Human Factors and Usability Engineering

BMG 530 is a graduate course designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and practical skills in human factors engineering and usability. The curriculum focuses on the systematic identification, analysis, and mitigation of use-related risks, which is paramount in the development of reliable and user-friendly systems. Students will gain proficiency in conducting various types of usability evaluations, including formative assessments for early design iteration and summative testing for final validation. A significant portion of the course is dedicated to understanding and applying concepts derived from relevant international standards, providing a robust framework for developing systems that are not only effective but also intuitive and safe for their intended users. This course integrates theoretical knowledge with hands-on application, preparing students for professional roles demanding expertise in human-centered design and risk management.

Prerequisites

BMG 501

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Introduction to Human Factors and Usability Engineeringlecture

02Lesson 2: Understanding the User and Context of Uselecture

03Lesson 3: Principles of Human-Centered Design and User Interface Designlecture

04Hands-on Lab: User Research and Context of Use Analysislab

05Lesson 5: Introduction to Use-Related Risk Managementlecture

06Lesson 6: Usability Specifications and Planning Usability Engineering Activitieslecture

07Lesson 7: Formative Evaluation Methods and Techniqueslecture

08Hands-on Lab: Conducting Formative Usability Testing and Analysislab

09Lesson 9: Summative Usability Testing Design and Executionlecture

10Lesson 10: Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Reporting of Usability Test Resultslecture

11Hands-on Lab: Summative Usability Testing and Reportinglab

12Lesson 12: Advanced Topics in Human Error and Cognitive Loadlecture

13Lesson 13: Integrating Usability Engineering into System Development Lifecycleslecture

14Capstone Service Project: Comprehensive Usability Evaluation and Risk Mitigationassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to Human Factors and Usability Engineering","Week 2: Lesson 2: Understanding the User and Context of Use","Week 3: Lesson 3: Principles of Human-Centered Design and User Interface Design","Week 4: Hands-on Lab: User Research and Context of Use Analysis","Week 5: Lesson 5: Introduction to Use-Related Risk Management","Week 6: Lesson 6: Usability Specifications and Planning Usability Engineering Activities","Week 7: Lesson 7: Formative Evaluation Methods and Techniques","Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Conducting Formative Usability Testing and Analysis","Week 9: Lesson 9: Summative Usability Testing Design and Execution","Week 10: Lesson 10: Data Analysis, Interpretation, and Reporting of Usability Test Results","Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Summative Usability Testing and Reporting","Week 12: Lesson 12: Advanced Topics in Human Error and Cognitive Load","Week 13: Lesson 13: Integrating Usability Engineering into System Development Lifecycles","Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Comprehensive Usability Evaluation and Risk Mitigation"]