This project-based class simulates the work of the design team in implementing user experience design principles when planning a website. Course topics include incorporating business and marketing goals while catering to the user; improving the usability of the site and its acceptance by customers; and creating design documents using detailed procedures and guidelines. Students will create user personas and scenarios; site organization and task flows; storyboards, wireframes and prototypes; and usability tests.  

• Participants should be proficient with navigating to folders and files; opening, saving and closing files; and using menus, toolbars and dialog boxes 
• A good understanding of the skills in Design Principles or equivalent knowledge is required 

Lesson 1 

Determine the business requirements of a new or existing website 

• Analyze the business needs for a website 
• Identify the SMART business objectives of the website 
• Conduct a competitive analysis of a website in your field 

Lesson 1 Assignments 

• Lecture/demo 
• Book: Chapters 1 and 2 
• Skill check #1 

Lesson 2  

• Collect user information using online resources and user interviews 
• Summarize user research results 
• Create user personas for your website 

Lesson 2 Assignments 

• Lecture/demo 
• Book: Chapters 3 and 4 
• Skill check #2 

Lesson 3 

• Create user scenarios for your website 
• Identify the information users need from the website and how it will be organized 
• Create a diagram that shows the structure and information flow of the website 
• Create a navigation system for the website 
• Identify interaction design patterns for the website 
• Create interaction sketches for the site 

Lesson 3 Assignments 

• Lecture/demo 
• Book: Chapter 5 
• Skill check #3 
• Skill check #4 

Lesson 4 

• Build a low-fidelity paper prototype of the website 
• Determine the layout of the page content and create wireframes 
• Create wireflows and storyboards that illustrate the user journey through the website 

Lesson 4 Assignments 

• Lecture/demo 
• Book: Chapter 6 
• Skill check #5 

Lesson 5 

• Create a usability test plan including task identification and testing script 
• Administer a usability test 
• Analyze the results of a usability test and identify changes to correct design issues 

Lesson 5 Assignments 

• Lecture/demo 
• Book: Chapter 7 
• Skill check #6