The course explores advanced topics in HCI, presenting and reflecting on the concerns, perspectives and interdisciplinary nature of this area. We will look at new and emerging technologies and the issues they entail. These technologies move beyond ‘traditional’ computing concerns, in particular by going from the desktop into the world [ubiquitous computing], moving from the workplace to the home and other settings [e.g., domestic, public spaces], from purely functional to ludic concerns [e.g. home entertainment, pervasive games], and from digital to digital-physical systems [tangible computing, IoT].
The course covers technical aspects as well as user-centered design, concept prototyping and evaluation methods relevant for Ubiquitous Computing, and a discussion of broader societal and value-related concerns (e.g. privacy, security, user agency versus ambient intelligence).
Successful students should be able to
- discuss the diverse and emergent areas within UbiComp technologies and the issues they entail
- develop concepts for UbiComp applications that are appropriate for a given use context and illustrate these (sketching, video prototyping, Wizard of Oz) as well as determine their technical feasibility
- be able to reflect on practical experiences engaging with some of these technologies from a user-centred perspective
- understand the technical functioning of example UbiComp technologies
- choose and give a rationale for appropriate user-centered design methods for example application problems
- critically assess societal implications and discuss design trade-offs of UbiComp applications.
- understand complex issues from the HCI and UbiComp research literature, in particular, to summarize literature and to discuss it
Note: This course is offered biannually
Introductory Literature:
- Ubiquitous Computing Fundamentals. Ed. John Krumm. ISBN: 1420093606. Chapman & Hall/CRC 2009.
- Harper, Rodden, Rogers, Sellen (eds.). Being Human: Human-Computer Interaction in the Year 2020. Microsoft Research Ltd 2008
Rowland et al. Modern User Interfaces for Ubicomp Systems. O’Reilly 2015 |
