Assignment 3 - ISU570 Human Computer Interaction - Spring 2008

"Experimenting with GUI code"

Posted 1/6/2008. Due emailed Thursday, March 20th, 9pm

Professor Futrelle, CCIS, Northeastern University

version of 1/6/2008


The basics of Assignment 3

This assignment will give you a chance to experiment with some quite simple code for a graphical user interface. What you will do is to choose one of the many Java Swing demos referred to in the course page Application Programming. You will get it running on whatever machine you choose - all of them should run on Linux, Mac, or Windows without problems. Then you should make simple changes to the code, varying the titles, text, images, layout, etc., without making any major changes to the architecture. Run your new code and get a screenshot of the original and altered application. Zip together and mail me your code, screenshots, and a one or two page single-spaced document describing your experience and what you changed.

Your goal for this assignment

The goal is simply to give you a chance to see inside some GUI code, the kind that runs in applications and applets. Too often you're one or two stages removed from such code, so it is good to have some acquaintance with it.

Important - Real HCI content

As with all your assignments, you should relate the application and your work on it to the HCI concepts and principles that form the core of the textbook and this course. Be sure to use the correct technical terms and concepts in your discussions.


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