Instructor: Tonya Browning

Fall 2002

Unique Number: 45275

Class times: W 6-9 PM

Class Location: FAC 9

Class website: http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~tonya/tlc331_2002

CWRL Phone Numbers: 471-9293 (FAC 8)/471-6224 (PAR 6)

E-mail address of instructor: tonya@texas.net

The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems by Jef Raskin

Designing Visual Interfaces by Kevin Mullet with Darrell Sano

The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman

On-line readings as detailed in the syllabus and class website

IF account: http://www.utexas.edu/cc/account/

Zip disk, labeled with your name, phone number and course

Student Resources in the CWRL: http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu

The course will help you master the basics of user interface (UI) design through the study of industry examples, an exposure to fundamentals of usability design and the evaluation of actual software products.

The course will examine the varied components of designing software UIs including issues of structure, navigation, interaction, internationalization, security, marketing and copyright. Real world examples will be discussed in context of industry standards and market forces. Guest lecturers will provide insight into current industry practices.

This course will use computer-assisted instructional technology in the furthering of class objectives. The LAN (local area network) in FAC 9 will provide another resource for the discussion of coursework as well as provide a medium for group project work.

This course requires participation by class members, and you will be receiving a participation grade for the course. Since it only meets once a week, attendance will count for 10% of your grade. Attendance is required and will be recorded. Three unexcused absences will be reported in writing to the student's dean and five unexcused absences are grounds for failure. Accepted excused absences are those due to religious holiday observances (notify me in advance that you will be absent) and illness (provide me with a note from a doctor). Tardiness can also disrupt class proceedings, and if you are not there when the roll is taken, you are counted as absent.

All assigned work is mandatory. Homework is due according to the times and days specified on the syllabus. Any work handed in late will automatically be penalized. If you are unable to hand in an assignment in class, you may email me or turn it in to the teacher folder if possible. Do not ask staff in the CWRL to take your work. Computer problems will NOT excuse turning in work late. NOTE: I do realize that sometimes issues arise over which you have no control - if you are not able to complete an assignment by a scheduled date, know that I can be reasonable with students who have evidenced an honest and attentive effort in class.

Turning in work written by someone else, or any other form of scholastic dishonesty is not acceptable and may result in a failing grade for the course. A report of the incident will be made to the Office of the Dean of Students. If you have any questions about source materials you are using, talk with me about those sources/problems before turning in the assignment in question. Do not use editing services other than those offered by the Undergraduate Writing Center in FAC or the Learning Skills Center. The UWC is free to students and available anytime you have a writing question (for any UT course).

The Computer Writing and Research Lab (CWRL) is both a teaching and a research lab. Students in CWRL classes and CWRL instructors have made valuable contributions to archival research in teaching writing. Some of this work has found its way into research journals and books intended to help improve writing instruction. To continue this archival research, the CWRL is required to ask for student signatures on a release form. Thus on the 12th class day, all students taking classes in the CWRL are asked to sign a release that states: "All work that you produce for this class and in online class discussions are public and are archived for future research. Faculty and graduate students who teach in computer classrooms are conducting on-going research to make writing instruction more effective. These and other researchers may read and quote from these archives. Signing the release is optional, and your anonymity will be protected if your work is selected for use in any research materials. This agreement stipulates that your work for the course, including Internet postings, is in the public domain and may be read and reproduced (edited as appropriate) in future publications by researchers. The CWRL will not assume responsibility for personal views or any offensive material that you may post to a public forum as a result of your work in this class. Neither will the CWRL assume responsibility for further distribution of any work that is posted to a public forum."

Students will be responsible for posting emails to the class lists and contributing to class discussion by the deadlines set in the syllabus. Assignments will be given in class as well as posted on the website, which will be updated on a regular basis. There will be a midterm and final project assigned as part course requirements.

Mid-term Project 30%

Final Project 40%

Responses to readings and analysis assignments 10%

Other assignments, quizzes, participation 10%

Attendance 10%

Paper or assignment not turned in: 0.

If you have question or concerns about a grade, please come by and discuss it with me. If you have any further concerns or complaints, speak with someone in the Technology and Literacy Office (Gebauer 1.208).

SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! SAVE frequently. You never know when a power flux may kill your work. Also, please back up your disk. Keep another copy of your work on another zip in case of disk failure (it happens on occasion). If you have a question or problem, don't hesitate to set up an appointment. I also have an e-mail account that I check frequently. Office hours are by appointment only and I will set up an IM time so that you may communicate with me during the week.