Design and Usability I is a year-long course that introduces the fundamentals of graphic design, usability, accessibility, and user experience as applied to the development of digital products. The course combines theory and practice to equip students with the skills to create user-centered designs, justify design decisions, and effectively communicate proposals through practical exercises, prototyping, and oral presentations.
Titular Professors
Professors
No prior knowledge is required.
The main objectives of the Design and Usability I course are:
1. To provide students with a basic understanding of graphic design, usability, accessibility, and user experience as applied to digital products.
2. To introduce the fundamentals of User-Centered Design (UCD) and its impact on product development processes.
3. To develop the ability to analyze, identify, and solve usability problems in multidisciplinary environments.
4. To apply graphic and interaction design criteria to create effective and accessible interfaces.
5. To foster the ability to justify and argue design decisions through written documentation and oral presentations.
6. To develop basic oral and written communication skills related to design and user experience projects.
USABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND USER EXPERIENCE
- Understand the concept of usability and accessibility
- Understand the role of usability as part of the creative and productive process
- Know the areas of application of usability and accessibility
- Know the possible interaction scenarios
- Understand the concept of User-Centered Design (DCU)
- Learn about some methodologies for evaluating usability
- Learn how to perform an expert usability test of a project
Communication:
- Acquire oral communication skills
- Acquire written communication skills
- Learn to synthesize relevant concepts
- Learn to justify the work done
GRAPHIC DESIGN
- Understanding the concept of design
- Understand the role of design as part of the creative and productive process
- Know the areas of application of design
- Develop the ability to communicate
- Know the possible methodologies.
- Development of the ability to project
Communication:
- Acquire oral communication skills
- Acquire written communication skills
- Learn to synthesize relevant concepts
- Learn to justify the work done
The course is based on three distinct modules:
- Graphic Design
- Usability, Accessibility, and User Experience
- Communication
During the first semester, students will work on user experience concepts: usability, accessibility, information architecture, and user evaluation techniques. The final submission will assess the communication of the submitted report, as well as the oral presentation of the practical work, in addition to the required technical content.
During the second semester, students will work on graphic design and prototyping concepts: prototype conceptualization, creation of style guides, prototype evaluation techniques, and the entire process for designing a functional mobile application. The final submission will assess the communication of the submitted report, as well as the oral presentation of the project, in addition to the required technical content.
The course meets weekly with 12 lecture sessions per semester.
Each session will begin with an introduction to the basic concepts, followed by the application of these concepts in a practical exercise that must be submitted before the end of the session. All exercises are part of the continuous assessment.
The main practical activities of the course are carried out primarily in teams. Students collaborate throughout all stages of the project (analysis, conceptualization, design, prototyping, evaluation, and presentation preparation), fostering shared decision-making, effective communication, and collective responsibility. Both the teamwork process and the final outcome are assessed as part of the course evaluation activities.
The final course grade will be calculated based on the two semester grades:
- 50% Semester 1
- 50% Semester 2
To calculate the final course grade, each semester must have a minimum grade of 4.0. The final course grade must be 5.0 or higher to pass the course.
Semester 1 Grade
The Semester 1 grade accounts for 50% of the final course grade and is calculated as follows:
- In-class exercises: 30%
- Project 1: 70%
For Project 1 to be considered passed and to be averaged with the other assessment activities of the semester, all of the following requirements must be met:
- Obtain a minimum grade of 4.0 in each of the following assessment components:
- Interview
- Presentation
- Report
- After applying the corresponding weightings, the final project grade must be 5.0 out of 10 or higher.
If any of these requirements are not met, the project will be considered not passed and will not be averaged with the remaining semester grades.
Semester 2 Grade
The Semester 2 grade accounts for 50% of the final course grade and is calculated as follows:
- In-class exercises: 30%
- Project 2: 70%
For Project 2 to be considered passed and to be averaged with the other assessment activities of the semester, all of the following requirements must be met:
- Obtain a minimum grade of 4.0 in each of the following assessment components:
- Interview
- Presentation
- Report
- After applying the corresponding weightings, the final project grade must be 5.0 out of 10 or higher.
If any of these requirements are not met, the project will be considered not passed and will not be averaged with the remaining semester grades.
Assessment for the Design and Usability I module is based on continuous assessment and the completion of two main practical assignments, one per semester. The assessment criteria are as follows:
1. Correct application of the fundamentals of graphic design, usability, accessibility and user experience in the assigned activities.
2. Ability to analyse, identify and resolve usability and user-centred design issues.
3. Alignment of design solutions with functional requirements, the context of use and the defined user profile.
4. Technical and conceptual quality of deliverables, including design consistency, information architecture and clarity of proposals.
5. Ability to justify and defend design decisions through written documentation and oral presentations.
6. Clarity, structure and accuracy in oral and written communication.
7. Active and continuous participation in practical classroom activities.
8. Compliance with deadlines, submission guidelines and standards of academic integrity established for the course.
Diseño, Maquetación y Composición, Dabner, David, Naturart, S.A., 2005
Signos, Simbolos, Marcas y Señales, Adrian Frutiger , Ed Gustavo Gili, 2006
Aprender a Dibujar con el Lado Derecho del Cerebro, Edwards, Betty, Ed. Edurano, 2000
No me hagas pensar, Steve Krug., Pearson Educación, 2006
Diseño, Maquetación y Composición, Dabner, David, Naturart, S.A., 2005
Signos, Simbolos, Marcas y Señales, Adrian Frutiger , Ed Gustavo Gili, 2006
Aprender a Dibujar con el Lado Derecho del Cerebro, Edwards, Betty, Ed. Edurano, 2000
No me hagas pensar, Steve Krug., Pearson Educación, 2006