Second Term

Interactive Information Design

Students are introduced to the key concepts and characteristics that enable effective communication through interactive media, beginning with a survey of interactive communications, including e-learning. The course progresses to an introduction to the key aspects of strategic planning as they relate to the design and implementation of interactive communications systems, focusing particularly on information design.

Project Management

This course provides instruction in the key aspects of project management as they relate to the development of interactive media projects. Students are introduced to the management tools and techniques required to facilitate the successful completion of the project production cycle.

Interactive Vector Graphics

This course provides students with an introduction to current tools and methods for creating interactive Web experiences incorporating vector-based graphics and animation. The course focuses on the benefits and limitations of creating a Web experience in Macromedia Flash. Graphics creation and animation will be emphasized, with an introduction to the creation of interactive elements with Flash’s programming tools. Students are taught how to optimize content for fast delivery, and how to integrate Flash work into a web page.

Usability Design and Testing

This course focuses on interactive design as a user-centred iterative process. Students learn a systematic approach to the measuring of a product’s ease-of-use very early in the design process, through to the development and testing of prototypes with actual users.

Web Prototype Development

Rapid prototyping of Web page designs supports the user-centred design process. In this course, students learn how to use Macromedia Dreamweaver, a visual page design tool, to quickly create and modify usable page layouts.

Structured Programming and Scripting for a Web Browser

This course introduces common programming principles and techniques, using JavaScript as the working programming language. Common programming language features such as statements, functions, loops, conditional structures, operators, data structures and data types are explored in the context of the syntax and features of ECMAScript. Good programming practices and code maintainability are emphasized.

Self Marketing and Business Practices

This course introduces the business perspective in the interactive media industry. Lectures, role-playing and assignments introduce students to marketing concepts and their applications, and prepare students to market themselves and their ideas. Through guest speakers, site visits and other professional contact, students are introduced to current practices in the industry within a business context. Survey and analysis of a chosen industry segment provide students with information to develop a self-marketing plan.

Introduction to e-Learning

This course provides a general introduction to e-Learning and its use and application in academic and non-academic environments. Students will identify and discuss the instructional goals, issues and concerns related to the implementation of e-Learning; review technology issues and technology modes for delivering e-Learning; and demonstrate design, development and assessment methodologies.

Visual Design II

In this course students build on what they have learned in INTE 113 by exploring more complex visual communications problems in screen design. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to define design objectives and apply effective design processes to achieve these. Topics include type and image, colour, brands, diagrams and visual navigation systems.