MAD9034
User Experience Design
Course Outline
2025-2026
- Pre-requisite(s)
- MAD9020
- Co-requisite(s)
- N/A
- Prepared by
- Tilan Gunawardena
- Approved by
- Shirley Piersma, Academic Chair, Media Studies
- Approval date
- Friday, August 1, 2025
- Normative hours
- 56.00
- Grading system
- A+ Through F
| Applicable Program | Level | Core/Elective |
|---|---|---|
| 1515X01FWO - Mobile App. Des. & Dev | 3 | Core |
Land Acknowledgement
Algonquin College campuses in Ottawa, Perth and Pembroke are located on the traditional unceded, and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinàbe Algonquin People. The Algonquin People have inhabited and cared for these lands since time immemorial. We take this time to express our gratitude and respect to them and to the land for all that it has provided and will continue to provide.
As a post-secondary institution, we acknowledge the harms done to Indigenous Peoples and are committed to learning from the past. We pledge to promote healing and resilience as we move forward in partnership with the Algonquin Nations, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples in a spirit of reconciliation.
While we recognize that territorial acknowledgements are only one step in cultivating greater respect and inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, we commit to accompanying these words with actions. We are dedicated to building a future and community that is better for all.
We pledge to continue exploring and making meaningful contributions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.
Learn more about the College's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation: https://www.algonquincollege.com/tri
Course Description
For a product to be intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable, it must be designed in a user-centric manner, which builds upon user interface fundamentals. Students begin with user research and build toward creating interaction design specifications in the form of wireframe documents. Topics such as information architecture, navigation and orientation, and interaction design principles are discussed and applied.
Vocational Learning Outcomes
This course provides the opportunity for you to achieve the following outcomes:
1515X01FWO - Mobile App. Des. & Dev
| VLO 2 | Promote mobile technology solutions using business communication and marketing skills. (T, A) |
|---|---|
| VLO 3 | Design universal and accessible digital user interfaces which meet industry and government guidelines and standards. (T, A) |
| VLO 4 | Apply user experience principles to plan and design research-supported effective web and mobile solutions. (T, A) |
| VLO 11 | Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship. (T, A) |
Essential Employability Skills
This course contributes to your program by helping you achieve the following Essential Employability Skills:
| EES 1 | Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfills the purpose and meets the needs of the audience. (T, A) |
|---|---|
| EES 2 | Respond to written, spoken or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication. (T, A) |
| EES 5 | Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems. (T, A) |
| EES 8 | Show respect for diverse opinions, values, belief systems and contributions of others. (CP) |
| EES 11 | Take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions and consequences. (CP) |
Course Learning Outcomes / Elements of Performance
When you have earned credit for this course, you will have demonstrated the ability to:
1. Explain which topics the term User Experience Design encompasses.
2. Conduct user research to determine user requirements.
3. Communicate user requirements in the form of personas and scenarios.
4. Create and test interaction design specifications to ensure that applications meet usability and accessibility standards.
5. Explain the relationship between digital storytelling and branding strategies.
Learning Resources
- Course website.
- Web-based readings and resources.
- Recommended books:
- Cooper, Alan. (2004). The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High-Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity. Sams Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-0672326141
- Krug, Steve (2009). Rocket Surgery Made Easy: The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding and Fixing Usability Problems. ISBN-13: 978-0321657299
This course is part of the Bring Your Own Device (laptop) program initiative at Algonquin College.
Students are required to have a functioning laptop at all lecture and lab classes.
The specifications for the required laptop and additional information about the mobile program initiative can be found at http://www.algonquincollege.com/html/byod
To access your course list, learning resources and costs, visit Booklist.
Please note that a learner must be registered in a specific course or program to view this information.
Program tuition and fees can be found on the Tuition and Fees Estimator for Full-time Programs page.
Learning Activities
- Online Lesson notes
- Links to online resources
- In-class lectures and presentations
- In-class group work
- Research and written exercises
- Online exercises
- Contributions to online discussions
Pre-defined Evaluation / Earning Credit
The following list provides evidence of this course's learning achievements and the outcomes they validate:
Assignment(s) (50%)
Validates Outcomes: CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, EES 1, EES 2, EES 5
Practical Assessment (s) (10%)
Validates Outcomes: CLO 1, CLO 4, EES 2, EES 5
Presentation(s) (10%)
Validates Outcomes: CLO 1, CLO 5, EES 1, EES 8, EES 11
Practical Project(s) (30%)
Validates Outcomes: CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, EES 1, EES 2, EES 5, EES 8, EES 11
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
Students who wish to apply for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) need to demonstrate competency at a post-secondary level in all outlined course learning outcomes. Evidence of learning achievement for PLAR candidates includes:
- Portfolio
- Performance Test
- Project/Assignment
Course Related Information
Program Information
1515X01FWO - Mobile App. Des. & Dev
Late Assignment Submission penalties.
Assignments that are submitted after the deadline are subject to a late penalty.
Assignments submitted after the deadline up to 1 day - 10% penalty.
After 1 day up to 2 days - 20% penalty.
After 2 days, up to 3 days - 30% penalty.
After 10 days assignments are given a grade of zero. The assignments can still be submitted for feedback but are worth no marks.
Late penalty percentages are calculated based on the total possible value of the assignment, not the grade for the work.
Assignment Submissions
All assignment submissions must be new work by the student. This means that students who are repeating a course may not submit their work from a previous semester or previous version of the course for grading again.
Class Absences
Attendance at all classes, both in-person and online, is required.
If students are going to miss a class, they should contact their course instructor beforehand to let them know. This will give the instructor a chance to let the student know what they will miss, what they will need to make up for, and what material they will need to research on their own.
Department Information
College Related Information
Algonquin College’s policies have been developed to ensure the health, safety and security of all students, faculty and staff, and the proper and fair operation of the College as an academic institution and employer. Please refer to the Algonquin College Policies website for the most current policy information available at http://www.algonquincollege.com/policies/.
Students are especially encouraged to be aware of the following College expectations
Academic Integrity
Algonquin College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity, and students are expected to uphold these standards throughout their learning journey with the College and post-graduation. Any academic work submitted by a student is expected to be their own work, unless designated otherwise, all human and technological assisted generated sources must be attributed. Refer to the College's Library web site for attribution support and resources. All students are expected to be familiar with the College’s AA48: Academic Integrity policy which outlines student and staff roles and responsibilities, the process for addressing, determining and ruling final academic decisions regarding violations of academic integrity as well as what represents academic misconduct. Students with any questions about academic integrity course expectations including but not limited to use of technology, generative AI and other resources to support completion of coursework, are encouraged to speak to their professor and refer to the course weekly schedule, assessment instructions, course announcements and materials.
Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL)
Students with visible and/or non-visible disabilities are encouraged to register with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) in order to be eligible for appropriate learning supports and/or accommodations. Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with the Centre for Accessible Learning as early as possible when starting a program. Once your needs are identified, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be issued which you can share with your professors through the CAL Student Portal. If you are a returning student, please ensure that professors are given a copy of your LOA each semester.
Test Accommodations for Students Registered with CAL
Students who require testing accommodations will book their tests/exams through the CAL Student Portal. It is important to note the posted test/exam booking deadlines for the term. Test booking deadlines are communicated through CAL Disabilities Counsellors, CAL Testing Services, and other college wide communication. Additional information on the steps to book accommodated tests/exams with CAL Test Services can be found at Step-by-Step Overview.
Retroactive Accommodations
Students are expected to meet evaluation and completion deadlines as stated in course outline and weekly schedule documents. In circumstances where evaluation deadlines are missed or student performance has been affected by a temporary, significant and/or unanticipated change in functional ability related to disability (including mental health), interim or retroactive accommodations may be considered. For these instances it is advised you reach out to CAL or your professors as soon as possible. For other situations where deferral of evaluations may be warranted, please consult Algonquin College Policy AA21: Deferred Evaluation.
Network Credentials and College Email
Students at Algonquin College are provided with a college email account. This is the address that will be used when the College, your professors, or your fellow students communicate important information about your program or course activities. Your network credentials can be found in the ACSIS portal and you are expected to check your Algonquin email regularly and to use it to send and receive college-related email. Students are required to maintain the privacy of their AC login credentials. Sharing network credentials poses a security risk and is subject to disciplinary action. Your responsibility to protect your login credentials is governed by the Information Security Policy IT01. Support is available through the college Information Technology Service (ITS) at: https://www.algonquincollege.com/its/
Mental Health and Wellness Supports
Canada has launched a national Suicide Helpline at www.988.ca and a wide range of mental health and wellness resources for Algonquin students are available at www.algonquincollege.com/SSS/student-health-wellness.
Student Course Feedback
Algonquin College invites students to share their course experience by completing a student course feedback survey for each course they take. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA25: Student Course Feedback.
Use of Mobile Devices in Class
With the proliferation of small, personal mobile devices used for communications and data storage, Algonquin College believes there is a need to address their use during classes and examinations. During classes, the use of such devices unless authorized by your professor can be disruptive and disrespectful to others. During examinations, the use of such devices is generally prohibited unless authorized by your professor. Otherwise use is considered academic dishonesty in the form of cheating. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA32: Use of Electronic Devices in Class
Technology Requirements
Students are required to have access to a computer and to the internet. There may also be additional technology-related resources required to participate in a course that are not included in the course materials fee, such as headphones, webcams, specialized software, etc. Details on these requirements can be found in the Weekly Schedule document of the course for each course available on Brightspace.
Transfer of Credit
It is the student’s responsibility to retain course outlines for possible future use to support applications for transfer of credit to other educational institutions.
Safe Harbour
In the event of an unexpected major event (pandemic, etc.), your course may have changes that are not reflected in the Course Outline. Should this happen, the Weekly Schedule document will have updated information about your course.