Course Goals: This course presents basic components of human-computer interaction concepts, theory, and practice. It takes a user-centered perspective, rather than a system-centered one. We look at bridging the gulf between needs and requirements of human users and capabilities and limitations of technology. We discuss how to forge communication between users and system developers. We base the course on a dichotomy between user interaction design and user interface software design. The course covers iterative development of user interaction design, including user requirements gathering, with emphasis on usability goals; user analysis; user task analysis; design, rapid prototyping, and user-centered evaluation. Iterative development activities are practiced in the context of several team projects. Prerequisites: Any course in Computer Science and junior-level standing. This prerequisite will be strictly enforced and it will be considered an honor code violation to attempt to get into this course without satisfying the prerequisite. Professors: Dr. H. Rex Hartson, Computer Science, McBryde 635, hartson@vt.edu Office hours: Tu and Th, 315 - 430 Dr. Deborah Hix, Computer Science, McBryde 604, hix@vt.edu Office hours: Tu 315 - 430, Th 315 - 350 GTAs: Hartson section: Rajat Gupta, rgupta@vt.edu Office Hours: T,H : 9 - 1030 McBryde 120 Hix section: Oleg Krouchinkin, oleg007@csgrad.cs.vt.edu Office Hours: M,W,F : 2 - 320 McBryde 120 Class meeting times: Dr. H. Rex Hartson section: Tu, Th 2 - 315 Randolph 216 Dr. Deborah Hix, section: Tu, Th 2 - 315 Norris 306