Assignments
This page provides an overview of the work that contributes to your final course grade, and connects you to descriptions for those projects and workshops through the links below. (Note that no descriptive detail appears on SVSU Canvas for any of these assignments.) I activate assignment pages as we need them, so do not worry if you cannot access all of the descriptions at the beginning of the semester.
Your course grade is computed from the points you earn on 4 projects and 12 workshops. Combined, these assignments total 1750 points.
You can read more about grading and what factors might influence your grade on the Policies page.
Projects
I use the term projects to categorize assignments that are significant undertakings, and that require development and refinement time that may span several weeks of the semester. You will complete 4 projects this semester that collectively contribute 1150 possible points to your course grade.
Each project description details several elements of the work, including design requirements, hints and tips, and submission guidelines. Use the links below to access those descriptions.
- Methods Reflection (MR). 200 points. The MR project results in a report that reflects upon the variety of methods explorations with which we have engaged over the first several weeks of the semester. The MR project is challenging because it requires you to examine your own experiences with the methods toolkit to consider how each method serves to expand your understanding of usability research and design.
- Study Proposal (SP). 100 points. The SP project results in a proposal from you/your team of your approach to the Usability Study project. The SP project is challenging because it requires you to identify an object of study (OoS) for your work and lay out a prospective pathway for designing and executing a multi-method study of that OoS. See the relevant Canvas Discussion forum for assignment & submission details.
- Usability Study (US). 450 points. The US project results in you/your team designing and executing a multi-method examination of an object of study (OoS). The culmination of this work is a report document. The US project is challenging because it requires you to apply 3+ methods for assessing usability to the study of an appropriate OoS, to interpet the results of those studies, and to articulate the results of that work in a detailed report.
- Recommendation Report (RR). 400 points. The RR project results in a 10 minute video presentation of your/team's recommendations for addressing the design problem on which you have focused. Drawing on your research findings, you propose solutions and explain how you think those changes might impact the effectiveness, usability, and inclusivity of the OoS. The RR project challenges you to present your research to date and the conclusions you draw from that work, and thus to think like a researcher and a designer.
Workshops
I use the term workshops to categorize assignments that are smaller scale than projects, work that can be completed in the space of a single class session, or within the space of a single class week. The concepts, strategies, and practices examined through workshops build and reinforce your working knowledge for the course. You will complete 12 workshops this semester that collectively contribute 600 possible points to your course grade.
- Usability Method 1: Vision Cone. 50 points each. An examination of a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 2: Artifact Analysis. 50 points each. An examination of artifact analysis as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 3: Heuristic Analysis. 50 points each. An examination of heuristic analysis as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 4: Scenario-driven, Think-aloud Protocol. 50 points each. An examination of scenario-driven, think-aloud protocols as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 5: Card Sorting. 50 points each. An examination of card sorting as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 6: Stakeholder Mapping. 50 points each. An examination of stakeholder mapping as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 7: Empathy Mapping. 50 points each. An examination of empathy mapping as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 8: Persona Design. 50 points each. An examination of persona design as a method for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Methods 9 + 10: K-J Technique + Affinity Mapping. 50 points each. An examination of k-j technique and affinity mapping as methods for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Methods 11 + 12: Priority Assessment + Design Principles. 50 points each. An examination of priority assessment and design principles as methods for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Methods 13 + 14: Rose, Bud, Thorn + I Like, I Wish, I Wonder. 50 points each. An examination of rose, bud, thorn + I like, I wish, I wonder as methods for engaging in the study of a design.
- Usability Method 15: Three Bears. 50 points each. An examination of three bears as a method for engaging in the study of a design.