Spring 2023 - IAT 235 E100

Information Design (3)

Class Number: 4081

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 11, 2023: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Prerequisites:

    Completion of 21 units and IAT 102 with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduces theory and practice of designing visual representations of information. Students will learn to visually translate textual, numerical and evidentiary information so that it can be communicated to diverse user communities and contexts. An emphasis will be on understanding how the meaning of images can change over time and across contexts and cultures. Beginning with photographic images, interactive charts, graphs, and maps, projects progress to more complex information in media forms ranging from advanced aspects of the web to interactive 3D visualizations. The relationship between visual display is explored in relation to its technology of creation, including code and information architecture.

COURSE DETAILS:

This is a course that will lay out the foundational elements required for a professional practice in User Experience Design (UX Design). The primary goal of this course will be to provide students with the essential foundations required for UX Design professional practice – visual design, content design, interaction design, and the design process. The term's final project is a minimum viable product (MVP) that synthesizes these four elements. Students who gravitate more to UX Development will be provided the opportunity work more specifically on this area of professional practice.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  1. Explore the role and influence that graphic design, information architecture and user experience play on our perception and interpretation of information.
  2. Explain key methods used in the context of information design to visually represent different forms of information.
  3. Generate design criteria from specific scenarios and assess the utility of the criteria in the development of a user-centred design.
  4. Use methods - e.g. sketching, wireframing, sitemaps and flowcharts - to design applications that will translate basic qualitative and quantitative information into more human-readable representations.
  5. Demonstrate key principles of graphic design, information architecture and user experience design in the creation of websites (using HTML/CSS).

Grading

  • Exercises 10%
  • Quizzes 10%
  • Projects 80%

NOTES:

This course uses the SIAT standard grading scale for final letter grades:

Letter grade Percentage range
A+ 95% to 100%
A 90% to 95%
A- 85% to 90%
B+ 80% to 85%
B 75% to 80%
B- 70% to 75%
C+ 65% to 70%
C 60% to 65%
C- 55% to 60%
D 50% to 55%
F 0% to 50%

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

For this term you will need access to:

If you have a preference for another type of software you are welcome to use it.

REQUIRED READING:

Course readings will be available digitally through Canvas.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html