User-Centered Design (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

The course starts at the beginning of September (12.9.2025). During the first workshop, you present your potential application idea. After that, there are three other workshops (once a month: 26.9., 24.10. and 21.11.). The final seminar takes place during December (12.12.2025).

Objective

You understand the terminology and principles of human-centered design. You can apply tools to create an user interface and a clickable prototype, and use usability evaluation methods to gather user requirements and feedback for software development .

Content

The key topics are:
- Concepts, models, methods, procedures, and processes for user-centered design and development of systems and services
- Designing and delivering user experience (UX)
- User interface construction
- Usability evaluation

Location and time

The first two workshops are in the Dynamo building, and the rest are online/hybrid. There is approximately one workshop per month; see below. Workshops start at 14.30 (EET) and end at 19.30.

Materials

Brian Still & Kate Crane. "Fundamentals of User-Centered Design: A Practical Approach". 2016.
M. Topolewski, P. Krawczyk, M. Pallot and J. Huotari, "Applying A User eXperience-based Adoption Model in Several App Idea Cases," 2020 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ICE/ITMC), Cardiff, UK, 2020, pp. 1-7, doi: 10.1109/ICE/ITMC49519.2020.9198646.
Slides and prerecorded videos are located in the e-learning environment (Moodle).

Teaching methods

Learning tasks are in small groups during and between four workshops and a final seminar (in Dynamo and online => mostly a hybrid implementation). Lectures are prerecorded, requiring independent study and distance learning. There are quizzes for every topic.

Employer connections

Possible visiting experts from the industry

International connections

Small (international) group working on the same project idea

Completion alternatives

The admission procedures are described in the degree rule and the study guide. The course teacher will give you more information on possible specific course practices.

Student workload

One credit (1 Cr) corresponds to an average of 27 hours of work.
- exercises and workshops 20 h
- discussions and guidance 8 h
- assignments 72 h
- independent study 35 h
Total 135 h

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The evaluation is based on the quality of the four workshop implementations (a total of 80 points). In addition, all the quizzes must be passed. For the grades 1 and 2, you need to get 20 and 30 points, respectively.

To pass the course, you know the basics of user-centered design and you can analyse the usability and user experience. In addition, you can design a simple user interface based on a requirement definition of an idea.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

For the grades 3 and 4, you need to get 50 and 70 points, respectively.

You know the theory on user-centered design and you can analyse the usability and user experience. You can design a user interface and a clickable prototype based on a requirement definition.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

For the grade 5, you need to get at least 85 points.

You demonstrate mastery of the theory on user-centered design and you can analyse the usability and user experience in a versatile manner. You can design an extraordinary user interface for a clickable prototype based on a requirement definition.

Qualifications

Previous experience of software development is needed.

Further information

Evaluation methods include continuous feedback (from the teacher), self-assessment, and peer evaluation. The evaluation is based on the quality of the workshop assignments and the final seminar, which contains both documentation and oral presentations.