Evolving the Learning and Research Experience in Human Computer Interaction

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Evolving the Learning and Research Experience in
Human Computer Interaction

• Daniel Woo
• University of New South Wales

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Goal

• Raise the profile of human computer interaction
  in both teaching and research

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Goal - Student Learning

• Prepare students for user-centred design in
  software development projects
• Consider the needs of users and stakeholders
• Hands on experience
• Small group teaching
• Paper designs first

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Goal - Research

• Develop new techniques to better understand what
  people actually do
• Feed information back to all aspects of the
  design process
• Novel interaction methods

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Teaching Laboratory
Research Laboratory
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Communicate the vision

• In your department
• Mac-oriented Support Staff
• Building Facilities
• Architects
• Purchasing / Stores
• Apple Education Representative
• Apple Supplier

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Predicting the Future

• Prior experience
• WWDC Crystal ball
• Aware of local conditions

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July 2000

• 3 hour lecture only
• No tutorials
• No laboratories
• No postgraduate students
• No teaching assistants
• No honours projects
• No Macs for CompSci Students

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Mac OS X Proposition - Jul 2000

• Macintosh user interface well known for its user
  friendliness and design
• Role in education
• UNIX - terminal window/X Windows
• Create a practical learning space

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Augmenting Learning

• 201 G4 PowerMacs with 17
• Class room style layout

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Considerations

• Group discussion vs. class room
• Students can hide behind 17 monitors
• Noise from fans
• Remote Desktop can be used for locking, sleeping
  and screen sharing

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Tutor-Student Ratio

• 300-400 students
• 20 students maximum
• Fortnightly laboratories
• spread the load over 2 weeks
• Each student - 6 x 2 hour classes
• 5 x 2 hour (tutorial lab)
• 1 x 2 hour - assignment presentations

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Laboratory Topics

• Mac OS 9 Evaluation
• Mac OS X Evaluation

• Heuristic Evaluation
• Observation

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Laboratory Topics

• Computer Supported Collaborative Work
• Universal Access
• Interface Builder

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Computer Supported Cooperative Work

• Carracho
• iChat / Rendezvous
• Hydra

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Universal Access
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Interface Builder
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Paper based Approach

• Design diaries for Computer Science students

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Laboratory Management

• Rode the wave of releases of Mac OS X Server
• Integration with our existing (custom) UNIX
  management system non-trivial prior to 10.2
• Started with stand alone machines

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Tools

• Workgroup Manager
• Apple Remote Desktop/ANA
• Netboot Experiments with 10.2
• Imaging
• Apple Software Restore
• FireWire Hard disk

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UDB Integration - June 2003

• Same username/password for all machines (UNIX,
  Windows, Mac)
• Home directories mounted/backed up
• Disk imaging (conform)
• Group, IP, Print quota management
• Eventually, booking system
• Independent of Workgroup Mgr

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Present

• 3 hour lecture only
• Tutorials - Yes
• Laboratories - Yes
• Postgraduate students - Yes - 2
• Teaching assistants - Yes - 4/year
• Thesis/4th year projects - Yes
• Teaching Laboratory Login Integration

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Other Uses

• Office staff training
• AUC
• Other UNSW Staff Training
• Thesis students
• Primary School iMovie Workshops
• XCode

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HCI Research Laboratory
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Data

• What did they do/think/say
• When did they click/error/
• Where did they click/press/
• Why did they make error/choose
• How did they complete the task
• Who interacted with who

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Infrastructure

• Multi-camera
• Scan converter
• Video and audio editing
• Video matrix control
• DV recording equipment

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Usability Data Collection

• Investigating automated ways to collect usability
  data - COAR
• Synchronisation with other video material via
  QuickTime
• Analysis and reporting

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Applications

• Interviews/focus groups
• Speech dictation
• Speech preferences
• TTS Discover X
• UserScan chemistry software
• School Web Site
• Novel user interfaces

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Mac OS X

• iMovie, Final Cut Pro
• iDVD, DVD Pro
• Cubase
• Custom software development
• Matrix
• Usability Observer
• COAR suite

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Other Uses

• Audio applications
• Subjective testing
• Video material development
• DVD production

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It about the people

• Teaching Staff
• Postgraduate students
• Students who understand the needs of users
• Students who can develop software systems for
  people

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Conclusion

• Raised profile, student numbers, awareness
• Created two facilities based on Mac OS X
• Tool development phase
• Need to train more students in user centred
  software development aspects

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QA