Course Description
The mobile landscape is constantly changing — new devices, new operating systems, new applications. Even seasoned designers are overwhelmed by the chaos, sometimes creating less than optimal designs that are soon outdated. But the successful designs, the ones that surprise and delight their users, look beyond the here and now. The first part of this course will provide the foundation to create remarkable mobile designs that can truly stand the test of time. Some of the topics we’ll cover include: exploratory mobile research, mobile prototype development, and gesture design. The latter part of the course will delve into device differences and responsive design, a technique that can help minimize the challenges associated with cross-platform support. Course material will be covered through lectures, readings, and a group project.
Meetings
Class meets on Thursdays from 3:30-5:30PM.
Mailing List
Course mailing list is i290-dme@ischool.berkeley.edu. Subscribe here.
Grading
Grades will be determined primarily by a student’s performance on group assignments and in-class participation. The group project will be the core deliverable of the class, and will carry a significant weighting in the course grade. The class will not be graded on a curve. While the final grade assignment is subject to the instructors’ discretion, the following is a rough breakdown of the weight given to various components in the course.
- Class Participation (incl. attendance): 15%
- Concept Phase: 15%
- User Research: 10%
- Mid-Way Presentation: 10%
- Early Prototype: 15%
- User Testing Findings: 10%
- Final Prototype: 15%
- Final Presentation: 10%
Late Policy
Homework is due by 9AM on the due date. Late assignments will be accepted but the grade will be reduced. There is no allowance for late group presentations.
Readings
Readings will be posted to the course schedule. Most will be provided online, some with restricted access.