User Experience Design MSc

When not attending timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services. 

Year 1: 16% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity.

Contact hours may vary depending on your modules.

Assessment typically comprises exams (eg test or exam), practical (eg presentations, performance) and coursework (eg essays, reports, self-assessment, portfolios, dissertation). The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose:

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

­You will be part of an intimate cohort of students which provides dedicated academic guidance and advice as well as the opportunity to build a life-long network of colleagues. Some modules are common across other postgraduate programmes, therefore you may be taught alongside postgraduates from other courses.

Usability test report

A local GP surgery website and PatientAccess.com were usability tested to see how quickly and easily patients can register for the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).

The test results showed that, whilst almost everyone was able to complete the registration page for EPS, only a third of participants understood what they needed to do to register in the first place, and after registration, only half understood which services were now available to them. The perceived ease of use of both sites was in the 'Unacceptable' range. If the top 10 redesign recommendations were implemented, the registration experience could be improved significantly.

Game localisation

This project involved three students - an animator, a games designer and a user experience designer. The project brief was to show how multiple versions of the same game could be more appealing for different audiences - Asia, USA, Europe. The user experience student conducted the design research, project management, and obtained player feedback about the localised prototypes.

Game biometrics

This project involved three Ux students and two games design students. The project brief was to research, design, prototype and get feedback about the concept of a ‘biometrics dashboard' - software that integrated data from various physiological sensors attached to users (EEG, GSR, etc) and then displayed this data to games designers, so that they could more fully appreciate the player experience. The user experience designers created the prototype for their game designer ‘clients' and domain experts.

Here are some examples of projects undertaken as part of the User Experience Design (Content) module.

Presentation

An app that helps you take better pictures. With 91% of mobile users taking a photo at least once a month compared to 73% of digital camera owners, it's now accepted that smartphone pictures are equal or better than those from your point-and-shoot. Normally people use apps to edit their mistakes - how about an app which improves the photo during the process?

Prototype

This prototype knows the user's intended destination. It serves as the user's ticket, letting the user in and out of stations, guiding them around the tube system, prompting them when to get on and off, and bills their account.

Case study of Contextual Inquiry: a gift app for small groups

This coursework researched Karen Holzblatt's ‘Contextual Inquiry' method (an approach to interviewing informed by ethnography), and then used the method to analyse a gift selection app for small groups.

Styleguide for data tables

This coursework researched the design of various user interface components, and showed how these components can be combined to create an easy to use data table.

Here you can see some examples of final projects undertaken on this course.

A diary study and redesign of Fitbit app sleep monitor

Four volunteers were asked to use the Fitbit wristband to monitor their physical activity for a five-week period, and to record the way they used Fitbit in a diary.

The diaries identified various barriers to the adoption of Fitbit, and its sleep functions in particular. Consequently, the Fitbit sleep monitoring app was redesigned to be more intuitive, and more supportive of informed intervention.

Responsive design

Modern websites must display well on screens of all sizes. This ‘Body of Work' project developed a prototype online photo gallery using Adobe Fireworks, TAP engine and the Dolphin browser. The prototype was then evaluated on 7" Android devices in a naturalistic setting. The key visual design challenge was to provide intuitive navigation to high impact content and a compact layout.

Usability testing

This 'Dissertation' project was keen to go 'beyond human-computer interaction' and so conducted a detailed study of the usability, credibility and persuasiveness of a travel website. This clip, recorded on our old analogue equipment, shows an interaction which could cause a user to abandon the site:

Recorded on our previous analogue kit. Usability testing is also covered on the User Design (Systems) module.

This experiment looks at user requirements of a mobile wardrobe:

Mobile interaction is also covered on the User Experience (Content) module

Optimisation for conversion

This project applied a user-centered process to a design agency's web pages. The redesign highlighted calls to action, displayed important options visually, and removed unnecessary text. Information seeking became easier and conversions increased significantly.

The work brings together persuasive design (User Experience Design (Content) module), with user-centered evaluation (User Experience Design (Systems) module) with traffic studies and web analytics (Media Specialist Practice module).
Usability test of interactive seating plans (from CIM506 Usability Engineering 2008/09)

A student compared part of an existing website with a prototype of its replacement

The design of interactive seating plans is critical to the success of website selling tickets. Proposed designs are often tested on a selected audience before being released to the public at large.

Working with a major ticketing website, a student tested two versions of an interactive seating plan with users from different European countries, and compared the results. The use of pop-up windows, the representation of seating options, and the means of navigating around the arena, all turn out to have important impacts upon ease of use and user preferences.

Interactive Seating Plan (copyright Ticketmaster)

Philosophy and outlook

Online everything

Online services increasingly pervade all aspects of everyday life. User experience is recognised as a key element in the differentiation and success of these services - on the internet, customers must understand and enjoy, or they will go elsewhere.

The trend towards 'online everything, anytime, anywhere, anyhow' seems set to continue. New computing and communications technologies are in the pipeline, online businesses are growing, and digital content is accumulating.

Design for quality and innovation

This trend raises many professional challenges for user experience design, notably:

• how to guarantee that the routine steps of online life can be completed quickly and easily;
• how to innovate and create genuinely novel experiences; and
• how to organise for distributed, collaborative projects, demonstrate the value of user experience design work, and how to operate within integrated, digital media agencies.

Digital studio

We created the User Experience Design MSc to meet these challenges. The course provides:

a project-based curriculum in a 'digital studio' environment;
opportunities for industry-based learning (start-up incubator projects, 'live'/externally hosted projects); and
the oportunity to tailor in-depth studies to suit your background, interests, and practice niche.

Digital Media Kingston

To support delivery of the course, we created Digital Media Kingston. This collaboration between the School of Computing and Information Systems and the School of Design provides the multidisciplinary perspective needed to accommodate students with backgrounds in art and design, computer science and the humanities, and to fully address the range of user experience design issues.

Full-time students starting in January encounter two differences in the course:

• The spring semester modules (User Experience Design (Content) and Media Specialist Practice) are taken before autumn semester modules (User Experience Design (Systems) and Digital Studio Practice). The key need here is to identify a specialist field of interest relatively soon in the course - the undergraduate degree title is often helpful here.
• The Final Major Project begins in May/June ie earlier relative to the course. January start full-time students need to identify a specialist field of interest relatively soon - the undergraduate degree title, and the topic selected for MSP are often helpful here. (Hand-in remains at the end of the course ie January)

So full-time students starting in January may specialise sooner, and for longer. However, given the way we manage the course, any difference is not that important, especially given the student's opportunity to influence their assignment topic. For part-time students, and students with work experience, any difference is even less important.

Part-time students will normally complete the four taught modules in the following order:

• Year 1: User Experience Design (Systems) and User Experience Design (Content).
• Year 2: Digital Studio Practice, and Media Specialist Practice, followed by the Final Major Project.

This way, a general, technical comprehension of grounding in the field is established first, before undertaking user experience roles in group work, or exploring specialisms in-depth. However, modules may be taken in any order.

Some part-time students complete the final project at the end of the second year but it is also possible to spread the work out until January or September in a third year.

Composition of the course

We do not anticipate making any changes to the composition of the course, i.e. the number of modules or credits in a year for part-time postgraduate courses, as a result of the pandemic.

In order to safeguard our students' health and safety and to minimise the risk of disruption to their studies, the University has postponed all Study Abroad programmes for outgoing students in the first teaching block of 2020/21 (from September 2020 to December 2020). The University will review this decision before the second teaching block and will take into account relevant government advice at that time.

Changes can be made to courses as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and to provide a high quality student experience. Any such changes made to the composition of the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Modules

We do not anticipate making any changes to module titles and summaries or to the availability of modules as a result of the pandemic.

Changes can be made to modules as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area and to provide a high quality student experience. Any such changes made to module titles and/or availability of modules will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

Length of course

We expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress through and graduate from the course without delay.

In exceptional circumstances the sequence of learning and teaching activities may be changed, e.g. re-sequencing those modules that can be delivered more effectively under the current restrictions with those which would be more difficult to deliver, such as practical modules and placements.

We have not changed entry requirements as a result of the pandemic. However, the range of accepted alternatives have increased as has the way in which we select students, which now includes virtual interviews and online portfolios.

Entry requirements for international students

We have not changed entry requirements for international students as a result of the pandemic. However, in response to the pandemic, we now accept a much broader list of English language exams for entry to the course; the level of these exams remain the same.

Changes to the way the course will be delivered

Due to the current pandemic the course's teaching and learning activities will be delivered through both online and on-campus methods (blended learning) in 2020/21. In order to provide all students with a comparable on-campus experience, the University has committed to ensuring that all courses provide at least 30% of their teaching and learning activities on-campus.

While physical distancing measures remain in place, you will receive your learning and teaching via a blend of on-campus and on-line activities. Should your circumstances prevent your attendance at on-campus sessions, you will still be able to engage with your course in a way that allows you to progress. Where this is not possible, support will be available to consider what options are open to you.

Computer lab workshops and tutorials will be delivered through both on-campus teaching and as virtual online activities to meet the same learning outcomes in a socially-distanced manner, with no change in the total hours of delivery.

Changes to teaching in the event of a further lockdown or adjustments in government advice

The University will continue to closely monitor government announcements and advice in relation to the current pandemic and, where required, will take any necessary action in order to comply with such advice.

In the event that a further lockdown is enforced the University will aim to deliver the course fully online. This may require some additional changes being made to planned teaching and learning activities, including assessments. The majority of our courses are prepared to be delivered fully online if the situation requires it. Where the quality of the student experience may be compromised significantly, or the course is unable to be delivered fully online, the University may need to suspend the delivery of that course until a time that it can be delivered appropriately. Students will be supported in these situations to ensure they are able to make the right choices for their particular circumstances.

In the event that the current social distancing restrictions are fully lifted and the University is able to resume normal delivery of teaching and learning activities, courses will assess whether it is in the students' interest to resume normal delivery. In some cases it may be better to continue and complete modules under the planned blended delivery mode.

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours for Year 1

Changes to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours will not be made as a result of the pandemic. However, it is possible that some adjustments might be made at module level, e.g. a few more scheduled activities, in order to help ensure student engagement with blended learning.

Any changes made to the overall breakdown of scheduled teaching hours, placements and guided independent study hours for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

'Scheduled teaching' includes teaching that is online either live or recorded / on demand.

Timetable

Your individualised timetable for teaching block 1 (i.e. from September 2020 to December 2020) should be available by the end of August 2020. Timetables for teaching block 2 (i.e. from January 2021) will not be available until the autumn. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 9pm. To accommodate smaller group sizes and social distancing, we will need to maximise the time available for teaching. This means, we may have to use Wednesday afternoons and enrichment week for additional teaching slots. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

On-campus teaching may involve smaller class sizes in line with social distance requirements.

Changes can be made to modules, including how they are assessed, as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our modules up to date with current developments in that subject area. Due to the current restrictions in place, i.e. social distancing, it is anticipated that many formal on-campus examinations, including practical examinations, will be replaced with alternative assessments which can be completed online. These changes will be considered and approved through the University's processes to ensure that student assessments will be able to demonstrate they have achieved the expected learning outcomes. The approval process will also assess whether the change impacts the status of any professional body accreditation the course benefits from.

Any changes to the overall methods of assessment for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

No changes are expected to the general level of experience or status of staff involved in delivering the course.

As a result of the social distancing restrictions in place, on-campus teaching activities may need to be split into smaller groups which may require the support of teaching assistants and student mentors, who will be managed by experienced staff.

Tuition fees

There will be no changes to published tuition fees for 2020/21.

Additional costs (e.g. field trips, materials, equipment, etc.)

As a result of the blended delivery of courses in 2020/21, where a significant proportion of the teaching will be done online, students will need a personal laptop or computer and access to the internet to participate in online teaching and learning activities. Students who are able to travel will have access to computers on campus, however, it should be noted that access to on-campus facilities will be restricted due to social distancing requirements.

The University is considering how best to provide support to students who do not have access to suitable hardware and software requirements and access to the internet. Identifying students who require this type of support is an important milestone for the University in our journey to ensure equity of access while we continue to deliver our blended approach. Information about the support that will be available will be provided to students during the induction period.

Funding

There will be no changes to any existing University funding arrangements for 2020/21. Currently there are no indications from the UK government that there will be any changes to government funding arrangements.

Fees and funding for international students

There will be no changes to published tuition fees or funding arrangements specifically relating to international students for 2020/21.

Placements (including work and clinical placements) and field trips included as part of the course will go ahead as planned. However, to ensure students are able to gain maximum value from these activities, it may be necessary to reschedule them to later in the year when current restrictions have been lifted. We acknowledge that this year it may be more difficult for students to secure appropriate placements. In those situations, students will be guided and supported through the various options that will be available to them, including switching courses or interrupting their studies until a time when they can complete their placement.

Any proposed changes to placements or field trips would go through University's agreed processes where the impact of the change will be carefully considered. Students will be advised of any changes that may become necessary and appropriate support will be available to students to guide them through the various options that may be available to them.

In the interest of the health and wellbeing of our students, the University will ensure that appropriate risk assessments are made before students are sent on a placement.

Courses which require placements or field trips to be completed in order to pass relevant modules will have contingency plans in place in the event that a placement or field trip cannot be completed due to another lockdown or more stringent social distancing measures.

Voluntary placements or field trips may be rescheduled, or, as a last resort, cancelled if it becomes difficult to deliver them and doing so is in the interest of the health and safety of our staff and students.

Qualification

No changes will be made to the qualification awarded, e.g. MSc, as a result of the pandemic.

Changes can be made to courses, including the qualification awarded (although very rare), as part of normal enhancement processes in order to keep our courses up to date with current developments in that subject area. Any changes made to the qualification awarded for the course will be highlighted to students during the induction period.

International students

International students should maintain awareness of the UK government's and their home country's government advice on possible travel restrictions. The University will closely monitor advice and guidance published by the UK government and assess its impact on our international students. Appropriate advice and guidance will be provided as and when required.

Students who are unable to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities

The University will ensure students who are unable to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities are able to effectively engage with their studies remotely. For certain courses an inability to attend on-campus learning and teaching activities may not be in the students best interest, as it may impede their chances of succeeding in the course or lead to them receiving a poor learning experience. In such cases students will be advised and guided through the various options available to them, such as deferring their studies until they can engage fully with the course.