Visicog: NYU User Experience

User Experience II: Syllabus

Summer 2013, Section UXDX1-CE9003.
Tuesdays, July 23- August 27 2013.
The Woolworth building at 15 Barclay St, room 418C.

In our class, we'll explore methods for influencing user behavior in ways that best meet your business goals, with an emphasis on driving traffic, retaining users, and reaching conversion goals. Topics include interaction design, analytics, content and social strategies, in-depth usability testing and research techniques, personas, and workshop methods designed for working with large groups of stakeholders and potential users. You will research, wireframe, and create a paper prototype of a website or mobile app, making it ready for production. For your portfolio, you will document the various artifacts you create on the path to developing your paper prototype.

Course Requirements

User Experience (UX) Design I/UXDX1-CE9002 or equivalent knowledge.

Required Textbooks

Rocket Surgery Made Easy
Steve Krug, New Riders Press. 2010.
Commonly available at Barnes & Noble. Also available from Amazon and BN.com as an inexpensive eBook.

Research Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Available as free PDF from http://usability.gov/guidelines/guidelines_book.pdf

Grading

To get a "C"

• Homework & Portfolio: 50%
• Quiz & Test: 25%
• Class Participation & Punctuality: 25%
  See note under course policies regarding attendance

To get an "A":

• Do everything required for a "C", and go above and beyond
• Speak up, offer your opinion, and ask questions
• Do extra work
• Do excellent work
• Contribute to the class

Course Policies

Because of the collaborative lab nature of the class, each student's participation and attendance is essential. A single missed class will result in a 15% reduction in a student's final grade, and two missed classes will not result in a passing grade. Homework must be handed in on time. Students will be expected to be present for the entire duration of each class.

Homework

Some assignments will need to be emailed to the instructor at nyuusability @ visicog.com

Class Website

All of the slides and homework assignments are maintained here on Visicog, the class website.

Lesson Details

Disclaimer: Lesson details and schedule is subject to change due to current events, guest speaker schedule changes and/or level and interests of students.

Lesson 1

• Introduction to Class
• The Universal Online Business Goals
• Surveys
• Mental Models
• Personas

Lesson 2

• Wireframes
• User Flows
• Prototypes
• Review Homework

Lesson 3

• Usability Testing Lecture
• Review Homework

Lesson 4

• Building Traffic
• Online Conversions
• Google Analytics with Guest Lecturers
• Review Homework

Lesson 5

• A/B & Multivariate Testing
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Copywriting on the Web
• Review Homework

Lesson 6

• Final Critique
• Final Test