Students must complete short online preparatory courses before the program begins. Students can access the courses online during the summer, at their convenience, at no extra charge. Students who are interested in additional support can join the scheduled on-campus office hours. The preparatory courses are:

• Introduction to Computing Principles

  This preparatory course provides an introduction to basic concepts in the field of computer software, coding in a web-based IDE called P5, the Javascript language, and the process of debugging and creating a simple project. The purpose of the course is to prepare students towards the technical courses in the program. The basic CS concepts covered are: procedural thinking, flow charts, algorithmic thinking, flow chart of simple algorithms, computer memory, types of variables, input, output, conditional branching, types of loops. The basic coding skills covered are: what is an IDE, setting up a workspace, starting a new project, defining key variables, reading input from keyboard and mouse, setting output via screen/graphics, using the default library, using additional libraries, compiling, debugging, writing comments, searching documentation, using the console view. The specific Javascript code primitives learned are: variables, console.log (debugging), If loop, For loop, While loop, functions, setup loop, draw loop, line, rect, ellipse, mouseX, mouseY, keyCode, keyPressed.
• Introduction to Applied Research Methods

  Research methods are essential tools for interaction researchers. The mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods is a highly useful technique both in the industry (UX researchers) and academia (HCI researchers). In this course, we provide a basic introduction for students with no previous background in research methods. Students will gain a basic understanding of the different aspects that should be considered when designing new research.
• Introduction to Visual Design

  This course provides an introduction to concepts and best practices in visual design, topics include: What is Visual Design, Visual Identity, Compositions, Typography, Image and Evolution of UI Design.
• Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction

  This course provides an introduction to key topics in the field of HCI and UX research, including a short historical overview, common methodologies, key perspectives, and examples of several topics.

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• Ethics and Technology

  Dr. Noa Morag

  Technology shapes every aspect of the human experience and is the primary driver of social, cultural and ecological change. This course will allow students to be immersed in urging ethical challenges around leading technologies of today such as Biometric, Bio Technology, Online marketing, Robotics, Autonomous cars, AI, Voice interfaces and more. The goal of the course is to apply ethical concepts onto actual use cases. We will also host guest lectures during the semester where applicable.
• HCI research methods: Quantitative

  Dr. Hadas Erel

  This course provides a review of descriptive and inferential statistics and how these techniques are used with research methods appropriate for UX. Students will become familiar with various methods for data analysis, designing experiments, and evaluating different aspects of UX designs.
• Contemporary Topics in HCI: Key Trends and Open Questions

  Prof. Oren Zuckerman

  Foundation course. Theory. 2 academic units. A fast-paced lecture series. Students will read, present, and critically discuss seminal and recent research papers in HCI. Topics include: Human-Centered Computing, The Three Waves of HCI, Tangible User Interfaces, Human-Robot Interaction, Spatial Computing (VR and AR), Speculative Design, AI and Human-Centered Machine Learning.
• UX research methods: Qualitative

  Dr. Jacob Greenshpan

  Foundation course. Applied Methodology. 3 academic units.
  Practical research methods for UX/UI researchers, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate how people use new technological products/prototypes.

   

  Methodologies include:

   

  • Interviews
  • Observations
  • Thematic coding
  • Low fidelity
  • User testing
  • Think aloud
  • Wizard of oz testing
  • Data analysis techniques
  • Applied statistics
  • Various experimental design approaches
• Psychological Foundations for HCI: Cognitive and Social Psychology

  Dr. Hadas Erel

  Foundation course. Theory. 2 academic units.

   

  Cognitive psychology unit: how people perceive and interact with digital products, including principles of human memory, perception, and decision making.

   

  
  Social psychology unit: the underlying psychological processes of social interaction, including the social self, non-verbal communication, interpersonal relationship, motivation and persuasion, and group dynamics.

• Creative Prototyping Studio: Self-expression Through Digital Fabrication

  Mr. Ohad Meyuhas

  Foundation course. Prototyping Skills. 3 academic units. Students will work on several creative projects, producing physical prototypes while learning how to use fabrication tools and machines, such as 3D printer, laser cutter, vinyl cutter, and traditional woodworking tools.
• Creative Prototyping Studio: Playful Experimentation with Software

  Mr. Zvika Markfeld

  Foundation course. Prototyping Skills. 2 academic units. This course introduces coding as an expressive prototyping tool, using the P5.js programming language, based on Java Script. Through a set of small projects, students will explore computation as a medium for curiosity-driven experimentation. They'll do this by computationally manipulating shapes, textures, movement, reactivity, connectivity and feedback. Students will challenge themselves based on their level of technical knowledge. More experienced students will be expected to present more advanced projects.
• Creative Prototyping Studio: Immersive Experiences with VR and AR (Unity 3D)

  Dr. Jonathan Giron

  Foundation course. Prototyping Skills. 2 academic units. VR, AR, and MR all leverage 3D modeling as the basic prototyping tool. Students will work on several creative projects, learning how to develop simple immersive experiences using the Unity 3D authoring platform. Topics include: 3D modeling, content creation, and scripting object behavior for interactive VR and AR experiences.
• Creative Prototyping Studio: Playing with Hardware (Arduino)

  Mr. Zvika Markfeld

  Foundation course. Prototyping Skills. 3 academic units. Through a series of small projects with Arduino, boards students will prototype simple Ubiquitous Computing and IoT experiences that sense events in the physical world, leverage cloud computing for simple data analysis, and generate user feedback using movement, light, or sound.

Research Seminars Select 1 of the 3

• Non-humanoid Robots Research and Prototyping

  Dr. Hadas Erel & Mr. Benny Megidish

  This seminar provides both theoretical overview and hands-on experience with autonomous expressive objects. Building on the foundation courses, students will design and implement a new expressive object or expressive material and will evaluate it in a user study using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Seminar topics include: non-humanoid robot design, animation principles for gesture design, behavioral principles for human-robot interaction, and more. During the seminar students will read and analyze recent HCI papers related to non-humanoid robots, social robots, expressive objects, and shape-change materials. The seminar is relevant for students from all backgrounds. Students that wish to design and build a novel new robotic object can do so, and students who prefer to use an existing object/technology as their subject of study can do so as well.
• Mobile UX Research Methods

  Prof. Oren Zuckerman & Mr. Asaf Barzilay

  This seminar will provide both theoretical overview and hand-on experience of Mobile HCI, the academic discipline that studies interaction with mobile devices. In addition, this seminar will cover UX and Product methodologies, including user research, need finding, competitive analysis, concept design, customer journey mapping, iterative prototyping using Figma and Framer, intensive and iterative user testing including A/B testing in academic standards, data collection, data analysis, and insights definition.

   

  Topics include academic literature review, market research and competitive analysis, qualitative user research techniques (interview, journey, observations), need definition and need validation, research question definition with special focus on mobile interaction technique, iterative design of a mobile prototype using Figma, Framer, or custom JS/React, pilot studies to justify design decisions, experimental design for full evaluation of the mobile UX/interaction assumptions, data collection and data analysis, and writing of an academic report about the design process and user study. Students will read and analyze recent Mobile HCI papers related to mobile interaction techniques.
• VR Research and Prototyping

  Prof. Doron Friedman & Dr. Jonathan Giron

  This seminar will focus on cutting-edge research and development in the fields of VR and AR. Students will design and implement a new VR/AR experience and evaluate it in a user study using qualitative and quantitative research methods, gaining an understanding of the unique concepts of these immersive technologies based on psychological and neuroscientific research findings. The seminar is relevant for students that are motivated to design and implement a new interactive experience, or join a team that has the capability to do so.

Final project (4 credits) Personal mentoring towards a meaningful HCI project for the student's portfolio | Dr. Ayelet Segal, Mr. Ofir Sadka There are three types of projects, students can choose one from below.

• Personal project

  Students initiate and lead a project that is based on their own personal passion/ interest. Creating a new interactive experience in Wearables, VR/AR, Robotic objects, Brain technology, etc. Additional fields will be considered based on the student's ability.
• Lab Project

  Students join an existing theme or area of research that is in line with the lab agenda. Students experience an academic research cycle. The project usually focuses on development/design OR running a study/analyzing data, or both in unique cases only.
• Conceptual Design Practicum project with an industry partner

  A UX Research & Design project with an industry partner.
  Note - for experienced students only, available only if there is a successful match with an industry partner

HCI Research Marathon

• Applied Research Marathon

  Dr. Ayelet Segal

  Focused on user research methodologies in practice, on intensive team work with an interdisciplinary group of students, and real industry experience with professional guidance from unicorns and big companies Such as, google, Facebook, Monday.com , SimilarWeb, Wix, appsflyer, etc...

  The research marathon goals are:

  ● Experience how the research methods learned in Semester A are applied in practice (qualitative user research, competitive analysis, defining requirements, flow, wireframes, creating prototypes).

  ● Experience a product development cycle: planning, defining, and executing user research, UX design, and UX prototyping processes.

  ● Collaborate with a cross-functional team under tight deadlines, defining priorities and delivering results.

  ● Learn how to document a full process and submit process and insight reports.

  ● Acquire new skills: presentation skills. The Marathon will engage industry collaborators as mentors, and will challenge students to invent new interactive experiences around a specific topic, for example interaction paradigms for AI conversation agents or VR/AR in healthcare context.

• Product Design with Design Systems

  Ms. Meirav Ron

  The course is focused on Product Design with Design Systems and how UX designers within product teams are expected to also act as product designers and design the UI. Design systems allow UX designers to design the UI based on design conventions and design patterns. This course is aimed at students with no prior experience in UI design or design systems and will provide students with the skills needed to contribute to product teams from the product design perspective.
• Human-AI Co-Creation

  Prof. Doron Friedman

  This course invites MA HCI students to delve into the ongoing revolution of generative AI, which has already shown transformative results in image, text, and music generation, and promises even more profound changes ahead. Designed for those without a programming background, the course adopts an accessible scientific approach to explore the theoretical underpinnings of generative AI. Students will gain an intuitive understanding of key concepts around deep neural networks such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), diffusion models, transformers, and large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, all without the need for advanced mathematical knowledge. The practical component emphasizes hands-on experience, focusing on human-AI co-creation using a variety of tools. By the end of the course, students will be better equipped to critically assess questions about AI's creative capabilities and understand the potential roles AI can play, whether in replacing or complementing human efforts in various domains.
• A Neuroscientist Perspective on HCI

  Prof. Amir Amedi

  Technology is extending human abilities. What effect does this technological symbiosis have on our brains and minds? And how should we design technology for a symbiotic future? In this course we will explore how to take inspiration from neuroscience for HCI related implementations, and how to ask research questions about the brain which are meaningful for HCI. As one of the domains within neuroscience that is most relevant for HCI, we will explore the human sensory experience. In particular we will examine how technology can be used for exposing hidden connections between the senses, and enhancing the human experience. Topics will include, but are not limited to, sensory substitution by means of technology, uncovering connections between the senses, enhancing human.
• The Human Body in Human-Computer Interaction

  Dr. Jonatan Giron

  This course is about the scientific field of psycho-physiology and how it can contribute to innovative types of wearable technologies that go beyond the basics of smartwatch or smart activity bracelet. The human body communicates with us using biological and physiological signals, using technology we can analyze such signals, design feedback for people, and create innovative applications in new domains, including wellness, meditation, sport, gaming, medical assessment, rehabilitation and many more.
• UX Design Workshop: From Onboarding to Engagement

  Dr. Jacob Greenshpan

  Electives course. 2 academic units. This course will deal with theoretical and practical topics and challenges that emerge in the process of designing successful products from a UX perspective. The course objective is to provide students with advanced techniques in UX, for startup and corporate. Students will work on individual projects in mobile, desktop, or physical UX.
• Service Design Methodologies

  Ms. Dikla Siboni & Ms. Eden Dotan

  Foundation course. Applied Methodology. 2 academic units. Service design and design thinking use a set of methodologies to create unified and meaningful user experiences that reflect customer needs through physical & digital touchpoints. Methodologies include: Design thinking, Design research, Human centric design, Stakeholders research, Customer journeys mapping, Participant observation, Contextual interviews, In-depth interviews, Cultural probes, Personas, Data visualization, Data synthesis, Thematic analysis, Co-creation, User stories, Concepts testing, Service prototypes.
• Conversational AI interfaces

  Ms. Galit Galperin

  Our computing future will rely heavily on voice enabled technology. Natural language understanding and ML are rapidly evolving, allowing personalization and interaction with machines in all fields - from automotive and hospitality, to healthcare, smart homes and commerce. AI driven voice assistants will become part of human interaction with the world, projection of 8 billion assistants by 2023. Voice queries reduce technology friction, allowing brands and companies to enrich their customers journey with conversational services.

  The course will cover how machines understand humans and how people can teach them to better anticipate user’s needs and will cover examples from leading voice services and use cases from habit forming products, news and media consumption, robotics, commerce and voice enabled entertainment.Students will gain the knowledge of the evolving voice interfaces, get familiar with today's tools and technology, and learn the foundations of the voice design process, while accommodating AI ethics practices into the design process.
• Critical Speculative Design

  Ms. Dana Gordon

  This course is an introduction to the process of interaction design from a cultural perspective, including critical design, design research, research through design, design fiction, and speculative design. These design approaches can assist technology designers to better study and understand how technology influence and interact with society and culture. We will examine classic prototypes, theories, and approaches in this field, and provide students with tools to apply such methods in their future designs and developments.

Student can also choose up to two electives from other programs, subject to availability and minimum prerequisites:

• One-year MBA
• Global MBA
• Computer Science (Taught in Hebrew)
• Communication & New Media (Taught in Hebrew)
• Law & Technology, Psychology (Taught in Hebrew)
• Social Psychology (Taught in Hebrew)