Text | Class Notices | Questions & Answers | Quote | Objectives | Class Schedule | Class Activity Map | Projects & Assignments | Class Attendance | Graded Work | Policies | Hyperlinks | Reading | Disabilities (ADA)|
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Class Notices:
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Students' Questions, Professor's Answers
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Dr. Rich ... On Human Factors
"Human Factors, ergonomics, and usability are
best known by the instances where they are poor. Rare indeed
is the user interface, product, or process that is lauded for
its good ergonomics. Rather, products and even organizations
will be cursed for poor human factors, and that is how people
will know and understand human factors. The best user interface
is one that is not noticed, much as the controls of your automobile
after the first week or so of driving it."
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Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, each student will be able to:
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Disabilities--Americans with Disabilities Act
Compliance
Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the counselor working with disabilities at (770) 528-7226 as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
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Class Schedule
| Week Beginning | Topic/Event | Chapter(s) |
| 23 August | Lecture/Discussion, Exercise: What is Human Factors? . | 1, 2 |
| 30 August | Class discussion on "What is Human Factors?" Requirements articulation | |
| 6 September | No Class 6 September--Labor Day Holiday. Lecture/Discussion, Exercise: Physical Ergonomics What is Human Factors? Exercise Due. | 3-6 Plus Design Strategies |
| 13 September | Lecture/Discussion, Project Workshop | Ostrom Section One and Two |
| 20 September | Lecture/Discussion, , Begin Group Exercise(s) TBD (8/30) | 7-10 Plus html |
| 27 September | Lecture/Discussion, Physical Ergonomics exercise demonstration. | 11-16 Plus |
| 4 October | Mid-term exam review, Physical ergonomics exercise review, Final project requirements and workshop. | |
| 11 October | No Class 11 October (Columbus Day). Last day to drop, 15 October. | 17-22 Plus |
| 18 October | Midterm exam, Final Project Pre-Proposal Due, Physical Ergonomics Assessment Report due. | 23-28 Plus |
| 25 October | Requirements session for HF and Usability in UI Design exercise, Project Workshop. | |
| 1 November | Project Workshop | |
| 8 November | Review, and Project Workshop. | 29-34 Plus |
| 15 November | Project Workshop. | |
| 22 November | Project Workshop, HF and Usability in UI Design exercise report due. | |
| 29 November | Project Presentations (Mandatory Attendance), Project Workshop. | |
| 6 December | Float class meeting. Project Workshop. | |
| Final exam day | Final Project Report Due on or before 8:10 PM. Final Exam. | all |
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Class Activity Map
| Activity Type | Goal or Destination | Comments | |
| Ongoing | Reading, web searching, etc. | Master half the text or more | |
| Ongoing | Discussion/Class Contribution | Use the knowledge | |
| Ongoing | Networking with the class | Synergy, Jobs | |
| Ongoing | Work on your final project | Start the final step on day one | |
| Hand in | Human factors problem identification --Learn the limits on human capability and how they are exceeded | First step | |
| Hand in | Human factors problem analysis/solution-- Physical ergonomics --Learn the physical limits on human capability and how they are used in design | Second step | |
| Study | Cognitive ergonomics --Learn the limits and profiles of human cognitive capabilities and how they are used in design | Second step | |
| Exam | Mid-term exam to demonstrate acquisition and memorization of book knowledge and procedural knowledge about human factors and HCI | Checkpoint | |
| Hand in | User analysis for a system you are currently using or designing--Practice user profile/preference research, task analysis, usability requirements gathering, etc. | Third step, but start early | |
| Hand in | User interface design/prototype for a system you are currently using/improving or designing--Practice moving from user analysis to UI design and prototyping | Fourth step | |
| Hand in | Usability evaluation of a user interface design/prototype for a system you are currently using/improving or designing--Practice evaluation of the usability of a UI design/prototype | Fifth step | |
| Presentation Demo | Group Final Project-- Presentation on the (status of) the HF design of a UI design/prototype for a significant system your group is currently using/improving or designing--Practice presentation and demonstration, much like those required in business today | ||
| Exam | Final exam to demonstrate acquisition and memorization of book knowledge and procedural knowledge about human factors and HCI | Checkpoint, organization, consolidation | |
| Report | Group Final Project-- Report on the product, process, activities, the HF design, the UI design/prototype for a significant system your group is currently using/improving or designing--Practice reporting, much like those required in business today | ||
| Prototype Code | Group Final Project-- A first-iteration (or beyond) prototype of a significant system your group is currently using/improving or designing--Practice doing what is required in business today | Final step |
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Useful Hyperlinks
Note that you will be leaving the Southern Polytechnic website by taking any of these links and neither Southern Polytechnic nor Richard Halstead-Nussloch has any control over what you will encounter.
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Projects Assignments and Grading
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Policies
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Class Attendance
Your class participation and contribution will account for 20%
of your grade. Since one cannot participate in and contribute
to class without attending, attendance is recommended.
Please note that mere attendance is not enough, especially in a class
such as this, which is oriented towards the skills of a practicing
project manager. To obtain an A, one must contribute to the
class.
Regardless
of attendance or contribution,
each student is individually responsible for keeping
up with materials and information from each class period. This
means it is up to the student to arrange with another class member,
obtaining notes, handouts, etc., from any class meeting, or portion
thereof, missed.
NOTE: All students are expected to attend the final project presentation
sessions. Any un-excused absences during this period
will result in the loss of a whole letter grade from your final
course grade.
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There is a lot to read in this class. Students are expected to have skimmed all materials for each Lecture/Discussion session. Then, concentrate your close reading on the selections identified in the Lecture/Discussion session as high-priority material.