A Process for Infusing User Experience Design Thinking into Web and Mobile Applications Engineering Education

Abstract

This research paper reports on a successful experience of the College of Technological Innovation at Zayed University in integrating a new project-based learning approach – Called User Experience Design Thinking – into the curriculum, mainly two bachelors programs: Web and Mobile Applications (WAM, in the IT College) and Multimedia Design (MMD in Arts College) of IT. The journey started in Fall 2019; the experiments span five full semesters were various challenges, as well as lessons learned, were identified and successfully solved. The new approach infuses a combination and integration of the general framework of design thinking (Brown, 2013), user-centered design (Norman, 2003, Buxton, 2004) as well as various user experience and usability methods and techniques. The UXDT addressed the multifaceted HCI education stressed out by the role that the college needs to play in preparing graduates for competitive jobs in the software development area, which is evolving in UAE

Keywords: IT curriculum and innovation, HCI, UCD, IxD, UX, interactive, design, design thinking

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001730