Mobile Application Experiences Part 1: From a Domain to an App Idea

Overview

Want to create the next big app, grounded in the needs of real users? This course will teach you Human Computer Interaction (HCI) methods to understand current behavior in a domain and identify opportunities for novel apps to meet gaps in current offerings. At the end of this series of courses, you will have designed, developed, and deployed your own app.

Come with a domain of interest (e.g., music, photo sharing, planning with friends, etc.) and we’ll help you fully explore that domain and land on an idea (or set of ideas) that can fit the needs of millions of people worldwide.

This course is part one of a five-part Mobile Apps series.

21W.789.1x: Mobile Application Experiences Part 1: From a Domain to an App Idea
21W.789.2x: Mobile Application Experiences Part 2: Mobile App Design
21W.789.3x: Mobile Application Experiences Part 3: Building Mobile Apps
21W.789.4x: Mobile Application Experiences Part 4: Understanding Use
21W.789.5x: Mobile Application Experiences Part 5: Reporting Research Findings

Syllabus

Module 1: Understanding a Domain
Week 1: Studying a Domain
Week 2: Identifying Themes and Market Gaps
Week 3: Proposing a Novel Application

Module 2: Mobile Design
Week 1: From Use Cases to Screens
Week 2: Paper and Interactive Prototyping
Week 3: Usability Testing

Module 3: Building Mobile Applications
Week 1: Getting Started on Android and iOS
Week 2: Mobile Location and Networking
Week 3: Instrumentation and Logging / Poster Session

Module 4: Understanding Use
Week 1: Quantitative Methods: Logging, A/B Testing
Week 2: Qualitative Methods: Field and Diary Studies
Week 3: Analyzing Data: Case Study

Module 5: Reporting Research Findings
Week 1: Writing a CHI-style paper
Week 2: Submit paper