University College (UC)
College of Business and Economics (COBE)
ZAD123
User Experience (UX) Design
Unit Outline
Semester Two, 2023
Mr Jose Vicente Garcia Cesar
Notice: This Unit Outline should be read in conjunction with the UC’s Unit Outline
Essential Information resource which includes information, policies and requirements
relevant to this unit. For those new to academic study, please also ensure you have
completed the Academic Integrity Module in MyLO, which is a compulsory unit for all new
students.
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Contact details
Unit coordinator
Name Mr Jose Vicente Garcia Cesar
Campus: School of Art (Hunter Street, Hobart)
Email:
[email protected]Consultation hours: 9am – 5pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Other Learning and Teaching staff
Name TBA
Campus:
Email:
Consultation hours:
Academic Coaches
Email: [email protected]
© The University of Tasmania 2023
Contents
Contact details .................................................................................................................... 2
Unit coordinator ................................................................................................................. 2
Other Learning and Teaching staff .................................................................................... 2
Academic Coaches............................................................................................................ 2
Contents .............................................................................................................................. 3
What is the Unit About? ..................................................................................................... 4
Unit description.................................................................................................................. 4
Intended Learning Outcomes ............................................................................................ 4
Practical Approaches to Learning at University College ..................................................... 4
Teaching arrangements ..................................................................................................... 5
Attendance/Engagement Expectations .............................................................................. 5
How will I be Assessed? ..................................................................................................... 6
Assessment schedule........................................................................................................ 6
Assessment details............................................................................................................ 6
How your final result is determined .................................................................................... 8
Submission of assessment items....................................................................................... 8
Requests for extensions .................................................................................................... 9
Late Penalties.................................................................................................................... 9
Word and Time Length Penalties....................................................................................... 9
Review of results and appeals ........................................................................................... 9
Required resources ............................................................................................................ 9
Recommended Readings .................................................................................................. 9
Reading Lists..................................................................................................................... 9
Materials.......................................................................................................................... 10
Software .......................................................................................................................... 10
Unit schedule .................................................................................................................... 11
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What is the Unit About?
Unit description
Through this unit you will explore and analyse spaces of interaction that operate on
different scales and with different sets of relations, for example human and non-human,
analogue and digital. Drawing from diverse design methodologies you will learn
approaches to design decision making through collaboration, empathy, diverse knowledge
and insight. This unit introduces you to the roles of context, experience and feedback in
design processes which are inherently fluid and messy. You will learn how to gain
contextual understanding of a problem by applying different perspectives and drawing on
experiences, histories, narratives, and data - of people, places, objects and systems. You
will also develop methods for researching, conceptualising, and developing insights. By
doing primary and secondary research on a given topic, you will create the foundation for
designing an interface based on analysis, conceptual development and low-fi prototyping.
Throughout the design process you will seek and provide feedback by engaging in design
critique to evidence design decisions and refine your design.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement
against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1. Conduct research to observe and explore principles of interaction at different
scales.
2. Evaluate and carry out research methods to develop insights in an interaction
design process.
3. Apply relevant design principles to a design process focused on interaction.
4. Engage in and apply feedback to design decision making and refinement
Practical Approaches to Learning at University College
The University College is committed to providing students with opportunities to engage in
practical learning experiences. Every unit is therefore driven by at least one approach that is
problem or project-based, or that involves work-integrated learning. This unit has a research
and development focus and you will examine industry practices and engage in a self-
directed project informed by a design thinking and UX processes. You will then write a
critically appraised topic, engage in an industry case study and submit a final report.
These activities allow you to develop discipline-specific skills, knowledge and behaviours,
alongside a range of employability skills and professional attributes. Some of these include,
for example, active inquiry, problem solving and communication. You will evidence the
development of these discipline and professional skills, knowledge and behaviours in your
Employability Portfolio1, with the support of Academic Coaches2, teachers and tutors.
1
The Employability Portfolio contains evidence of your skills development for the course, and an optional
Professional Development Plan (PDP). The PDP is for recording and monitoring goals and progress.
2
The Academic Coaches provide mentoring for study skills, and academic and career development.
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To find more information on the University College’s approach to teaching and learning, click
here to view in the Unit Outline Essential Information resource.
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE TEACHING LEARNING ACTIVITY CONTACT FREQUENCY
MODE TYPE HOURS
On Campus Tutorial 2-hr tutorial, weekly, 2 Once only
commencing in Week 1
Independent Online content, once a 1.5 Weekly
Learning week
Online Class 1-hr optional drop-in 1 Weekly
session commencing in
Week 1
Independent 5-hrs independent 5 Weekly
Learning learning
Online Online Class 2-hr tutorial, weekly, 2 Weekly
commencing in Week 1
Independent Online content, once a 1.5 Weekly
Learning week
Online Class 1-hr optional drop-in 1 Weekly
session commencing in
Week 1
Independent 5-hrs independent 5 Weekly
Learning learning
Attendance/Engagement Expectations
For on-campus units, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning
activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community
within the unit. For online units, it is expected that you will participate in all live online
learning activities.
If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g. illness, family commitments)
teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g. make up readings) where it is
possible.
If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course
coordinator and/or our Uconnect support team.
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How will I be Assessed?
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT TASK NAME DATE DUE PERCENT LINKS TO INTENDED
TASK # WEIGHTING LEARNING OUTCOMES
Critically Appraised Friday 4th
ASSESSMENT 30% ILO 1, ILO 2, ILO3
TASK 1: Topic August, 5pm
Report Friday 15th
ILO 1, ILO 2. ILO 3,
ASSESSMENT September, 30%
TASK 2: ILO 4
5pm
Case Study Sunday 15th
ILO 1, ILO 2. ILO 3,
ASSESSMENT October, 40%
TASK 3: ILO 4
5pm
Assessment details
Assessment task 1: Critically Appraised Topic
TASK Critically Appraised Topic
DESCRIPTION:
Product Analysis: Designers make assumptions based on their
designer’s intuition or best guess of how they expect a
product/service will be used, however the user’s perspective is often
not completely understood. Each user has different expectations,
behaviour patterns and interpretations, so in order to fully understand
and identify the problem that needs to be solved, designers need to
get the user’s perspective quickly and concisely.
In this assessment you will compare two similar products to provide a
UX analysis report. This will identify and highlight key user
experience design principles and processes, including personal
personas and user journey maps.
TASK LENGTH Maximum 5 x A3 pages
CRITERION # CRITERION MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOME
Describe observations of the design
artefact to communicate interpretations
CRITERION 1: and meaning. ILO 1, ILO3
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CRITERION # CRITERION MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOME
Analyse design decisions and actions
based on theory and/or a design
CRITERION 2: approach. ILO 2, ILO3
Use evidence to support summaries and
interpretations. ILO 1
CRITERION 3:
Assessment task 2: Report
TASK Report
DESCRIPTION:
User Interface: In design terms, a user interface may include any
interaction between a user and a thing. For example, when we use a
seat, we are interfacing with the furniture by sitting on it, when we
read a newspaper we are interfacing with the words on the pages
and the paper, when we use a product or webpage, we are
interfacing with the device by using the controls either in real life (a
keyboard) or digitally (on-screen controls).
In this assignment you will demonstrate your ability to redesign the
user experience of an existing interface, through analysis of its
usability characteristics, flow patterns and typical user behaviour
using personas, user journey maps, ideation and prototyping.
TASK LENGTH Maximum 10 x A3 pages
CRITERION # CRITERION MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOME
Use design concepts and processes to
identify and resolve problems. ILO 1, ILO 2, ILO 3
CRITERION 1:
Apply creative techniques and
conventions to communicate ideas. ILO 2
CRITERION 2:
Communicate and justify design
decisions and conclusions from analytical
CRITERION 3: observations. ILO1, ILO 2, ILO 4
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Assessment task 3: Case Study
TASK Case Study
DESCRIPTION:
Case Study: In some situations, UX outcomes can be predictively
computed using statistical analysis or simulation software. For most
real-life applications, however, particularly when complicated
unknowns are involved, the only way to categorically measure UX is
to test a sample of the interface live.
Using Assessment Task 2 as a steppingstone, in this case study
exercise, you will build a working prototype and perform a live test of
your UX interface with an open audience (or sample set of users) and
record your observations, reflect on your insights, and develop a
revised prototype.
TASK LENGTH Maximum 10 x A3 pages + 800-word reflection
CRITERION # CRITERION MEASURES INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOME
Apply user experience design practices
to prototype, test and record
CRITERION 1: observations ILO 2, ILO 3
Apply research and inquiry skills to
support arguments and conclusions ILO 1, ILO 3
CRITERION 2:
Reflect on the user experience
CRITERION 3: ILO 3, ILO 4
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning
Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
Submission of assessment items
Before submitting an assessment item, carefully check that all material in your assessment
item is your own work, except where there is clear acknowledgement or reference to the
work of others. For guidance on what is expected of you as a student, see the Academic
Integrity for Students website. Once you have submitted your assessment item electronically
in the respective Assessment Item Folder in MyLO, a 'file submission successful' page
should appear and an email confirmation sent to you.
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Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an
extension. A request for an extension should first be discussed with the Unit Coordinator or
teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the
assessment due date, except where a student can provide evidence that it was not possible
to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary
evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your
Unit Coordinator. The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension
request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late Penalties
Assessment items submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the
original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assessment item is late.
Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or
after assessment items have been returned to other students on a scheduled date,
whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the
Assessments and Results Procedure.
Word and Time Length Penalties
Submitted written work which exceeds the stated word limit by greater than 10% will incur a
penalty of 10% (of the original available mark). Penalties of 10% also apply for timed
activities (e.g., presentations) that exceeds at least 10% above of the time allocation.
Review of results and appeals
Review and appeal of academic decisions
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if
there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the
outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment
are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
Required resources
Recommended Readings
All required readings are available online and accessed via the online content and activities
through MyLO.
Reading Lists
Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This
includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from
the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.
Page 9 ZAD123 User Experience (UX) Design
Materials
Design journal / Sketch book
Graphic pens or pencils
Ruler
Software
Figma – Figma is a free prototyping and brainstorming platform available through your web
browser, or as an app for desktop computers, tablets, and smart phones. Workbooks will be
supplied for you as Figma files. Please create a Figma account and install the required
software. Figma is an industry standard software and prototyping package.
Design tools:
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
• Affinity Suite (Designer, Photo, Publisher)
• Apple Keynote, Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint
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Unit schedule
WEEK
DATE TOPIC/ MODULE/ FOCUS AREA ACTIVITIES RESOURCES/
BEGINNING READINGS/
FURTHER
INFORMATION
1 Looking, noticing, and
10 July Tutorial Online content
understanding experiences
Mapping interaction and Tutorial
2 17 July Online content
developing insights
Tutorial
3 24 July Creating a journey map Online content
Tutorial
Assessment 01
4 31 July Personas and user experiences Online content
Submission
Friday 4th
August, 5pm
User journeys and defining Tutorial
5 7 August Online content
problems.
Creating ideas through Tutorial
6 14 August Online content
brainstorming and ideating
The power of prototyping and Tutorial
7 21 August Online content
learning from doing.
Mid-semester break: 28 August to 1 September (inclusive)
Simplicity in design, and Tutorial
8 4 September Online content
presenting ideas and concepts
Tutorial
Actions and reactions: Assessment 02
9 11 September Online content
understanding user behaviour Submission
Friday 15th
September, 5pm
Designing and scripting user Tutorial
10 18 September Online content
testing
Tutorial
11 25 September Ethics in User Experience Online content
Data Interpretation, Tutorial
12 2 October visualisation, and iterative Online content
design
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Tutorial
13 Assessment 03
9 October Wrap up and final feedback Online content
Submission
Sunday 15th
October, 5pm
Census date (financial) 8 August 2023
Census date (academic) 28 August 2023
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