CMSC 838S
Seminar in Advanced Usability: Creativity Support Tools
Fall 2002
Department of Computer Science
University of Maryland, College Park

Instructor	Professor Ben Shneiderman
Class meets	Mon & Wed, 11:00am-12:15pm, EGR 3140

Students

Course Description

Prerequisites

CMSC 434 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Programming skill is expected with tools such as Java and Visual Basic. Experience in conducting usability studies is expected.

Graduate Credits

Students may sign up for MS comprehensive exam in PL/SE, based on two exams. This course may be used as a PhD or MS course in PL/SE. Students who have already taken CMSC 838 may sign up, but may NOT count this course towards Phd or MS qualifying exam.

Overview

This course is for graduate students interested in research methods and issues in human-computer interaction. We will focus on the role of theory (descriptive, explanatory, predictive, prescriptive, and generative) and empirical research methods (ethnographic observation, usability testing, and controlled experimentation).

Major Topic

This course will focus on the design, implementation, use and efficacy of creativity support tools: visual outliners, search software, brainstorming (idea prompting), idea processing, questioning, story development, composition, simulation, consultation, dissemination.

Projects

Students will read papers, review software tools, discuss research methods, and learn advanced interface design concepts as they relate to creativity support tools. Students will build a web site on theory and research methods in HCI: http://www.otal.umd.edu/charm/ They will develop and carry out their own empirical research project in teams of 2-4 students. The projects will be posted on the web as in previous years: http://www.cs.umd.edu/class/fall2001/cmsc838s/index.html

Presentations

Interfaces for Staying in the Flow, Ben bederson
The Impact of the World Wide Web on Idea Generation, (slides for Lorin's presentation)
Empirical examination of the value of creativity support systems on idea generation (Slides for Umut's presentation)
Developing CSW Tools for Idea Finding

Potential resources

Tichi website
Shneiderman, B., Creating creativity: User interfaces for supporting innovation, ACM Transactions on Computer Human Interaction, 7, 1 (March 2000), 114-138.
Shneiderman, B., Leonardo’s Laptop: Human Needs and the New Computing Technologies, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (2002).
Cave, Charles, Creativity Web - Resources for Creativity and Innovation, http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/ , Accessed on July 16, 2002.
Can computers help you think? http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/Software/essay.htm
Product Reviews http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/Software/swindex.htm
Couger, D., Creativity & Innovation in Information Systems Organizations , Boyd & Fraser Publ. Co., Danvers, MA (1996).
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, HarperPerennial, New York (1996).
De Bono, E., Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step, Harper Colophon Books, New York (1973).

Course Description

Prerequisites

Graduate Credits

Overview

Major Topic

Projects

Presentations

Potential resources

Class Resources

Links

Resource Index

Idea Processors, Thesauri, Brainstorming

Making Maps

Theories, books, software, webtools

Groupware

General HCI Links

Class discussions links