ED_PSYCH-525-s.dai-2025-04-11-06-36-27
Title of Course [User Experience Research]
Prefix and Number [ED_PSYCH 525]
Semester and Year [Fall 2026]
Number of Credit Hours [3]
Prerequisites [NA]
Course Details
Day and Time: Tuesdays, 5:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Meeting Location: TERR 106 / Online Via ZOOM
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: Robert W. Danielson
Instructor Contact Information:
- Office: CCRS 211 (Spokane)
- Phone: 509-358-7793
- Email: robert.danielson@wsu.edu
Instructor Office Hours: by appointment
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [tbd]
Course Description
This course examines user experience research. Students will learn the fundamentals of UX research, including research methods, study design, data analysis, and communication of results. Students will also develop skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication through class discussions, assignments, and projects. Successful completion of this course will adequately prepare students to develop and apply UX research methods to answer real-world questions.
This course will be structured in a seminar/workshop format in which students are expected to engage in thoughtful intellectual discussions and inquiry, drawing upon significant ideas from the readings and their educational experiences. Students will also be asked to participate in activities designed to support creating a research proposal. Throughout the course, there will be a strong emphasis on collaborative and participatory learning.
Course Materials
Books
-
Travis, D., & Hodgson, P. (2019). Think like a UX researcher: How to observe users, influence design, and shape business strategy. Crc Press. [Cost: New for $52 and used for about $32 on Amazon.]
Other Materials:
Recommended Other Book
- American Psychological Association (2019). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, D. C.: Author.
Software
We will conduct statistical analyses using SPSS. You will be able to access a free copy of this software through the university and a VPN connection. You also have the option to buy a personal copy. You can find vendors at: https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics-gradpack. The Base Grad Pack should be sufficient for the analyses we will run. You might also want to run JAMOVI, a free statistical package. You can find more information about JAMOVI at https://www.jamovi.org/
Fees: [NA]
Course Format
The class will include a variety of activities: individual work, class discussions, small group work, partner work, presentations, videos, direct instruction, self-reflection writings, peer evaluation and readings. The coursework moves at a rapid pace. Please come to class prepared to discuss reading and other assignments.
|
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes | Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
|
Understand the fundamental principles of user experience research, including research design, data collection, analysis, and reporting. |
Article Reviews, In-class Exercises (ungraded), Research Paper |
Examinations, Homework Assignments, Article Reviews, Research Project Presentation, Final Research Paper |
|
Develop skills in various user research methods, including user interviews, surveys, usability testing, card sorting, A/B testing, and data analytics |
Examinations, Homework Assignments |
|
|
Communicate quantitative analysis procedures in both technical and lay terminology. |
In-class exercises (ungraded), Examinations, Homework Assignments, Research Paper |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
08/25, Week 1 |
Introduction to User Experience Research
|
Chapter 1
|
|
|
09/02, Week 2 |
Week 2: Planning and Preparation
|
Chapter 1 cont. |
|
|
09/09, Week 3 |
Week 3: Observational research
|
Chapter 2
|
CITI Training
|
|
09/16, Week 4 |
Week 4: Interviews
|
Chapter 2
|
|
|
09/23, Week 5 |
Week 5: Surveys
|
Chapter 2
|
|
|
09/30, Week 6 |
Week 6: Conceptual Models
|
Chapter 3
|
Send out draft for review
|
|
10/07, Week 7 |
Week 7: Personas and User Journeys
|
Chapter 3
|
|
|
10/14, Week 8 |
Week 8: A/B Testing and Analytics
|
Chapter 3
|
|
|
10/21, Week 9 |
Week 9: Usability Basics
|
Chapter 4
|
Midterm Due |
|
10/28, Week 10 |
Week 10: Analyzing and Synthesizing Data
|
Chapter 4
|
|
|
11/04, Week 11 |
Week 11: Remote Testing
|
Chapter 5 |
|
|
11/11, Week 12 |
Week 12: Co-creation and Participatory Design
|
Chapter 5 |
|
|
11/18, Week 13 |
Week 13: UX Research in Agile Environments
|
Chapter 6 |
Send out papers for review
|
|
12/02, Week 15 |
Week 15: International User Research
|
Chapter 6 |
|
|
12/09, Week 16 |
Week 16: Emerging Trends in UX Research
|
Student presentations |
|
***Schedule is subject to change throughout the course of the semester. Changes will be announced in class***
Expectations for Student Effort
For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of two hours of work outside of class. All students are expected to (a) attend class on time, (b) participate actively, and (c) turn in assignments on time. If you are unable to attend class, please notify the instructor in advance. You are responsible for information missed during your absence.
Grading
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Examinations | 30 | 30% |
| Homework Assignments | 25 | 25% |
| Article Reviews | 15 | 15% |
| Research Project Presentation | 10 | 10% |
| Final Research Paper | 20 | 20% |
The course grade a student earns is determined by the following combination of criteria:
Examinations [30%]
There will be two exams—a midterm and a final. These exams will summarize student understanding for the first and second half of the course. The final exam will address threads that run through the course (e.g., logic of hypothesis testing), but will focus primarily on content from the second half of the course. Make-up exams (alternate form) are available only in extreme circumstances.
Homework Assignments [25%]
Homework assignments will reinforce topics presented in class. The data for each assignment and further instruction will be provided at least one week before the due date. No make-up assignments will be offered. Late assignments will be accepted in accordance with WSU policy for excused absences (see 73.C on page 340 of the catalogue).
Article Reviews [15%]
Two (2) article reviews will be completed individually by each student. The purpose of these reviews is to build the students’ skills in obtaining, reading, and synthesizing relevant research. Students are advised but not required to review articles that will contribute to the Research Paper assignment (see below). An article review sheet will be provided to students.
Research Paper [20%] and Project Presentation [10%]
This project is meant to be a learning activity to assist in preparing you for a future project (e.g., thesis, technical report). Students will work with real data to answer a research question (or questions) of their own interest, using concepts learned in the course. This assignment can be completed in teams if so desired.
The paper will include:
- (a) title page
- (b) abstract
- (c) introduction (study purpose, rationale)
- (d) method (participants, data collection method, instrumentation, analyses)
- (e) results (descriptive statistics, hypothesis tests, effect sizes)
- (f) references
The paper should be no more than 2000 words (strict limit!)—excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures—and follow APA format (7th edition). Late assignments will be accepted in accordance with WSU policy for excused absences (see 73.C on page 340 of the catalogue). Further details (e.g., grading rubric) about this project will be provided during the semester.
Students are strongly encouraged to work with their advisors, other faculty, or employers to obtain a data set that is suitable for answering their research questions. If such a data set cannot be obtained, sample data sets may be available from the instructor. Another option is to use publicly available data. All data sources must be approved by the instructor before being used for the project.
Research Presentation. This presentation (15 minutes in length plus time for discussion) should function as the capstone of the course and will align to your research portfolio. Working individually or with a partner, you should construct a professional presentation that will inform the class on the approach and findings of your study. The presentation should include a justification for your study, a brief review of the participants and product (about 2 minutes max, just enough for the class to understand what motivated your research questions), your research approach, and what you found. Essentially, take us through your research journey and suggest actionable next steps. To guide your thinking, be sure to include the following aspects:
- Statement of the Problem / Scope of Work
- Participants (who are they and how you will recruit them)
- Research Questions & Study Design
- Procedures
- Materials
- Method of Analysis
- Results or Outcomes
- Discussion and Next Steps
Assignment Submission
Assignments are to be turned in as described in the assignment’s description provided by the instructor on or before the day they are due. Late assignments will be accepted in accordance with WSU policy for excused absences (see 73.C on page 340 of the catalogue). It is expected that the course will require approximately three hours of work outside of class for each hour of class.
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
100.00-93.00% |
C |
76.99-73.00% |
| A- |
92.99-90.00% |
C- |
72.99-70.00% |
| B+ |
89.99-87.00% |
D+ |
69.99-67.00% |
| B |
86.99-83.00% |
D |
66.99-60.00% |
| B- |
82.99-80.00% |
F |
59.99% or below |
| C+ |
79.99-77.00% |
Note: I reserve the right to change the scale if in favor of the student and I round to the nearest whole number.
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.
Assigning Incompletes: University policy (Acad. Reg. #90) states that Incompletes may only be awarded if: "the student is unable to complete their work on time due to circumstances beyond their control".
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law.
All members of the university community share responsibility for maintaining and promoting the principles of integrity in all activities, including academic integrity and honest scholarship. Students are responsible for understanding the full Academic Integrity Statement. Students who violate WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy (identified in WAC 504-26-010(3) and -404) will fail the assignment, will not have the option to withdraw from the course pending an appeal, and will be reported to the Center for Community Standards. If you have any questions about what is and is not allowed in this course, ask your course instructor.
You are strongly advised to review the following resources to ensure that you do not inadvertently violate WSU’s standard of conduct:
- http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/plagiarism/main.html
- https://communitystandards.wsu.edu/policies-and-reporting/academic-integrity-policy/
If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
- Fail the course
- Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
- Have the right to appeal my decision
- Not be able to drop the course or withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished.
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.
University syllabus statement and link
Students are responsible for reading and understanding all university-wide policies and resources pertaining to all courses (for instance: accommodations, care resources, policies on discrimination or harassment), which can be found in the university syllabus.