Week

Date

Topics

Due at the beginning of class

1

1/17

- Introduction:  What is usability engineering?
- The context of usability.
- Course logistics, and syllabus review.

2

1/24

- Norman book
- Mental models

- Read Norman book.
- Read Markman and Gentner article.
- One example each of good and bad design (NOT a web site)

3

1/31

- The science and practice of usability
- Perception and cognition

- Read the Carroll article and the Olson and Olson article.
- One example each of good and bad web site design

4

2/7

Lab visit:  IX Lab
- Hosts:  Bias, Hans Huang, Sam Burns
- Methods:  End-user testing

- Read Chapters 1 - 6 in the Mayhew book.

5

2/14

Discussion of Mayhew book

- Read Chapters 7 – 17 of the Mayhew book.

6

2/21

 Discount Usability Engineering
- Discussion of Krug book
- Heuristic Evaluation
- Pluralistic Usability Walkthrough

- Read Krug book

7

2/28

Rapid iterative testing -- David Richard

Prototype testing -- Jack Alford and Kelly Lisai, IBM

.

8

3/6

Lab visit:  BMC Software
- Host:  Scott Isensee, Eugenie Bertus
- Method:  Bridge Methodology

- White paper on a topic in the science of usability

9

3/20

Gordon Montgomery, independent consultant – Usability and Agile computing

10

3/27

Panel discussion of local usability professionals
- Jack Alford, IBM
- Tanya Payne, Vignette
- John Morkes, Expero

- Test plan for project.
- Read Chapters 18 – 21 of Mayhew book.

11

4/3

Workshop – We’ll help each other with our usability evaluations.  Run as test subjects.  Review test plans.  Review test reports.  Whatever.

12

4/10

Another workshop

13

4/17

Oral presentations of projects

- Written projects

14

4/24

Oral presentations of projects

15

5/1

Oral presentations of projects