Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 102716

Coordinator John Cass Opens in new window

Description This subject examines the psychological principles underlying users' experience of design. After introducing fundamental principles of human perception and cognition, we will explore the way these principles shape the experience of users when interacting with a designed product. The subject will also introduce the experimental approaches used to study perceptual and cognitive processes, focussing on critical evaluation of design principles and highlighting techniques relevant to user experience evaluation.

School Psychology

Discipline Behavioural Science, Not Elsewhere Classified.

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 1 subject

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Analyse the principles of human visual perception and cognition relevant to user experience design.
2. Explain key experimental techniques used in perceptual and cognitive science.
3. Identify perceptual and cognitive principles relevant to the design of existing websites and applications.
4. Evaluate design utility based on perceptual and cognitive principles underlying user experience.

Subject Content

1. Introduction:  This topic will introduce the design principles used in a range of design contexts. It will focus on ‘screen based’ design and touch on other areas of design.
2. Basic Visual Perceptual Principles: introduction to the fundamental principles governing our visual experiences. This topic will explore the link between anatomy, physiology and perceptual experience in relation to visual acuity, colour perception, depth perception and object recognition.
3. Higher Order Perceptual Principles: introduction to the principles governing the integration of basic sensory elements into complex perceptual experiences. This will include exploration of the Gestalt grouping rules, contextual inference and visual heuristics.
4. Basic Cognitive Principles: introduction to areas of cognitive psychology relevant to user experience design including reading, attention, and memory.
5. Higher order cognitive principles: introduction to cognitive biases and heuristics shaping user experiences. This topic will include exploration of aspects of learning, problem solving and decision making.