OVERVIEW

The course in Cognitive Ergonomics is the first module of a combined course in Ergonomics of Interaction Design. Cognitive ergonomics investigates how human mind interacts with work tools and environments, and it defines the principles for an effective, efficient, safe, and satisfying interaction with technology. The course will provide the theoretical ground of the User Centered Design, in order to develop systems taking into account the nature of end-users’ mind processes.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at providing an updated survey about the theoretical and methodological underpinnings for a proper ergonomic design of the interaction between people and technology, according to the principles of the User Centered Design. Students will learn the basic principles of cognitive interaction with a digital system and they will be able to understand and perform an ergonomic evaluation of a system and an ergonomic design of an interactive device, knowing the salient steps, from the general definition f the project to the evaluation of usability and the user experience.

LEARNING OUTCOMES (FURTHER INFO)

The course aims at providing students with a professional profile in ergonomic design of interactive digital systems.

The learning outcomes are concerning the capacity to:

• understand the cognitive dynamics in using interactive devices;
• perform a cognitive task analysis;
• design a system according to the human cognitive nature;
• design according to the principles of information visualization;
• know the recent developments in affective computing and emotional interaction with technology

In particular, students will:

• get proper knowledge about the main topics of cognitive ergonomics, and capacity to understand the main topics in the discipline (the main cognitive processes);
• apply the knowledge and solve problems inherent the cognitive ergonomics;
• autonomously use the knowledge about cognitive ergonomics, being able to evaluate the usability of a system;
• acquire technical language of cognitive ergonomics in order to have a clear and effective communication with subject matter experts;
• develop learning capacity to carry on studying autonomously the topics of cognitive ergonomics, most of all concerning future application to professional situations.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be based on several teaching methods:

• presentations: discussion of the main theoretical models in general cognitive ergonomics, based on slides and material available on Aulaweb
• group activities: groups will analyse cases and have open discussions

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Cognitive processes

• visual perception
• attention
• memory
• thinking
• decision making
• workload
• situatin awareness
• SRK model

Human-automation interaction

• out-of-the-loop sydrome
• MABA-MABA
• Complacency
• Trust in automation

Emotions and technology

• edutainment
• emotional design
• affective computing
• lovemarks

User centered design

• SHELL model
• Affordances, constraints
• Mental models and mapping
• The 7 stages of action

Interaction design

• basics and laws of interaction design
• properties of a good design
• interface design

Development of an interaction design process

• knowledge elicitation
• personae
• scenarios and storybards
• user case, wireframe

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Gamberini Luciano, Chittaro Luca, Paternò Fabio, (2012). Human-Computer Interaction. I fondamenti dell’interazione fra persone e tecnologie, Pearson
• Di Nocera Francesco (2004). Cos’è l’ergonomia cognitiva. Carocci
• Handouts on Aulaweb

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FABRIZIO BRACCO (President)

NICCOLO' CASIDDU (President)

CLAUDIA PORFIRIONE

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Friday 07 of October 2016, 9 am

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written test with open-ended questions. Students wanting to increase the grade of the written test may ask for an oral exam to be given during the following exam session.

Exam description

• Written test (compulsory): 6 open-ended questions (range 0-5 points). The available time will be 90 minutes

• Oral test (optional): analysis of a case concerning psychology and communication issues. The oral exam can be requested after the written test. The final grade will be the average of the two tests.

Attending the lessons, students could ground their study on Aulaweb handouts and the book mentioned in the program.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written test will provide an objective assessment and will evaluate students’ capacity in writing a coherent, sound, complete and clear discourse about psychological topics concerning cognitive ergonomics (as it will be further required for the dissertation and at the end of the stage).

The open-ended questions will require more than just a repetition of concepts, but rather a demonstration of linking models and theories, capacity to critically analyse the constructs, to have a global perspective over problems and mastery of the technical terminology.

The optional oral exam could increase the grade obtained in the written test, and the students will be required to demonstrate critical thinking about a case study or a problem in cognitive ergonomics.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Topics for dissertations

For experimental research dissertations, students are invited to provide an experimental plan to discuss during the meeting. The topics are:

• Human-computer interaction
• Information design
• Interface design
• cognitive psychology
• cognitive ergonomics and human factors