Course Overview
As computers and digital devices are ubiquitous and embedded in everyday objects, it is very important to focus on designing intuitive, effective and simple interactions. This course will present an introduction to principles of human-computer interaction and will explore the concepts and practices used for interaction design: information architecture, immersion techniques, prototyping, user-centered design, usability design and testing and user research. Principles of designing for accessibility and ethical considerations will be discussed and applied. Students will evaluate and design several interfaces for software applications (e.g., desktop, mobile and web) and pervasive computing devices (e.g., wearable, AR/AM/VR, and voice interaction devices), and will design a low-fidelity prototype.
Prerequisite(s)
- Acceptance into the Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science (BscACS) program.
Credits
3.0
Registration requirements
Departmental approval is required to register for this course. You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Domestic fees
$867.64 - $885.49 See individual course offerings below for actual costs.
International fees are typically 3.4 times the domestic tuition. Exact cost will be calculated upon completion of registration.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explain the principles of HCI design: Universe of Discourse, user-centered design, conceptual design, prototyping, usability studies and analysis.
- Evaluate existing interfaces for usability and user-centered design.
- Evaluate immersion techniques.
- Analyze how the digital information is structured.
- Analyze how users navigate information.
- Explain usability principles related to task analysis, cognitive load, mental models and user models.
- Explore usability research methods and how to create a user persona.
- Compare and contrast design strategies for achieving accessibility for a variety of users.
- Discuss ethical considerations related to usability testing.
- Conduct usability studies for an existing application or device.
- Communicate the results of the usability study with members of other teams.
- Write an usability report for an application or device.
- Discuss the techniques of prototyping: low, medium and high-fidelity prototyping.
- Apply the stages of HCI design to create a low-fidelity prototype for an application or device.
Effective as of Fall 2023
Related Programs
Interaction Design (COMP 7012) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
- Indicates programs eligible for students to apply for Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
School of Computing and Academic Studies
- Applied Computer Science (Database Option)
Bachelor of Science Full-time/Part-time
- Applied Computer Science (Games Development Option)
Bachelor of Science Full-time
- Applied Computer Science (Human Computer Interface Option)
Bachelor of Science Part-time
- Applied Computer Science (Network Security Administration Option)
Bachelor of Science Part-time
- Applied Computer Science (Network Security Applications Development Option)
Bachelor of Science Full-time/Part-time
- Applied Computer Science (Wireless and Mobile Applications Development Option)
Bachelor of Science Part-time
Course Offerings
Spring/Summer 2026
Below is one offering of COMP 7012 for the Spring/Summer 2026 term.
CRN 69300
Dates
Apr 13 - Jul 06 Loading
- CRN 69300
- $867.64 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13 - Jul 06 | Mon | 18:30 - 22:15 | Burnaby SW01 Rm. 2004 |
Duration
12 weeks
Instructor
Walid Khan
Course outline
Important information
- No class - May 18 (Victoria Day) 1. Please email compBSc@bcit.ca for departmental approval. Include your full name, student number (A0#), course number (e.g. COMP 7000), and CRN #. 2. This is a BScACS course. BScACS courses are also open to non-bachelor program students, if approval is granted by the BScACS Program Head. 3. BScACS program students have up to seven (7) years to complete the program starting from the date of their first technical degree-level course or the date of acceptance to the BScACS program, whichever comes first.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
Fall 2026
Below is one offering of COMP 7012 for the Fall 2026 term.
CRN 50437
Dates
Sep 08 - Nov 24 Loading
- CRN 50437
- $885.49 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 08 - Nov 24 | Tue | 18:30 - 22:15 | Burnaby SW03 Rm. 2745 |
Duration
12 weeks
Instructor
Arron Ferguson
Course outline
Course outline TBD — see Learning Outcomes in the interim.
Important information
- 1. Please email compBSc@bcit.ca for departmental approval. Include your student number (A0#), course number (COMP__) and preferred CRN. 2. This is a BScACS course. 3. BScACS program students have up to seven (7) years to complete the Bachelor program starting from the date of their first Technical degree-level course or the date of acceptance to the Bachelor program, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice. Find out more about BCIT course cancellations.