TableOfContents

Rules

• This assignment will not be considered to be completed if
  • you attend less than 60% of the meetings.
  • you fail to deliver any of the presentations and the reports in time.
  • you quit the assignment.
  • you prefer "N" to "Y".
• Any excuse of not attending the meetings must be emailed to me 2 hours piror to the scheduled time.
• No excuse after the scheduled time.

Schedule

Week 1

Lecture

Overview of GUI history attachment:GooeyHistory.pdf

Homework

• (4 weeks) Read the following book :

  • Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug (About web gui design)

  • Interface Desgin by Peter Bickford or/and GUI Design Essentials by Weinschenk et al.

• Please form 2-person groups for the tasks.

• (1 week) Task 1: Experience and compare two OS desktops

  • Sit next to each other to compare and analyze the GUI.
  • Tip: focusing on specific tasks: for example, locating an application; removing a file; sending an email etc.
• Prepare for a 5-minute presenation of your findings.
• Start thinking of a new design of an OS desktop of a target user group.

Resources

• Ubuntu live CD (GNOME desktop): http://www.ubuntu.com

• Kbuntu live CD (KDE desktop): http://www.kubuntu.org

• Knoppix live CD (KDE desktop): http://www.knoppix.org/

• Solaris 10: http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/

Week 2

Lecture

GUI design guidelines

Activity

• Presentations of os desktop comparison
• Discussions

Homework

• Continue the books.

• (2 weeks) Task 2: Find too extreme examples of web designs that you like most and hate most. Prepare a presentation that

  • tells what you have learnt from the book don't make me think

  • tells the story and the reasons of the web design comparison.

• (3 weeks Task 3: Designing/prototyping a new OS desktop for a target user group of your choice. Prepare a presentation that

  • tells what you have learnt from the book Interface Desgin by Peter Bickford or/and GUI Design Essentials by Weinschenk et al.

  • tells your target user group, your desgin process and approach, and the result.

Resources

• Edubuntu: http://www.edubuntu.org

• StarDock has a serials of tools to customize your windows desktop: http://www.stardock.com/

  • Search for kids or children at http://www.wincustomize.com/ for examples of redesgins of the windows desktop for children.

Week 3

Lecture

GUI desgin process

Activity

Q&A session

Homework

• Continue the books.
• Continue Task 2.
• continue Task 3.

Week 4

Lecture

GUI design process

Activity

• Presentations of web design comparison.

  • tell what you have learnt from the book don't make me think

  • tell the story and the reasons of the web design comparison.
• Discussions

• Q&A session

Homework

• Finish your design/prototype, prepare for the final presentation

Week 5

Activity

• Final presenations of your os desktop design

  • tell what you have learnt from the book Interface Desgin by Peter Bickford or/and GUI Design Essentials by Weinschenk et al.

  • tell your target user group, your desgin process and approach, and the result.
• Feedback session