graphical User Interfaces.
The limitations of contemporary interfaces; Alternatives to graphics based interfaces -using communication channels; Use of authoring software for the development of user interfaces for specific audiences..

Case Study.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives.

Wayfinding in architectural studies; Mapping complex data; Navigating structured data..
Case Study.

Integrating Data and Display in Multimedia Environments.
The graphical display of complex information; Navigation and structure in complex data - a visual approach; Information delivery in the multimedia environment - general principles and problems; Information kiosks -a detailed case study..

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Bryce L. Allen: 1996, Information tasks, Academic Press, San Diego, 0120510405
written and edited by Stuart K. Card, Jock D. Mackinlay, Ben Shneiderman: 1999, Readings in information visualization, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, Calif., 1558605339
edited by Usama M. Fayyad ... [et al.]: 0, Advances in knowledge discovery and data mining, 0262560976
Jennifer Fleming,: 1999, Web Navigation: Designing the User Experience, 1565923510
edited by Christian Gram and Gilbert Cocton [sic]: 1996, Design principles for interactive software, Chapman & Hall, London, 0412724707
edited by Robert Jacobson: 1999, Information design, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 0262600358
Nicholas V. Iuppa: 2001, Interactive design for new media and the Web, Focal press, Boston, 0240804147
edited by Morten Kyng and Lars Mathiassen: 1997, Computers and design in context, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 9780262112239
Kevin Mullet, Darrell Sano: 1995, Designing visual interfaces, SunSoft Press, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 0133033899
Donald A. Norman: 2002, The design of everyday things, Basic Books, New York, 0465067107
Peter Morville and Louis Rosenfeld: 2007, Information architecture for the World Wide Web, O'Reilly, Sebastopol, CA, 0596527349
Ben Schneiderman: 2009, Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective HumanComputer Interaction, 9780321601483
Valery I. Frants, Jacob Shapiro, Vladimir G. Voiskunskii: 1997, Automated information retrieval, 0122661702
Karen Sparck Jones (Editor), Peter Willett (Editor): 1997, Readings in Information Retrieval, 1558604545
Rory Stuart: 1996, The design of virtual environments, McGraw-Hill, New York, 0070632995
Edward R. Tufte: 1997, Visual explanations, Graphics Press, Cheshire, Conn., 0961392126
Tay Vaughan: 2008, Multimedia, McGraw-Hill, New York, 0072264519
Susan Weinschenk, Pamela Jamar, Sarah C. Yeo: 1997, GUI design essentials, 0471175498
Richard Saul Wurman, Peter Bradford (Editor): 1997, Information Architects, 978-0823064557