ISAD260 - User-centred Interface Design: Interactive Prototype Project

This document presents a comprehensive solution for ISAD260 Assignment 2, focusing on the development of an interactive prototype interface. The assignment requires students to design a user-centred interface for a chosen interaction-design problem, utilizing web-based technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The solution includes a detailed prototype specification, psychological justifications for design choices, and a thorough user-testing plan to evaluate the usability aspects of the design. The deliverables encompass a working interactive prototype, a written document with narrative explanations, annotated design sketches, and references, all adhering to specific formatting and word count requirements. The assignment assesses the students' ability to specify usability requirements, evaluate interfaces, produce user interface designs, and discuss ethical and social responsibilities in user-centred systems.

ISAD260 – User-centred Interface Design:
Assignment 2 (2016)
Interactive Prototype Development
Specification:
Ubiquitous inter-connective technologies are enabling innovative and creative
solutions to many problems in work, home or social life. These include mobile
devices, digital media, Wireless connectivity, GPS, soft AI, software agents,
intelligent materials and so on. It promises to be the future of the computing
paradigm as even more functionality is combined to support users’
requirements, real and imagined.
Your task is to put yourself in the shoes of a designer in a leading edge
innovation company. You will produce a conceptual design and working
prototype interface of a solution to an interaction-design problem that you will
define. You are free to choose the problem and type of system you design as
long as it meets the criteria in this document. At the very least it should be a
technical solution to an identified problem. Relevant areas may include (but
not be limited to) wearable computing, gaming, augmented reality,
educational aids, interactive kiosks, portable digital media.
You may use any and all current and (realistically) projected technologies for
the design of your system. You should demonstrate an understanding of the
cognitive and ergonomic characteristics of the target users and show how
your design takes account of them.
This assignment is designed to draw on many of the key themes of the
module; psychological and technical, theoretical and practical, and this should
be reflected within your report.
Deliverables:
This is an individual assignment.
An interactive prototype interface must be produced using client-side web-
based technologies introduced during the module to include HTML, CSS and
javascript-related functionality. This will demonstrate the top-level interaction
between the user and system via an interactive and intuitive graphical
interface including input and output functionality.
When you have completed this, produce a written document with narrative
explanations and associated imagery, demonstrating your research and
design justifications. This should include background theory, references and
annotated design sketches. You are also required to produce a thorough
user-testing plan which could be used to evaluate the usability aspects of your
design. Discuss the different user-centred evaluation paradigms, and how you
would obtain both quantitative and qualitative evaluation data specific to your
chosen application functionalities, and the relevance of this to appropriate
user-centred software design methodologies.

The prototype must be saved using the relevant file types and written work
must be saved as a .pdf and include a word count under the title using
Harvard Referencing. This should be a maximum of 2000 words excluding
references (every 50 words over = loss of 1% in your final mark):
Save all work as a .zip file and submit via Moodle/DLE. If you do not use the
correct file type (.zip) or follow these instructions, your work will not be
marked. A guide on how to submit using Moodle can be found in the
“Supporting Documents” section.
Issue date: November 25th
Submission date: Thursday, December 31st, 12:00
Assignment weighting: 50% of the marks for the module
Assessment:
 Creation of a working prototype interactive interface (50%) (Learning
Outcome 1 and 3)
 Psychological justifications for design choices and documentation of
user-testing plan (50%) (Learning Outcome 2 and 4)
Learning Outcomes:
This assignment assesses the following learning outcomes:
1. Specify usability requirements and advise upon possible designs for
their realisation
2. Evaluate the usability of a computer system and its interface
3. Produce and evaluate a user interface design for a given scenario
4. Critically discuss the ethical, legal and social responsibility in the
design of user-centred systems
Marking Criteria:
Individual categories are awarded marks based upon the following criteria:
(a) Marks < 40% indicate work that is poorly presented and does not
demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter. The interface provided is
of poor quality and does not demonstrate effective interaction.
(b) Marks ≥ 60%: The quality of the work is clearly presented, and suggests a
good understanding of the subject with justification of design choices. The
interface is effective and clearly demonstrates the design, and usefulness of
the user-engagement.
(c) Marks ≥ 80%: The quality of the work is outstanding with no significant
flaws. It demonstrates a very high level of competence and depth. The
submission is very well presented, demonstrating excellent linkage to theory
with creative and well-justified solutions. The interface is of a very high
standard and demonstrates a high level of interaction, with subsequent user
engagement capabilities.