Human-Computer Interaction & UX Design

By the end, you can

• Explain the five Nielsen usability components and the relationship usability + utility = usefulness.
• Distinguish mental models from conceptual models and describe why closing the gap matters.
• Identify which Norman gulf each design principle (affordances, feedback, mapping, constraints) addresses.
• Apply Fitts's law to justify button size and placement choices, including the use of screen edges.
• Apply Hick's law to justify reducing choices and using progressive disclosure.
• Name and describe all ten of Nielsen's usability heuristics and identify which one a given interface violation breaks.
• Describe the four stages of the UCD loop and explain why iteration is central to it.
• Compare think-aloud usability testing, heuristic evaluation, and A/B testing by what each method tells you and what it requires.
• Interpret a SUS score correctly (68 = average; it is not a percentage).
• Explain the curb-cut effect and why inclusive design benefits all users.