Course syllabus for Designing User Experiences

The course syllabus contains changes
See changes

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-17 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameDesign av användarupplevelser
  • CodeDAT157
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPIDE
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyComputer Science and Engineering, Software Engineering
  • ThemeMTS 7.5 c
  • DepartmentCOMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 23121
  • Maximum participants45
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0114 Laboratory 2 c
Grading: UG		0 c0 c0 c2 c0 c0 c
0214 Written and oral assignments 2 c
Grading: UG		0 c0 c0 c2 c0 c0 c
0314 Project 3.5 c
Grading: TH		0 c0 c0 c3.5 c0 c0 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Bachelor degree 180 hec and the courses DAT420 Human computer
interaction, 7.5 hec and TDA491 Interaction design methodology, 7.5 hec or
equivalent.

Aim

After the course you should have a clear idea of some aesthetic ideals and how to design according to them, giving a valid design rationale.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge and understanding

  • Explain what "User Experience" means, and give an account of the most common theories and approaches within the area.
  • Describe UX-oriented design methods as well as their underlying theories.
  • Analyze and discuss a certain design in terms of user experience and design goals.

Skills and abilities

  • Analyze possible user experiences provided by an interactive system or object.
  • Choose and apply suitable design methods.
  • Design towards a certain user experience, making it permeate all aspects of the artifact.
  • Be able to motivate ones design decisions in relation to the user experience one is designing for.
  • Give and receive constructive feedback regarding design for user experiences. 

Judgment and approach

  • Be able to apply related approaches and theories in order to discuss, or design a certain user experience.
  • Be able to conclude and discuss the ethical and societal consequences of designing a certain user experience.

Content

After the course you should have a clear idea of some aesthetic ideals and how to design according to them, giving a valid design rationale. Designing interactive systems it often, but not always about designing for efficiency. However, it is just as important to design the experience of use, as the functionality of the artifact in itself, although they are closely intertwined. Apart from designing for efficiency, we can also aim for playfulness, criticism, embodiment or various emotions (e.g. fear, joy, comfort), all of which create different user experiences. In this course we will look closer at different kinds of user experiences and discuss and practice how to design for them. Content includes, but is not limited to:
  • What it means to design for a user experience.
  • Common views and approaches towards designing user experiences.
  • Analysis of possible user experiences provided by an interactive system or object.
  • The connection between design objectives, design rationale and design decisions.

Organisation

The course features both practical and theoretical parts, as well as work in groups and individual work. Lectures and literature seminars give a theoretical foundation, which are immediately put into practice. The focus is on turning analysis and reflection into practical action. The focus is also on exchange of thoughts, feedback, designs and ideas. Hence, the course requires active participation; participants will spend most of their study time at school, working in pairs or groups.

The language of the course is English.

Literature

Course literature to be announced the latest 8 weeks prior to the start of the course.

Examination including compulsory elements

The course is examined through three modules:

  1.  Literature seminars, where literature is presented along with an issue and is discussed (2 hec).
  2. Exercises where various design methods that focus on the user experience in a design process is practiced.The exercises also give training in giving and taking constructive criticism (2 hec).
  3. One individual project (3,5 hec).

To pass the course, students must receive a passing grade in all modules. The grade for the entire course will be determined by the project.


The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.

The course syllabus contains changes

  • Changes to course rounds:
    • 2021-12-07: Examinator Examinator changed from Mafalda Samuelsson-Gamboa (msantos) to Jasmina Maric (jasmina) by Viceprefekt
      [Course round 1]