1

Tuesday
April 6
2004

Topic A: Intro to User Testing
Topic B: Heuristics

Writing assignment: Look over this web site to see the kinds of topics we'll be covering. Write a short paper telling me what you will know and do at the end of the five weeks that will cause you to deserve an "A" in the class.

Group exercise: see Group exercise page.

Reading assignment: Read the pages in this web site that deal with the topics and follow the links.

• User Testing
• Heuristics
• Don't Make Me Think pp. 2-43
• The Design of Everyday Things Chapters 1-2

marthaedwards@swbell.net.

Helpful Site:
Inspiration:
Wacky Site of the Week: The End of the Internet

2

Tuesday
April 13 2004

Topic A: Navigation
Topic B: Writing for the Web

Writing Assignment: Take a section of text and reformat it for the web so that it can be easily read. Use subtopic headings for each paragraph and break the actual paragraphs up so that there are only 1-2 sentences before a break. Use one of the following sections from The Design of Everyday Things:

• Affordances p. 9
• Pity the Poor Designer p.28
• People as Explanatory Creatures p. 38

Reading assignment: Read the pages in this web site that deal with the topics and follow the links.

• Navigation
• Writing for the Web
• Don't Make Me Think pp. 45-95
• The Design of Everyday Things Chapters 3-4

Group Assignment. See Group Exercises page.

Helpful Sites: Builder.cnet.com, Martha's HTML Intro, Optimizing Graphics
Inspiration: Lynda.com
Wacky Site of the Week: Wanna Be a Mac?

3

Topic A: Home Page Politics and
Topic B: Accessibility Issues

Reading assignment: Read the pages in this web site that deal with the topics and follow the links.

• Navigation
• Writing for the Web
• Don't Make Me Think pp. 97-129
• The Design of Everyday Things Chapters 5-6

Group Assignment. See Group Exercises page.

Helpful Site: A List Apart
Inspiration: The Noodle Incident
Wacky Site of the Week: Homestarrunner.com

4

Tuesday
April 27
2004

Topic A: Flash Sites and
Topic B: Optimizing Images for the Web

Reading assignment: Read the pages in this web site that deal with the topics and follow the links.

• Navigation
• Writing for the Web
• Don't Make Me Think pp. 131-181
• The Design of Everyday Things Chapter 7

Group Assignment. See Group Exercises page.

Helpful Site: A List Apart
Inspiration: Killer Web Sites
Wacky Site of the Week: Wacky Tourism

5

Tuesday
May 4
2004

Topic A: User Testing II
Topic B: "Future-Proofing" Your Sites