| Unit name | User Research |
|---|---|
| Unit code | COMSM0146 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Paul Marshall |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Computer Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
User research is critical in understanding who we are designing for, the contexts in which interactive technologies are used, and the impacts of different design choices. It can take many forms, from interview studies with small numbers of participants to experimental comparisons of different design alternatives, from timed questionnaires administered on a schedule through a mobile app to analyses of very large logs of user interactions collected through a web interface.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is fundamental to students looking to complete a postgraduate degree or diploma in HCI. It will provide an overview of key user research methods and practices and will underpin subsequent work on the project unit.
An overview of content
In this unit you will learn how to choose appropriate user research methods to answer the questions you have. You will also learn about the pragmatics of conducting user research: how to adhere to professional ethical frameworks, how to recruit participants, how to manage data responsibly and how to persuasively present your findings to different stakeholders.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
This unit will prepare students to conduct user research studies. They will feel confident in their ability to design and conduct a user research study that is well founded, ethical and that manages data appropriately. They will also have experience of working with different constraints, so will understand where a pragmatic solution may be better than a perfect one and where a particular method may be more suitable than alternatives.
Learning Outcomes
1. To describe the relative strengths and limitations of different qualitative and quantitative methods in designing and conducting effective user research studies
2. To demonstrate an ability to derive and present user needs and evaluate interactive technologies in different contexts
3. To apply ethical guidelines and data governance principles effectively in conducting user research
4. To clearly explain user research findings to different audiences
The approach to teaching will be online and synchronous, and therefore will be interactive. Through a Blackboard site and MS Team for the unit, students will be able to engage with the lecture materials, reading materials, the teaching staff and their peers. Many of the sessions will be a mix of theory, methods and hands on practical formative work. The user research work will be individual, with small amounts of groupwork with different individual focuses. The focus of the unit will be linked to industrial practice, with learning tied in with state of the art in HCI user studies research. Presentation of the evaluation coursework in written form and presentation form, will be similar to what would be experienced in industry and in academia.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
This unit will be taught online and synchronously with significant engagement directly from lecturers and teaching assistants in class orally and visually, but also through online chat. Ongoing engagement will occur on MSTeams, which will help students to reflect on their understanding. Consultations will be regular throughout the unit, and particularly around the coursework.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
50% will be
the user research coursework (ILOs 2-4) where students will plan a study and collect and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data to answer a user research question.
50% will be an oral presentation (ILOs 1-4) conducted after the course material has been delivered and the coursework handed in. This will be conducted at the end of the exam period. Two members of staff will have an individual MSTeams meeting with a student to discuss the approach chosen for their coursework, as well as about different user research methods, user research pragmatics such as access and recruitment, ethics, and data governance, and about different user research reporting formats.
When assessment does not got to plan
In the case of required reassessment, the student will need to undertake the assessment component(s) as above which they have not passed.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. COMSM0146).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
