CIT811 User Interface Design And Ergonomics

About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 120 hours
Maths: None
Content: Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor marked assessments
Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of CIT811, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1

Module 2 · USER INTERFACE DESIGN TECHNIQUES

Module 4 · UNIT 1

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

CIT811 · UNIT 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF USER INTERFACE DESIGN

In order to have a thorough understanding of the course units, you will need to read and understand the contents, practise the steps by designing a standard user interface model.

Start reading Get the original PDF, if you want it

What you should be able to do

Explain core principles of user interface design
Apply ergonomic principles to design user interfaces
Conduct usability testing and analyze results
Create effective prototypes
Evaluate user interfaces using various methods

What it prepares you for

Careers

UI Designer
UX Designer
Usability Analyst
Interaction Designer
Front-End Developer

Where it is applied

Software Development
Web Design
Mobile App Development
Game Development
Industrial Design

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
Unit 6: Interaction Styles and Graphic Design Principles
Understanding and applying graphic design principles requires a strong foundation in visual communication and aesthetics.
Model 3: User Interface Implementation
Unit 2: Prototyping/Implementation Methods and Toolkits
Requires understanding of both front-end design and back-end logic to create functional prototypes.
Model 3: User Interface Implementation
Unit 4: Model View-Controller (MVC)
Requires understanding of event handling, state management, and UI rendering pipelines.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 56 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1: Introduction User Interface Design
- Unit 1: Fundamentals of User Interface Design · 4 hours
  Define user interface design and its significance.. Explore the history and types of user interfaces..
- Unit 2: Designing Good User Interfaces · 4 hours
  Discuss the essentials of interface design: features, function, and face.. Identify tips for designing good user interfaces..
Week 2Module 1: Introduction User Interface Design
- Unit 3: Graphical User Interface · 4 hours
  Describe graphical user interfaces (GUI) and their history.. Highlight the elements of a GUI..
Week 3Module 1: Introduction User Interface Design
- Unit 4: Human Computer Interaction · 4 hours
  Explain Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and its goals.. Differentiate HCI from related fields..
Week 4Module 1: Introduction User Interface Design
- Unit 5: Ergonomics · 4 hours
  Explain ergonomics and its aspects.. Describe ergonomics in the workplace..
Week 5Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 1: Human Capabilities in User Interface Design · 4 hours
  Explain the Human Processor Model.. Describe perception and motor skills in user interface design..
Week 6Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 2: Understanding Users and Task Analysis · 4 hours
  Describe how to understand users.. Explain Task Analysis and its stages..
Week 7Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 3: User-Centered Design · 4 hours
  Explain User-Centered Design (UCD) and its purpose.. Highlight the major considerations of UCD..
Week 8Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 4: Interactive Design · 4 hours
  Explain Interaction Design and User-Centered Interaction Design.. Discuss the history and relationship with user interface design..
Week 9Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 5: Usability · 4 hours
  Explain usability and its concepts.. Highlight the ISO Standard for usability..
Week 10Module 2: User Interface Design Techniques
- Unit 6: Interaction Styles and Graphic Design Principles · 4 hours
  Explain different Interaction Styles and their advantages and disadvantages.. Explain Graphic Design Principles..
Week 11Model 3: User Interface Implementation
- Unit 1: Prototyping · 4 hours
  Explain Prototyping in detail.. Describe the User Interface Prototyping Process..
Week 12Model 3: User Interface Implementation
- Unit 2: Prototyping/Implementation Methods and Toolkits · 4 hours
  Describe various prototype terms.. Explain the user interface modes and modalities..
Week 13Model 3: User Interface Implementation
- Unit 3: Input and Output Models · 4 hours
  Explain the Input model and the Output model.. Discuss different kinds of both input and output events..

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Create a study schedule allocating time for each module and unit.
Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their solutions.
Focus on understanding the core principles of user interface design and ergonomics.
Practice designing and evaluating user interfaces using different methods.
Create flashcards for key terms and concepts to aid memorization.

Questions students ask about this course

What is CIT811 about?

This course introduces the concepts, design, implementation, and evaluation of user interfaces, emphasizing user-centered design and ergonomics. It covers essential interface design techniques, graphical user interfaces (GUI), and human-computer interaction (HCI). Students will learn about human capabilities, task analysis, prototyping methods, and evaluation methodologies. The course aims to equip students with the skills to analyze, design, and evaluate standard user interfaces, ensuring usability and efficiency.

How many units does CIT811 have?

CIT811, User Interface Design And Ergonomics, has 21 units across 3 modules, over 200 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is CIT811?

CIT811 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Sciences.

Is CIT811 hard?

CIT811 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does CIT811 take to study?

About 120 hours of study, spread across its 21 units.

How is CIT811 assessed?

CIT811 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.

What can I do with CIT811?

UI Designer, UX Designer, Usability Analyst, Interaction Designer and Front End Developer.