Week 11: User-Centered Design

Now that we’ve discussed the assignment details for the Best Practices Article and the Client Project, you should begin making progress on both assignments. I’ll be traveling Wednesday through Sunday, but while I’m away, you should meet with your Unit #4 team, confirm the details of your project with your client (if you haven’t already), and draft the Memorandum of Understanding that will govern your work between now and the end of the semester. If you run into any problems while I’m gone, please let me know — I’ll be checking email every day.

For the rest of the semester, we’ll be working our way through the client project, and we’ll be using our second textbook to help us take a “user-centered design” approach to developing these sites. Here’s how we’ll dive in to that topic next week:

• On Monday, we will begin discussing our next book: The Elements of User Experience, by Jesse James Garrett. Please read Chapters 1–3 (pp. 1–54) this weekend and be ready to discuss them in class. In addition, I will meet with each Unit #4 team to review your MOU and suggest revisions, so between now and Monday, your team should meet with your client (face-to-face if possible; virtually if necessary) to ensure that everyone understands the work you will (and won’t) do on this project.
• On Wednesday, your team’s MOU (signed by all parties) is due at the beginning of class. During class, we will continue our discussion of The Elements of User Experience, so please read Chapters 4–6 (pp. 56–131) before you come to class. In addition, you should come to class with three ideas for your Best Practices Article and be ready to discuss them with your peers.

Good luck meeting with your clients!