User-Centered Design, Heuristics and Prototyping
Teaching Demonstration – Public Examination IFPE (EBTT)
This material corresponds to the Didactic Performance Examination (Prova Prática de Desempenho Didático-Pedagógico) of the public examination for the position of Professor of Basic, Technical and Technological Education (EBTT) at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pernambuco (IFPE).
The class was prepared for the discipline Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), targeting undergraduate and technological education students in the Computing area.
Class Topic
User-Centered Design, Usability Heuristics, and Prototyping
General Objective
To apply technical principles of User-Centered Design (UCD) and usability heuristics in the development of low-fidelity prototypes.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- Identify the principles of User-Centered Design according to ISO 9241-210;
- Relate Nielsen’s Heuristics to concrete interface elements;
- Analyze the cost of change in software development (Boehm curve perspective);
- Differentiate low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototyping;
- Construct a low-fidelity wireframe applying feedback and error-prevention mechanisms.
Core Content
- Foundations of User-Centered Design (ISO 9241-210);
- Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics;
- Cost of change in Software Engineering (Boehm);
- Prototyping techniques: Low vs. High Fidelity;
- Wireframing as an early validation strategy.
Methodological Approach
Introduction
- Contextualization of HCI within Software Engineering;
- Presentation of the relevance of usability in system quality.
Development
- Dialogic exposition of UCD cycle and ISO 9241-210 principles;
- Presentation of Nielsen’s Heuristics with practical interface examples;
- Discussion of Boehm’s cost-of-change curve;
- Demonstration of low-fidelity prototyping using a login-screen case.
Practical Activity
Collaborative Challenge – “Login Interface”
Students contribute to designing a low-fidelity wireframe that:
- Provides visibility of system status;
- Prevents common user errors (e.g., Caps Lock);
- Improves feedback mechanisms.
Conclusion
- Synthesis of key concepts (UCD cycle, heuristics, prototyping economy);
- Short formative quiz for immediate learning verification;
- Orientation for follow-up practical activity using design tools.
Evaluation Strategy
- Formative assessment: Observation of participation and argumentation during discussion and collaborative activity;
- Conceptual verification: Short objective quiz at the end of the lesson;
- Applied assessment: Individual low-fidelity wireframe assignment for subsequent class.
Pedagogical Alignment
This teaching demonstration emphasizes:
- Integration between theory and practical application;
- Active learning methodology;
- Critical thinking in interface evaluation;
- Alignment with technological and professional education objectives typical of the EBTT career.
Bibliographic References
- Barbosa, S. D. J.; Silva, B. S. Human-Computer Interaction.
- ISO 9241-210 – Human-Centred Design for Interactive Systems.
- Nielsen, J. Usability Engineering.
- Pressman, R. Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach.
- Lowdermilk, T. User-Centered Design.