Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:00am–12:00noon or one hour as arranged.
ATTENDANCE & TARDINESS
Consistent attendance is essential. Absence due to health reasons requires a doctor's note to avoid grade implications. Being over 30 minutes late is considered an absence.
Class will convene at the scheduled time and location. Attendance guidelines are as follows:
• Three absences = grade reduced by one letter
• Four absences = grade reduced by two letters
• Five absences = course failure
Being late three times counts as one absence. Arriving more than 30 minutes late or leaving 30 minutes early will result in an unexcused absence.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This project-structured course examines the principles of mobile app design and development. Students will design the user interface and icons for a mobile app.
Topics covered will include user interface design; screen layout & grid; icon design; harmony through theme and color system, and human factors engineering.
Students will create professional-quality working mock-ups using software of their choice (most likely Adobe XD, Figma, or Figma/XD/InVision).
Class will be working with a client to develop an app, providing you an excellent portfolio opportunity.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Help the students learn:
• to recognize and correctly use GUI elements
• render quality icons
• understand navigation formats
• organize screen content
• create a harmonious type and color system
REQUIRED TEXT
Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps by Josh Clark
Other articles and book passages may also be provided.
SUGGESTED TEXT
Don’t Make Me Think - Revisited by Steve Krug
PROJECT SCHEDULE
There will be multiple stages of booklet and mock-up assignments, quizzes, and optional opportunities.
The instructor reserves the right to revise the schedule and project numbers.
KEY PROJECTS
Book in 14 stages
Upload a PDF of your book to the Graphic Server before Friday @ midnight for each stage. 50 Points each
Booklet - Stage 1 - August 30
Booklet - Stage 2 - September 6
Booklet - Stage 3 - September 13
Booklet - Stage 4 - September 20
Booklet - Stage 5 - September 27
Booklet - Stage 6 - October 4
Booklet - Stage 7 - October 11
Booklet - Stage 8 - October 18
Booklet - Stage 9 - October 25
Booklet - Stage 10 - November 1
Booklet - Stage 11 - November 8
Booklet - Stage 12 - November 15
Booklet - Stage 13 - November 22- No Book Update Due
Booklet - Stage 14 - December 6
Booklet - Stage 15 - December 13- Complete book due – Pass/Fail
Three Mockup Stages
Have the link to your prototype in the Booklet before Friday @ midnight for each of these stages. 50 Points each
Low Fidelity Mock Up (From Sketches) - September 20
High Fidelity Prototype (Professional Mock Up) - October 25
Final High Fidelity (Professional Mock Up) - December 13 - Final - Pass/Fail
One Extra Credit Opportunity
Optional - Mock Up Overview Video - December 12 - (5 points)
CHAPTER READING SUMMARIES
Complete outside of class
Turn in to graphic server before midnight on the following Fridays…
25 Points each
Summary 1 - Tapworthy Chapter 2: Is It Tapworthy? - August 30, 2024
Summary 2 - Tapworthy Chapter 1: Touch and Go - September 6, 2024
Summary 3 - Tapworthy Chapter 4: Get Organized - September 13, 2024
Summary 4 - Don't Make Me Think - Usability testing on 10¢ a day - September 20, 2024
Summary 6 - Don't MMT - Mobile: It's not just a city in Alabama - October 4, 2024
Summary 7 - We Categorized Over 500 User Onboarding Experiences Into 8 UI/UX Patterns - October 11, 2024
Summary 8 - Don't Make Me Think - Usability as a Common Courtesy - October 18, 2024
Summary 9 - Our Minds Can Be Hijacked - October 25, 2024
Summary 10 - Don't MMT - Usability as a Common Courtesy - November 1, 2024
Weeks 11 – 16 – No Summaries Due
QUIZ
Complete in-class via Canvas
25 Points each
Quiz 1 - GUI Design Elements - October 17, 2024
GRADES AND LEARNING
Assessment Criteria
A - Sound application of design/typographic principles in support of a strong concept. Excellent craftsmanship.
B - Most design/typographic principles support the concept. Good craftsmanship.
C - Presence of design/typographic principles, but they do not fully support the concept. Fair craftsmanship.
D - Insufficient understanding of design principles. Weak concept and craftsmanship.
F - Lack of understanding in design. Absent or incoherent idea.
GRADE SCALE
Grades are based on a 100-point scale.
Superior
A 93 and above A- 90 - 92
Very Good
B+ 87 - 89 B 83 - 86 B- 80 - 82
Average
C+ 77 - 79 C 70 - 76
Below Average
D 60 - 69
Failing
F 59 and below
ASSIGNMENT POINTS
There will be fourteen assignments and quizzes this semester. Please note, the schedule and number of projects can be revised based on the class's progress and at the instructor's discretion.
Points Breakdown:
Booklet (for each of the 14 stages): 50 points/stage - Total: 700
MockUps (for each of the 3 stages): 225 points/stage - Total: 675
Quiz 1 - iPhone Interface Elements
25 - 25
Chapter Summaries - each of the ten 25 - 250
————————————————————
Total 1650
Extra Credit - Video of Working Mock Up 2 points towards final grade
STUDENT WORK AND IMAGES
Your work and images from the classroom might be utilized for promotional purposes. If you'd prefer not to participate, please inform either the instructor or the Chair of the Art Department, Shaun Bangert, at sbangert@svsu.edu.
We may also photograph students and instructors during class sessions for promotional purposes. If you do not want your work or personal images to be used, please let us know, and we will respect your wishes.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
SVSU promotes an inclusive and respectful environment. Discrimination of any form is not tolerated.
COURSE CONTRACT
Continuing enrollment after reviewing this syllabus indicates your agreement with the course rules and expected outcomes.
By staying enrolled, you acknowledge understanding of potential point deductions and academic consequences for non-compliance.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Be creative, prepared, focused, respectful, and open to feedback. Non-compliance results in point deductions. Participation in critiques is mandatory.
COPYRIGHT POLICY
All work must be original. Violation results in consequences. Refer to SVSU's copyright policy for details.
Late work will be accepted, but a 10 point grade deduction will always apply. The instructor’s permission is needed to turn work in late. However, no late work will be accepted two days beyond the project’s due date.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
All instances of cheating will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct Programs. Using another's design or written work as your own is considered plagiarism.
Responses to academic dishonesty vary based on the severity of the offense:
• Redoing the project using original ideas and work.
• Receiving a failing grade for the course, following University regulations.
• Recording the incident with the Dean of Students for tracking repeated offenses.
In this class, AI serves as a tool to enhance student research and learning, emphasizing critical thinking, fact-checking, and creativity when used correctly. We will always direct AI, (with clear prompts and roughs) rather than let it produce material randomly.
Language is key to collaborating with AI systems. By broadening our vocabulary across academic and casual concepts, we can better harness AI's potential.
As we navigate the evolving world of AI, we'll collaboratively learn to merge its capabilities with human skills, fostering a cyclical workflow between students and AI for improved understanding and results.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
The Department of Art prohibits personal use of electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, tablets) during class for activities like texting, social media, video streaming, and unrelated projects. Violations will lead to a two-point deduction from your final grade per incident and notification of the Department Chair. Please silence and store devices away during class.
Recording lectures requires a letter from the Office of Disability Services.
COMPUTER ISSUES
Technical problems are not acceptable reasons for late submissions. Always ensure you have backup solutions to mitigate data loss.
Using personal laptops is permitted, but potential variations in software and OS may hinder the instructor's ability to help with file-related problems. For consistent technical support, use the provided computers in the Mac Lab.
ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES
Success in this course relies on the student's aptitude to distinguish visual content in slide and video formats. Students with documented disabilities can request accommodations through the Office of Accessibility Resources & Accommodations.
If you require specific accommodations, please notify the instructor in the first week. All arrangements need formal approval from the Office of Accessibility Resources & Accommodations. More information can be found at
https://www.svsu.edu/access/ or contact access@svsu.edu.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Estimated supply costs for this course range between $35 and $65 and include:
