SIT216 - User Centred Design
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Deepti Aggarwal |
| Prerequisite: | Four SIT coded units (excluding mathematics units coded SIT19x, SIT29x, SIT39x) |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | SIT365 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 2 hour online lecture per week, 1 x 2 hour practical experience (workshop) per week. |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and collaborative learning including 1 x 2 hour online lecture per week (recordings provided), 1 x 2 hour online practical experience (workshop) per week. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
User-Centred Design (UCD) focuses on designing usable solutions and determining appropriate interactions between humans (users) and computational systems. It deals with the issues surrounding the design of interfaces to afford those interactions. Aspects of UCD also relate to the field of ‘Human Computer Interaction’ (HCI) which is more than just the “human” and the “computer”; it encompasses many facets including, interface and interaction design, affordance and usability, ergonomics and psychology. Specific attention to user needs and requirements through observation, analysis and investigation is essential for ensuring the resulting design of products, objects and systems are usable.
On completion of this unit, students will be able to critically analyse existing interfaces and use HCI and UCD principles to evaluate the systems they use. Consequently, a greater understanding of users in order to determine and analyse their interface needs is necessary. Lastly, being able to demonstrate applying HCI concepts to create, develop and enhance interactions and interfaces for clients and end-users which result in successful and engaging user experiences.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Articulate knowledge of interface design and illustrate concerns for application in a variety of modern systems and products. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Develop an awareness of good practice interface design through analysis of design guidelines and principles including UCD approaches. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Evaluate usability using design guidelines, principles and ethical user testing to propose design solutions that fit user needs which in-turn improves user experience. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Work as a group in a collaborative design team to create an interactive system prototype. | GLO5: Problem solving |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 User research and low-fidelity interface design prototype (Individual) | 2,000 word written report on users, goals and requirements Short design report and low-fidelity interface prototype, 500 word minimum | 45% (20%, 25%) (Written report, Design report) | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2 High-fidelity interface design prototype (Group) | Collaborative design report, reflection, and high-fidelity interface prototype | 35% | Week 10 |
| Assessment 3 Reflection (Individual) | Group presentation on proposed design project Individual reflection on project | 20% (10%, 10%) (Group presentation, Individual reflection) | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for SIT216 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.