Singapore University of Social Sciences

User Experience Design

User Experience Design (DES550)

Synopsis

As more of our everyday lives become impacted by technologies and social media due to digital transformation, it becomes critical to understand the importance of effective user experience. Businesses that put effort into enhancing the ‘experience’ of their offerings will achieve a greater advantage over their competitors. Students will extend the human-centred design process and mindsets, wield the power of information architecture, apply the principles and best practices of interaction design, use industry-standard tools to create prototypes for the testing and evaluation of digital offerings that are useful, usable, and desirable. In addition, DES550 User Experience Design will enable students to draw upon case examples, and initiate discussions in their workplace about the impact of user experience on consumers’ expectations, satisfaction, and loyalty. Note: DES550 requires research concepts and skills covered in DES541 Design Inquiry: Analysis and Synthesis. Students are required to complete or register for DES541 in the same semester (if available). The coverage of research skills in this course will be brief to give room for more important concepts and topics on user experience design.

Level: 5
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY REGULAR SEMESTER

Topics

  • Design for the experience economy: UX as a business differentiator
  • UX fundamentals and methodology: Concepts, principles, and methods
  • Understanding user needs: UX research revisited
  • Designing for tap: Mobile and tablet UX
  • Minimum viable offering: Ideation, evaluation, and prioritisation
  • Information architecture: Mental models, flow and navigation
  • Interaction design: Principles and patterns
  • Interface design: Structuring and styling the user interface
  • Prototyping and experimentation: Principles, methods, and tools
  • Usability testing: Feedbacks and iterations
  • Communicating and presenting designs
  • Trends in UX design: Inspirations and staying relevant

Learning Outcome

  • Discuss the theoretical and practical understanding of core concepts and principles of user experience design.
  • Examine the theoretical and practical value of information architecture, prototyping, and usability testing in user experience design.
  • Analyse the role of technology and design in bringing meaningful digital offerings and experiences to an intended target group.
  • Organise selected literature, current and emerging tools, techniques, and skills of user experience professionals.
  • Critique the existing user experience of a digital offering and identify areas for improvement using appropriate principles and guidelines.
  • Create prototypes and wireframes in different levels of fidelity to communicate the information architecture, interaction, and interface of a digital offering.
  • Formulate and conduct design experiments and usability tests for the prototypes of a digital offering.
  • Prepare appropriate design documentation that captures and organises the design inquiry process, rationale and outcome.
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