Day

Preparation and Reading

In-Class Activities

1

Introduction

Go over policies and syllabus

2

UNDERSTANDING TASK ORIENTATION:  Read Ch. 1, do Exercise 3

Quiz 1, discuss exercise, go over the documentation process.

ANALYZING YOUR USERS: Read Ch. 5

Quiz 5, exercise:  do user analysis form for fictitious person, in class do user analysis for program users.

Write up, in memo format, the user analysis done in the previous class. Select a shareware program for the semester project.

In-class reviews of user-analysis memos.

PLANNING AND WRITING YOUR DOCUMENTS: Read Ch. 6.

Quiz 6, user analysis report due, in class practice writing procedures.

Plan the user analysis.

In class: decide on and review interview questions

Review the user analysis and create a table of contents.

DESIGNING FOR TASK ORIENTATION: Read Ch. 10.

Quiz 10, discuss, use design planning guide with the user analysis.

Design planning guide due for documentation set.

LAYING OUT PAGES AND SCREENS: Read Ch. 11; do Exercise 1.

Quiz 11, discuss the chapter, discuss the exercise, in class matrix do goals with design options, exercise:  analyze a bad example.

GETTING THE LANGUAGE RIGHT: Read Ch. 12.

Read Ch. 12, do selected exercises.

Draft of documentation plan due.

In class: workshop documentation plan according to the checklist in Ch. 6 and/or Ch. 10.

USING GRAPHICS EFFECTIVELY: Read Ch. 13;  do exercise 1.

Discuss the exercise, do the graphics checklist in Ch 13 to plan graphics for major project.

Documentation plan due.

START ALPHA, WRITING TUTORIAL DOCUMENTATION:  Read Ch. 2; do exercise 1.

Quiz 2, discuss the chapter, discuss exercise 1.

Do an exercise focused on learning styles.

WRITING PROCEDURES:  Read Ch. 3, do exercise 2.

Quiz 3, discuss exercise in class.

Bring a draft of one of the procedures for the major project.

In class workshop/review of procedure draft.

WRITING REFERENCE DOCUMENTATION:  Read Ch 4; do exercise 1.

Quiz 4, discuss exercise.

Alpha draft due, in class do exercise 2, Ch. 4.

GETTING USEFUL REVIEWS: Read Ch. 7; do exercise 2 in a memo.

Review meetings.

Review meetings.

CONDUCTING USABILITY TESTS: Read Ch. 8; do exercise 2

Quiz 8, in class: introduce and practice task/criteria matrix.

Prepare test materials for alpha draft.

In class testing of alpha drafts.

Test report due.

EDITING AND FINE TUNING: Read Ch. 9.

Quiz 9

FINAL DRAFT OF DOCUMENTATION SET DUE