User Centered Design for Augmented Spatial Information
Visual Studies A4894 (3 pts)
Instructor: Agnes Chang (ac3882) with Ann Harakawa, office hours by appt.
IA: Adam Vosburgh (akv2118)
Class Time: Wed 7-9pm
Room: 200 Buell
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Overview
As augmented reality becomes accessible to everyone through the phones in their pocket, how might we dissolve prior divides between the digital and the public urban experience? This is an experimental and interdisciplinary class to explore how emerging technologies can be applied to solve timeless user needs in public space. Through partnership with TwoTwelve, a public information design firm, we will examine current wayfinding needs based on real-world scenarios in urban signage, hospitals, and transportation systems. Through readings, discussion, and hands‐on projects, students will learn principles of human‐computer interaction, mobile app design, and augmented reality design. We will survey current technology trends and examine their long-term implications for design and for future society. Students will develop skills in user research, rapid‐prototyping, and usability testing, using industry prototyping software such as Sketch, Invision, SnapLens Studio as well as paper and cardboard prototyping.
Schedule
Subject to change as semester progresses.
| Date | Lecture | Reading Due | Assignment Due | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/22 | • What is UCD, what is AR? • TwoTwelve overview (Ann) • Course structure (slides) | Apply to enroll | |
| 2 | 1/29 | • A1 mini-presentations • AR: current applications • UCD: Rapid prototyping (slides) | • Why Human-Centered Design Matters WIRED, 2013 • The future of AR will be boring medium.com, 2017 | A1 Five days |
| 3 | 2/5 | • A2 mini-presentations • UCD: needfinding, user journeys, provocations (slides) | • Prototyping for AR (video) Apple WWDC, 2018 • What would augment reality? by Luke Wroblewski, 2017 | A2 De-teched |
| 4 | 2/12 | • A3.1 mini-presentations • How we do Wayfinding (Ann) • UCD: storyboarding, Figma demo (slides) | • Chp. 1~2: Introduction + Experiential Perspective in Space and Place by Yi-Fu Tuan, 1977 • Chp. 1.1,1.2, 2.1,2.2, 3.1 in The Wayfinding Handbook by David Gibson, Principal at TwoTwelve, 2011 | A3.1 Needfinding: Observe + Recruit |
| 5 | 2/19 | • A3.2 mini-presentations (with Ann and Charlie) • Guest lecture: Charlie Miller, Intersection Co. (slides) | • The Coming Supremacy of AR by Allen Pike, 2019 • Chp. 4: The Information Content System, p.90-107 by Calori, Chris in Signage and Wayfinding Design, 2015 | A3.2 Needfinding: Provocations + Synthesis |
| 6 | 2/26 | • AR prototyping software demos (Agnes) • Guest lecture: Prof. Daniel Leithinger Tangible Interface Design (slides) | • AR Human Interface Guidelines by Apple, 2019 • Google AR Design Guidelines, 2019 | A3.3 Storyboard |
| 7 | 3/4 | • (Agnes remote) • AR: anatomy of an app, world space, markers, interaction taxonomy • UI vs. IX vs. UX design? and UX “failures” (slides | • Chp. 1 from The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman, 1988 • AR Interaction Design Toolkit by Shengzhi Wu, 2018 | A3.4 Prototyping |
| 8 | 3/11 | • A3 Review with Guest Critics (Ann out) | • How to do a user interview by Google Ventures. | A3.5 Evaluating: User Test |
| 3/18 | Spring Break, no class. | … | ||
| 9 | 4/1 | • Final project prompts: “quarantine times”, AR interactions, critical design (slides) | • Human-Centered Machine Learning Google Design, 2017 • The Lifecycle of Software Objects (short story) by Ted Chiang, 2010 | A4.1 Final: Concepts |
| 10 | 4/8 | • A4.1 mini-presentations • Information Design Nuts-n-Bolts (slides) | • Creating Usability with Motion, by Willenskomer, I. 2017 • Teachable Machine tutorial Google Creative Lab, 2017 | A4.2 Final: Refine |
| 11 | 4/15 | • A4.2 mini-presentations • Guest Lecture: Paul McConnell, ARUP (slides) | ||
| 12 | 4/22 | • Guest Lecture + Workshop: Sidewalk Labs Toronto | • How can we bring transparency to urban tech? These icons are a first step. by Jacqueline Lu, 2019. | A4.3 Final: Prototype |
| 14 | 4/29 | Final Review | A4.5 Final: Conclusion + Documentation |