IT4106 – User Experience Design (UXD) 1 – Introduction to Interaction Design and User Experience UCSC Online Classes Notes Exam Questions Model Paper

📘 Course Overview & Learning Outcomes

Course Details

• Course: IT4106 – User Experience Design
• Chapter: 1 – Introduction to Interaction Design and User Experience
• Recommended Teaching Time: 3 Hours
• Level: Beginner / Second Year Undergraduate

Learning Outcomes

After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

1. Define Human–Computer Interaction (HCI).
2. Explain the evolution of HCI.
3. Define Interaction Design.
4. Differentiate between UI and UX.
5. Identify characteristics of good and poor user experiences.
6. Explain the importance of understanding users.
7. Describe the User-Centered Design (UCD) process.

🎤 Lecture Opening (5 minutes)

Ask Students:

“Have you ever used a mobile app and felt confused, frustrated, or unable to find what you wanted?”

Then Explain:

“That frustration is not usually the user’s fault. It is often a design problem. User Experience Design aims to create products that are easy, useful, and enjoyable to use.”

1️⃣ Modern Day Human–Computer Interaction (HCI)

1.1 What is HCI?

Definition

Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) is the study of how people interact with computers and how to design technology that is effective, efficient, safe, and satisfying.

Simple Explanation

HCI asks the question: “How can we make computers easier for humans to use?”

1.2 Components of HCI

Component	Examples
Human	Student, teacher, customer, doctor
Computer	PC, mobile phone, ATM, smart TV
Interaction	Typing, clicking, touching, speaking

1.3 Evolution of HCI

Era	Technology
1950s	Punch cards
1970s	Command-line systems
1980s	Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)
2000s	Web applications
2010s	Mobile & touch interfaces
Today	Voice, AI, AR/VR, wearables

1.4 Why HCI is Important

Benefits

• Reduces user errors
• Improves productivity
• Increases customer satisfaction
• Makes systems accessible
• Saves training costs
• Improves business success

2️⃣ Interaction Design

2.1 Definition

Interaction Design (IxD) focuses on designing how users interact with digital products.

Key Idea: “Not only what the system looks like, but how it behaves.”

2.2 HCI vs Interaction Design

HCI	Interaction Design
Broad field	Subset of HCI
Studies interaction	Designs interactions
Research-oriented	Design-oriented

2.3 Core Design Principles

Principle	Meaning
Visibility	Important options should be visible
Feedback	System should respond to actions
Consistency	Similar actions behave similarly
Affordance	Objects suggest how to use them
Mapping	Controls should match outcomes

Example: Mobile App

• Good Design Large visible buttons, clear feedback after tapping.
• Poor Design Hidden menus, no confirmation messages.

3️⃣ User Experience (UX)

3.1 What is UX?

User Experience (UX) is the overall experience a person has while using a product or service.

Includes:

• Ease of use
• Efficiency
• Emotions
• Trust
• Enjoyment
• Accessibility

3.2 UX vs UI

UI (User Interface)	UX (User Experience)
Looks	Feels
Colors	Satisfaction
Buttons	Usability
Layout	Overall journey

3.3 Good vs Poor UX

Good UX	Poor UX
Easy to learn Fast to use Few errors Pleasant experience Users return again	Confusing navigation Slow performance Many errors Frustrating experience Users abandon the product

4️⃣ Understanding Users

4.1 Why Study Users?

Designers should not design for themselves. They must design for the actual users.

4.2 User Characteristics

Characteristic	Examples
Age	Children, adults, elderly
Experience	Beginner, expert
Language	English, Sinhala, Tamil
Physical abilities	Vision, hearing, mobility
Goals	Learn, buy, communicate

4.3 User Research Methods

Common Methods:

• Interviews
• Questionnaires
• Observation
• Focus groups
• Usability testing

5️⃣ User-Centered Design (UCD)

5.1 Definition

User-Centered Design is a design approach that places users and their needs at the center of the development process.

5.2 UCD Process

1. Understand users – Research their needs.
2. Design – Create possible solutions.
3. Prototype – Build a simple version.
4. Test – Observe real users.
5. Improve – Fix problems and repeat.

5.3 Advantages of UCD

• Higher user satisfaction
• Fewer usability problems
• Better business results
• Reduced development risk
• More accessible products

📝 Classroom Activity & Exam Preparation

Classroom Activity (10 minutes)

Group Activity: Ask students to evaluate a popular app (WhatsApp, Facebook, Daraz, PickMe).

Questions:

• What is easy to use?
• What is confusing?
• What feedback does the app provide?
• How could the UX be improved?

Important Exam Definitions

Term	Exam Definition
HCI	Study of interaction between humans and computers.
Interaction Design	Design of interactive digital products.
User Experience	Overall experience of a user when using a product.
User-Centered Design	Design approach focused on user needs and goals.

MCQs (with Answers)

1. HCI mainly studies:

a) Database design
b) Human-computer interaction
c) Networking
d) Programming languages

Answer: b

2. Which is a UX goal?

a) Confusion
b) Frustration
c) Satisfaction
d) Complexity

Answer: c

3. Feedback means:

a) Hiding options
b) System response to user actions
c) Making errors
d) Slowing down the system

Answer: b

4. UCD focuses primarily on:

a) Developers
b) Hardware
c) Users
d) Servers

Answer: c

5. Which is NOT a user research method?

a) Interview
b) Observation
c) Questionnaire
d) Compilation

Answer: d

Structured Questions

Question 1: Explain the difference between HCI and Interaction Design. (5 marks)

Model Answer:

• HCI is a broad field studying interactions between humans and computers.
• Interaction Design is a subset of HCI.
• HCI includes research and evaluation.
• Interaction Design focuses on designing behaviors and interfaces.
• Example: HCI studies ATM usability; Interaction Design designs the ATM interface.

Essay Question

Discuss: “User-Centered Design leads to better digital products.” (10 marks)

Expected Points:

• Definition of UCD
• Understanding user needs
• Iterative design
• Prototyping and testing
• Reduced errors
• Improved satisfaction
• Business benefits
• Conclusion

🚀 Quick Revision Sheet & References

Quick Revision Sheet

Remember:

• HCI = Humans + Computers + Interaction
• Interaction Design = Designing behavior of systems
• UX = Overall user experience
• UI = Visual interface
• Good UX = Useful, usable, enjoyable
• UCD = Design with users at the center
• Key Principles = Visibility, Feedback, Consistency, Affordance, Mapping

Recommended References

• Sharp, Rogers & Preece – Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction (5th Edition)
• UCSC BIT IT4106 Syllabus
• ISO 9241-210 Human-Centered Design Standard

End of Chapter 1
This note is sufficient to teach a 2–3 hour university lecture and prepare students for MCQs, structured questions, and essay questions in the BIT external degree examination.