• introductions
• course information & administration
• signalflare account setup
• interface design & user experience
• readings

• instructor: Dave Tanchak
• email: bcit1955@gmail.com
• web site: you're soaking in it
• all about you...
  • your name
  • your background
  • why are you taking COMP 1955
  • up to 3 specific things you want to learn in this course
• take notes...you'll be introducing your new-found friend

• objectives:
  • provide theory and tools for advanced web interface design
  • impart skills in the use of standard web design tools
  • provide resources and suggestions to go further
• format:
  • theory, discussion, in-class exercises, labs
  • 3 assignments, 1 project/exam
• readings:
  • weekly from textbook; some suggested readings online
  • see weekly selections on readings page
• assignments:
  • 3 assignments due at the start of classes 2, 4 and 6
  • see the assignments page for details and due dates
  • late assignments will not be accepted without prior arrangements
• final exam:
  • interface concepts submitted online
  • assigned in class 5 (start working on it right away!), due in class 6
  • bulk of class 6 will be working time for exam
  • full access to online tools, books, and whatever resources you need
• assumptions:
  • you know HTML and some basic CSS!
  • you know FTP!
  • you are here to learn and participate!
• tailoring the course: what do you want to learn (see notes from exercise above ;-)

Each student will get personal webspace. This space is exclusively yours, with your own username and password (many of you may already have space on signalflare...)

• you will create your account in the system one by one
• be prepared to enter your:
  • directory name
  • username
  • password
• tip: Use your BCIT ID and Password (used for logging into lab computers) to make it easier
• instructor will have you enter your information to create account
• the account is created immediately
• your URL will be: http://students.signalflare.ca/{name}

• use CORE FTP (Start > Utilities > CoreFTP)
• click FILE > CONNECT
• click NEW SITE (bottom left)
• site name: SignalFlare
• host / IP / URL: www.signalflare.ca
• username: {your username}@signalflare.ca
• password: {your password}
• click CONNECT (bottom)

• what does web interface design mean to you?
• generally speaking, a web interface is all of these things:
  • features
  • content
  • visual design
  • layout
  • usability
• each one of these pieces, however, uses different techniques and methodologies to produce them:
  • how I design and build an auction system is different from writing and producing an online help manual
  • but both require layout and and some level of visual design, don't they?
• we end up with web professionals throwing around seemingly identical terms to describe the work they do:
  • interaction design
  • information design
  • information architecture
  • interface design
• some people will even use the same terms in different ways!
• how are all these related? are they? is there a difference?

• from The Elements of User Experience (EoUX), p.10:
  • user experience is concerned with the way something works as opposed to what it does
  • user experience is about how something works on the outside, when a person comes in contact with it
• so, what we are talking about is the design of the elements that contribute to a user's experience of any given web site
• the elements listed above, including interface design, (and others) contribute to an effective user experience
• when we aim to create effective, engaging user experiences we are practicing user-centred design: keeping the user in mind at every step of the development process

• this course:
  • we don't design in a vacuum: as we learn design techniques, we have to understand why we might want to include a particular element
• the big picture:
  • user experience directly affects the image of an organization: bad user experience = bad organization in the minds of your users
• meet the elements:
  • the document that started it all
  • another view