On the course, the student learns to evaluate the usability and user experience of products, to understand how they affect the success of products, and to design usable, enjoyable software products and services. Students practice usability assessment skills of services using e.g. Nielsen’s 10 heuristic rules. Common design tools are applied to user interface sketching in assignments.
Course contents
The course teaches basic skills for usability and user experience assessment as well as user interface design. For quantitative analysis, common analytic tools and methods are explained. The essential topics handled on the course are:
- Basics of perceptual psychology
- Usability heuristics
- Usability testing methods
- Analytics of user experience and usability
- User interface design processes & tools
- UI design patterns
- Accessibility issues
- Aesthetics
- Ethical principles
- Culture-dependent issues
Learning outcomes
After the course, the student can:
- Evaluate the usability of products and services e.g. using usability heuristics
- Estimate usage needs and formulate design requirements
- Do traditional usability testing with test persons
- Understand quantitative analysis methods of usability and user experience
- Design user interfaces applying design tools
- Apply design patterns in UI design
- Understand the significance of accessibility in services
Course material
Lecture recordings and other materials are available via Moodle.
Technology and programs
Figma, Google Stitch.
Teaching schedule
Lectures on Mondays (recordings in Moodle).
Completion methods
Exercises, exam.
More information in the University of Turku study guide.
You can get a digital badge after completing this course.