Course Title: Create user interfaces

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2023

Course Code: COMM5475C

Course Title: Create user interfaces

School: 515T Creative Industries

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4422 - Certificate IV in Screen and Media

Course Contact: Suzanne Thomson

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 8428

Course Contact Email: suzanne.thomson@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None.

Course Description

In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to create a user interface for animation, gaming and/or visual effects products.

The course applies to those who respond to design briefs and produce user interfaces that incorporate user-centred design principles and comply with platform standards. They typically work in a team environment with some supervision or guidance.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CUADIG413 Create user interfaces

Element:

1. Clarify project requirements and plan approach

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Interpret design brief requirements in consultation with required personnel

1.2 Identify text content and media assets to be integrated into user interfaces

1.3 Determine file output format according to delivery platform requirements of interactive media products

1.4 Identify industry-standard graphics software options

1.5 Discuss and select graphics software with required personnel

Element:

2. Produce user interfaces

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Develop structure for user interfaces based on design brief using selected graphics software

2.2 Source, create and integrate all graphic interactive components

2.3 Develop user interfaces according to design brief requirements

2.4 Apply principles of user-centred design and standards for accessibility to development of user interfaces

2.5 Document styles for text and presentation for use in style sheets, templates, and themes

2.6 Save user interfaces in required output format that meets technical parameters

2.7 Adopt safe ergonomic practices when using equipment for long periods of time

Element:

3. Finalise user interfaces

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Plan and implement testing of interface with sample users

3.2 Review user interface testing and evaluate effectiveness of interface components with required personnel

3.3 Discuss additional requirements or modifications to interface with required personnel, and adjust interface as required

3.4 Obtain final agreement on finished designs from required personnel

Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

Details of Learning Activities

This course consists of 2 Units of Competency that are clustered together for delivery and assessment. The other unit of competency in this clustered course is: CUADIG413 Create user interfaces

In class learning activities may include, but are not limited to:

• lectures and/or lab work
• teacher directed group activities and projects
• concept development of group and individual projects
• group discussions and class presentations
• peer and teacher feedback
• self directed online, library and industry research
• self directed project production work and reflection

Out of class activities may include, but are not limited to:

• maintaining secure daily backups of all assessment and project data to your RMIT OneDrive account
• accessing online tutorial resources
• self directed online, library and industry research
• self directed project production work and reflection
• class excursions to events and locations outside of RMIT


Teaching Schedule

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and the availability of speakers and resources.

 

Week Topic Assessment / Learning activities

Week 1

Introduction to Digital Design

  • What is a digital design
  • Looking at industry-standard software and tools
  • Basics of Figma 
  
Week 2

Research and design 

  • How to read a design brief
  • Defining a target audience
  • How to define a budget and timeline
  • Legal considerations
  • Ergonomic practices

The basics of Vector shapes (learning Illustrator)

  • Basic Illustrator interface
  • Basic shapes, fills and shapes
  • Learning the basic of  pen tool
  
Week 3

Digital Design Theory

  • Looking deeper into industry standard software.
  • Ergonomic practices

Software learning

  • Working in Figma
 AT1 Part A
Milestone submission
Week 4

Research, Standards and Legal

  • Understanding why research is important
  • Historical and contemporary context of brief
  • IP, copyright and licensing
  • Accessibility standards
  • The role of user testing and defining user testing strategies

Resources

  • Developing moodboards

Concept generation workshop

  • Sketching icon warm-up 
  • Working on layout sketches
  • Participate in feedback workshop
  
Week 5

Software Learning 

  • How to use balance, repetition, proximity and alignment to create a UI design
  • Icon development using Illustrator
 AT1 Part B
Milestone submission
Week 6

Prototyping

  • Selecting the Approach for UI Design
  • Developing prototype
  
Week 7

User testing workshop

  • Participating in workshop for user testing

 
Week 8

Finalise UI solution

  • Fixing up issues from user testing
  • Recording a walkthrough video to showcase your solution. 
 AT1  Due 
Week 9

Working with photos and bitmaps

  • Learning the basics of Photoshop 
  • Bitmap and Vector
  • Exporting formats
  
Week 10

More advanced Figma techniques

  • Exploring smart animations
  
Week 11

Researching new client brief

  • Building resources
  • Gathering content
  • Making a plan

 
Week 12

Planning for complex interaction

  • Non-traditional interaction UI patterns
  • How to think about screen interaction differently
 AT2 Part A
Milestone submission
Week 13

Concept Generation Workshop

  • Participate in rapid exchange of concept development and feedback

 

AT2 Part B
Milestone submission
Week 14

Creating a UI Design

  • How to use balance, repetition, proximity and alignment to create a UI design
  • Creating a more complex layout for interaction.

Prototyping

  • Adding colour and focusing on contrast, considering Accessibility standards.
  
Week 15

User testing workshop

  • Participating in workshop
  
Week 16

Finalise UI solution

  • Fixing up issues from user testing
  • Recording a walkthrough video to showcase your solution. 
 AT2 Due
Week 17 Review

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

None


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights to your written tasks. Full assessment briefs will be provided and can be found on CANVAS. 


Assessment Tasks

Students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training qualifications are assessed for Competency.  To be assessed competent means you have consistently demonstrated the required knowledge and skills at a standard expected in the workplace. To be assessed as Competent in this course, you will need to complete each assessment task to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback from the teacher at the conclusion of each assessment task.

You should refer to the assessment brief which is available through Canvas for full assessment criteria

Assessment 01: UI Design

For this assessment, you will use a defined process to clarify, research, generate ideas, create, and test an interactive solution with custom graphics.

Due Week 8

Assessment 02: Application Prototype Design 

For your assessment, you will build upon the skills you have acquired in previous lessons and create a more advanced interactive solution that incorporates your own custom graphics.

Due Week 16

Assessment in this course uses the following grades:

CA - Competency Achieved
NYC - Not Yet Competent
DNS - Did Not Submit

 


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix for this course demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the unit of competency. These matrices are available through Program Administration.

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters.

 

 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview