M.S. Interaction Design and Information Architecture
Course Descriptions:
IDIA 612-- Interaction and
Interface Design
Explores electronic publication environments as fluid spaces where interactions
among people, machines, and media (words, images, sounds, video, animations,
simulations) must be structured for the unforeseen. The course focuses
on planning, analyzing, prototyping, and integrating interaction design
with interface design.
IDIA 614-- Sequential Visualization
and Analysis
Teaches students to use sequential visual narratives—story boards,
flowcharts, prototypes, and simulations—as analysis tools for
the development of information systems. The course draws on theoretical
approaches to film as well as other forms of visual storytelling including
animation, illustration, and comics. Through a series of practical analytical
and creative projects, students learn to apply story boards and limited
multimedia prototypes both to interface design and to content development.
IDIA 618-- Dynamic Web Sites
Familiarizes students with the basic
concepts and vocabulary of Web site programming,
including application scripting,
database management, object-oriented
programming and full-lifecycle software
development. It provides students with the
fundamental skills required to develop and
maintain a dynamic data-driven Web site.
Each student will develop a complete Web
site using a simple text editor to create and
manipulate relational data, learn a middleware
markup language to store and retrieve
data and control the rules of interaction,
and write HTML to format data and control
display. Lab fee required. prerequisite:
PBDS 660 or passing score on the Hypermedia
Proficiency Exam.
IDIA 619-- Interactive Multimedia
A practical and theoretical introduction
to genres, strategies and techniques for
producing multimedia content for the
Internet. Students examine existing
multimedia content while developing
creative skills in one or more standard
authoring systems. Background readings
provide theoretical context for development
of individual projects. Lab fee
required. prerequisite: PBDS 660 or passing
score on the Hypermedia Proficiency
Exam.
IDIA 620-- Information Culture
Surveys important developments, implications, and problems in the development
of modern information technologies, emphasizing their relevance to the
Internet and other current contexts. Students are expected to become
conversant with the technical and intellectual roots of technological
development and at the same time to understand important social issues
in which that development is implicated. Beginning with the transition
from orality to literacy and moving through the emergence of print,
the course situates innovation in larger narratives of cultural change
and historical process, continuing into the post-Cold-War expansion.
Instructors will focus on various relevant themes that may include electronic
democracy, the digital divide, globalization and post-nationalism, identity
and security issues, and the social implications of "mass"
versus "hyper" media.
IDIA 630-- Information Architecture
Teaches students to gather requirements data, model information structures,
and develop a variety of documents to communicate the information architecture
to other participants, including technical experts, usability experts,
clients, and users. Students learn to determine a target audience, develop
personas or user profiles, refine and validate requirements, create
site maps, functional specifications, wireframes, etc.
IDIA 640-- Humans, Computers,
and Cognition
Introduces students to concepts, theories, and methods drawn from the
fields of cognitive psychology and human-computer interaction that support
user-centered system design. Issues relating to problem solving, knowledge
representation, structure of knowledge systems, and problems of interface
design are emphasized. This course prepares students to understand and
analyze research based on empirical study of human behavior and on models
of learning and understanding.
IDIA 642-- Research Methods
for Interaction Design
Introduces user research methods such as contextual inquiry, ethnographic
field studies, card sorting, image collaging, and usability testing
that provide the foundation for user-centered interaction design.
IDIA 799-- IDIA Thesis/Project
A six-credit course in which each student develops a substantial project
or produces a Master's level thesis.
Elective Courses
Students may take any combination of courses from among the approved electives, of which a representative sample is listed below. Students may choose to concentrate their choices in one of the four focus areas. Other courses, in addition to those listed below, may be used as electives with the approval of the program director.
Technical Focus:
- Database Management Systems (INSS 651)
Theories and concepts employed in data base management systems (DBMS) and the efficiencies and economies of such systems. The function of various types (hierarchical, network, relational, etc.) of DBMS are described, including their purpose, advantages, disadvantages, and applications in business. Prerequisite: INSS 610 or INSS 640. - Dynamic Web Sites (IDIA 618)
Familiarizes students with the basic concepts and vocabulary of Web site programming, including application scripting, database management, object-oriented programming, and full-lifecycle software development. It provides students with the fundamental skills required to develop and maintain a dynamic data-driven Web site. Each student will develop a complete Web site using a simple text editor to create and manipulate relational data, learn a middleware markup language to store and retrieve data and control the rules of interaction, and write HTML to format data and control display. Prerequisite: PBDS 660 or a passing score on the Hypermedia Proficiency Exam. Lab fee required. - Hypermedia Production (IDIA 616)
Hands-on investigation of strategies and problem solving techniques involved in the production of practical interactive publications. Students work intensively on a major electronic publishing project. - Interactive Multimedia (IDIA 619)
A practical and theoretical introduction to genres, strategies, and techniques for producing multimedia content for the Internet. Students examine existing multimedia content while developing creative skills in one or more standard authoring systems. Background readings provide theoretical context for development of individual projects. Prerequisite: PBDS 660 or a passing score on the Hypermedia Proficiency Exam. Lab fee required. - Special Topics (IDIA 750)
Intensive exploration of topics in interaction design and information architecture of mutual interest to students and faculty. Content varies according to the concurrent interests of the faculty and students.
Interaction Design focus:
- Design Principles and Strategies (PBDS 640)
Exploration through hands-on design projects of the roles of typography, photography, and illustration in graphic communication. Analysis of audience, context, goals, market, competition, and technical constraints. Brainstorming and problem solving in groups and individually. Projects will be suitable for inclusion in the student's portfolio. - Special Topics (IDIA 750)
Intensive exploration of topics in interaction design and information architecture of mutual interest to students and faculty. Content varies according to the concurrent interests of the faculty and students.
User Research focus:
- Learning and Cognition (APPL 603)
A study of the major theories and models of human learning from both the traditional behaviorist perspective and the contemporary cognitive perspective and an experiential overview of how people acquire, store, and use information. This theoretical and empirical information will be applied to the understanding of human behavior in a wide variety of settings. - Special Topics (IDIA 750)
Intensive exploration of topics in interaction design and information architecture of mutual interest to students and faculty. Content varies according to the concurrent interests of the faculty and students.
Management focus:
- Design Business Link (PBDS 705/MGMT 797)
Intense global competition has forced businesses to find ways to grow and expand their product lines. History show us that design is the most reliable instrument to do this. This course will focus on helping business people and designers form closer partnerships so that the end result is designers who understand the needs of business and business people who know how to work well with designers in order to accomplish specific business goals. - Entrepreneurial Finance (FIN 797)
Specialized topics in finance, allowing flexibility for both the changing developments in finance and the education needs of students. Topic areas may include working capital management, small business finance, corporate restructuring, fixed income, or other more in-depth areas of finance. - Information Resource Management (PUAD 626)
The role of computers in developing and managing information necessary for decision making in public organizations. Includes consideration of computer applications, specifically: the development and management of data bases; and the use of software applications to decision making in both individual and distributed computing contexts. Also considers implications of computer technology, such as privacy, control, and security. Working knowledge of spreadsheets and data base software is required. Prerequisite: successful passage of the computer competency exam or demonstrated computer competency. - Intellectual Property Issues (MGMT 797)
An intensive exploration of topics in the area of management. Topics include e-commerce, leadership, organizational theory, or best business practice. - Special Topics (IDIA 750)
Intensive exploration of topics in interaction design and information architecture of mutual interest to students and faculty. Content varies according to the concurrent interests of the faculty and students.
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