spring 2010

CS376: Research Topics in Human-Computer Interaction

Project Overview

In this course, you will complete a quarter-long research project. This project will be completed in groups of two.

At a high level, successful projects will raise an important research question, and plan and execute a methodology for answering that question. Often, this methodology will include building and evaluating a prototype system, but hacking is not strictly necessary. All projects require a study — obviously a much more thorough study will be expected of projects that do not involve system building. The goal of the project abstract draft (described below) is to help you scope your work appropriately.

To get a sense of what a good scope for a project is, here are some examples of final papers from the last few years:

For information on how the project will be evaluated, see the grading page.

Forming Groups

This project will be completed in groups of two (email cs376@cs if you'd like a larger group). Project groups will be self-paired.

By 7:00 am on Friday, April 9, use the online submission system to submit the name(s) of who you will be working with. (All group members should complete a submission.)

To assist in finding a group, a message board will be available on the course submission site to post your ideas and communicate with others. This will be available after the second day of class (April 2). Also, take a look at the opportunities for collaboration with individuals outside of the class.

Project Ideas

While you are encouraged to come up with your own project ideas, we have a list opportunities for collaboration with individuals outside of the class.

Project Abstract (Draft and Final Versions)

A draft of your project abstract is due at 7am on Friday, April 16. Course staff will provide feedback on the draft to assist in the preparation of a final version, due at 7am on Friday, April 30. Both are submitted online.

The project abstract should cover the following topics:

For the draft, we expect you to cover all topics in 1-2 paragraphs--be concise but concrete in your descriptions. For the final version, you'll want to go into greater depth (approximately 2 paragraphs for each issue, with the exception of the research question, which should still be be one precise sentence).

We encourage you to iterate multiple times on this abstract. While there is only one formally defined point for receiving feedback from course staff, you should seek out more informal feedback as you work on this. E-mail us at any point if you'd like us to take a look at your current submission, or come to office hours if you'd like to discuss in person. You are free to change directions after submitting your draft, but the sooner you nail down a direction, the better your project is likely to be.

Progress Meeting

On May 21, course staff will meet individually with each project group to provide feedback on your progress. (We'll schedule this a week or so beforehand.) You should be prepared to present your working system, discuss your study plan, and have pilot results. Use the online submission system to submit any materials you'd like to discuss (e.g., prototypes, data, draft writing.) Come to the meeting prepared to show and tell. What will the title of your final paper be? In other words, how will you summarize your research contribution in just a few words? This exercise will helps you focus and sharpen your efforts on what will best address your research question. This focus will be especially important as time gets tight: some things will matter more than others.

Final Presentation

At the end of the quarter, you will present your research results to the class and outside guests. We have invited a couple HCI luminaries. Feel free to invite interested friends and colleagues!

Final Paper

In addition to the presentation, you will present your findings in a final paper. Final papers should be 2-4 pages long in the UIST format. While this may sound short, it is much harder to write an effective, complete short paper than it is to ramble.A good approach to writing a great short paper is to write a long one first, and then trim it down to the most vital parts. Much of the advice from above for preparing your presentation applies to the paper as well. Here are a few more suggestions for preparing your paper: