ah teaches user experience design (Is it a problem? lecture)

Is it a problem?

Lecture outline

Scoping and defining design problems to research. Lecture slides will be made available on the day of the lecture.

In preparation for lecture...

Please close up any laptops, cellphones, Discmans, Whoops and other 'beep-boop' devices.

Welcome to IAT-438!

Your teaching team

(of one)

This guy ↓ (Andrew Hawryshkewich)

Meet your neighbours

We are going to take a moment to meet your neighbours. Find someone sitting next to you that you have not met before and:

1. Introduce yourself (Hello, my name is INSERT_NAME_HERE!)
2. Explain why you are interested in this course (I am in this course because I really want to learn about octopods...)
3. Share a fun winter break anecdote (I was gifted ET and an Atari, and well...)

You have 3 minutes.

Announcements

Important announcements will be posted to Canvas. These will often clarify or remind of important upcoming items.

Contacting your instructor

A friendly how-to

Andrew is available via:

• Email at ac.ufs@h_werdna
• During office hours
• At pre-arranged times (in-person or on Zoom)

Email rules

Chat conduct

When chatting:

• Please treat our online interactions the same way you would in-person interactions.
• Please do not posting personally identifying information about yourself or others.
• Any questions about grades or feedback should be directed to Andrew via email.

If you have concerns about anyone's conduct at any point, please direct message or email Andrew.

Illness policy

If you are ill, stay home. Follow up with Andrew to arrange an alternative time for critique.

If you will be ill for a prolonged period of time (more than a week) please email Andrew to arrange accommodations.

If the teaching team is ill we will notify you via Canvas and course chat before 8:30am the day of the lecture.

Zoom etiquette

Some office hours will be available through Zoom. You will need to log in through sfu.zoom.us before being able to access the room.

• Links are provided on Canvas.
• Please use headphones.
• Bring any materials for critique ready as a web link that we can download/share screen from.

The 'studio' lecture

What to expect

This means we will be packing in critiques, lecture and activities all into one 4-hour block per week.

Attendance will be important

You will need to be in-class, on-time each week please. If unable to make it please email Andrew before the class.

Waitlisted students

If you are waitlisted, please announce yourself during the break. It is good if you keep up with the course material in case you are able to join the course.

Workload

A reminder that this course expects about 14-18 hours of work outside of class. You will be able to complete some of the homework during class time if of use.

If you ever have concerns with workload please email Andrew.

Canvas

Our main course-site

Andrew opens up Canvas and briefly introduces it here.

Projects

1. Practice — 20% (Individual/Group)
2. Better — 30% (Individual/Group)
3. Best UX — 40% (Individual/Group)

90% of your grade.

Teamwork

All team projects will make use of mechanisms to ensure the team is supported by all team members. If you ever have concerns about teamwork or your teammates please email Andrew.

Readings

Fee-free!

Readings are available entirely digitally.

In-class activities exercises

Small weekly activities to have you review and reflect on readings, implement some theory or discuss course concepts.

10% of your final grade.

This course is software agnostic

While we may make suggestions, we will not be requiring any specific tools be used for the purposes of this course. You can choose your own preferred tools as long as they allow you to accomplish the requirements of a given project.

Use of AI

In this course you are welcome to make use of generative AI tools — unless specified — with the following condition: You must state how you generated the result you are working with in the comments on your Canvas submission.

This will include:

• the name of the tool;
• the parameters or prompt used; and,
• a copy of the generated material linked.

You may use the generated material as a starting point or assistant for your own work, but the AI result cannot be your final submission.

Plagiarism

This course has a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism on projects. If you are found presenting work that is not your own or resubmitting old work without notice, you will receive a failing grade on that project. No exceptions.

Late or problematic submissions

Late submissions receive 10% per day late.

Problematic submissions — i.e. we can't open the URL or the wrong files were submitted — receive an immediate 20% off plus late penalties on the resubmission.

Concerns with grades

Please notify Andrew of any grading concerns within 10 days of the grades being released. This can include just getting some further feedback and/or wanting to have something regraded.

Course overview questions?

If you have any questions that linger about the course overview, please feel free to email Andrew or ask during our lecture time.

Activity time

Let's do some reading!

Rubric review

I have a rubric that we will be making use of for P1 through P3 in the course, but need to ensure it is understandable and is reasonable from your perspective. Please review the rubric and leave comments, questions on it accordingly.

Once done reviewing it, please take some time to read through the project briefs and select one that you would like to proceed with for P1.

You have 15 minutes.

Selecting briefs

Please head to the board that is associated with your brief to continue with our class activities.

Bias

"[Our] perspectives are coloured by our habits, beliefs, and attitudes."

List assumptions

Working within smaller groups of 3-4 people, please list all the assumptions you have regarding your brief.

You have 5 minutes.

Known... unknown...

Writing research questions

We want to understand what you are studying, why it matters, and how you plan to investigate it.

Start by narrowing down what topic area makes the most sense based on the brief, and then create a direction to explore using your research question.

Process

Based on what we have so far, you should likely:

1. Answer some of the known unknowns.
2. Understand more about the domain the brief focuses on.
3. Pick a focused topic that you believe is important to the brief.
4. Write the research question.
5. Evaluate your question.

Research question suggestions

Aim to have a question that:

• Is reasonably concise (1-2 sentences at most).
• Key terms are defined or understood.
• Address a gap in knowledge.
• Has a measurable or definable outcome.
• You can answer given your timeframe.

Research question cautions

Be careful about questions that:

• Do not ask how/why.
• Are purely speculative.
• Embed an assumption.
• Do not seem worth asking.

Quality of sources

Please don't just AI this one.

Questions?