New Interactive Course Offering

Usability/Playability Testing for Games: CTIN 404

Interactive Media Division has added a new course this semester called CTIN 404: Usability/Playability Testing for Games.

This course will address concepts and methods of usability assessment for games. The emphasis will be on understanding the issues surrounding game interfaces and translating them into design recommendations, but the class will also address the development of interfaces as both a cultural and aesthetic practice.

The emerging field of usability of games draws on the disciplines of cognitive psychology, human-computer interface design, game design, communications, learning and graphic design. 

Topics to be covered include:

• Methods of identifying & describing user needs and requirements
• User centered design
• Evaluation of information systems

Students will learn and practice the major usability assessment methods, including heuristic evaluation and the think aloud lab method. 

Basic skills that will also be covered:

• Research design
• Conducting user testing
• How to provide recommendations
• Effect positive change to game design
• Work collaboratively with designers

The class will include guest lecturers in the field of game usability. 

Instructor Bio:  
Heather Desurvire of Behavioristics is one of the foremost specialists of Usability and Playability whose published work on usability/playability methodology is being used to set standards for usability testing and game testing research.  As a practitioner, her clients benefit from Desurvire’s wealth of knowledge and experience with many of the top Fortune100/500 companies. Her work spans e-commerce, software, websites and games for companies such as Fandango.com, United Airlines, Yahoo, CMGI, Creative Assembly, Kaos, Chrome, Sony Online Entertainment, Incinerator, Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Disney Interactive, Disney Online, THQ, Publishers, LucasArts, Sega of America and many more.

Instructor:
Heather Desurvire


 
 

Associated Person:

Tracy Fullerton Scott S. Fisher