HCI/ERGONOMICS
Organization
University College London (UCL) is a UK university, currently ranked no. 7 by QS World University Rankings.
Program/Project
MSc in Human-Computer Interaction with Ergonomics was a 1-year full-time course. For my dissertation, I took the opportunity to work on a commercial project with Philips Research in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Course Modules
Physical Ergonomics
> understanding the physical abilities/limitations of users
> major team project, with full-size mock-up of part of a gas station
> understanding the physical abilities/limitations of users
> major team project, with full-size mock-up of part of a gas station
Applied Cognitive Science
> understanding the cognitive abilities/limitations of users
> understanding the cognitive abilities/limitations of users
Organisational Informatics
> understanding group working, and groupware systems
> individual research project, based on site visit to London Underground control center
> understanding group working, and groupware systems
> individual research project, based on site visit to London Underground control center
Design Tools & Techniques
> focus on requirements gathering and prototyping
> focus on requirements gathering and prototyping
Usability Evaluation Methods
> analysis and hands-on use of common methods, such as: Structured Interviews with Think-Aloud Protocol; Cognitive Walk-through; Contextual Inquiry; Heuristic Evaluation, and Expert Review.
> analysis and hands-on use of common methods, such as: Structured Interviews with Think-Aloud Protocol; Cognitive Walk-through; Contextual Inquiry; Heuristic Evaluation, and Expert Review.
Perspectives on Design
> review of some major design processes
> high point: diary-based project with William Newman, an early Xerox PARC designer
> review of some major design processes
> high point: diary-based project with William Newman, an early Xerox PARC designer
Design Experience
> pulling together all modules into a small team project, to explore collaborative use of Apple iPhone Notes.
> pulling together all modules into a small team project, to explore collaborative use of Apple iPhone Notes.
Dissertation
I lived in Eindhoven, Netherlands, for about 3 months, working at the Global HQ of Philips Research.
I was given full access to Philips’ prototype multitouch table. The focus to date had been on gaming applications, and my goal was to explore user behaviors during route-finding, for potential map-based applications.
My first task was to code a map-based app that supported real-time drag and zoom, which required custom graphics acceleration and co-ordinate math to translate sequences of discrete touch events into recognizable gestures.
The research itself then explored and compared users’ route-finding behaviors, using paper and digital maps.Challenges & Opportunities
I was one of two student/staff representatives for the course. We acted as a first contact for any student issues/grievances, and a sounding-board for any staff concerns. The course had students from a very broad range of academic, professional and cultural backgrounds, and UCL’s academic expectations were high, so there was a lively ongoing dialogue, in both directions. Overall, a really positive experience.
Overcoming a misalignment between UCL’s academic requirements for dissertations, with Philips’ commercial research needs. The work necessitated significant programming, which could not be factored into UCL’s grading.
I volunteered as a member of support staff for a 3-day Nielsen Norman UX Conference in London.
Team walk-through
of a gas station redesign
My custom map navigation app on Philips Entertaible
(a 30-inch LCD multitouch screen)