←

Advanced Topics in HCI

Module #41186 - Summer Semester 2026

This course provides a comprehensive overview of good and bad user experience design in practice and its adaptation for XR environments. Students will conduct independent literature reviews, develop XR prototypes in groups, and critically reflect on design innovations from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The module includes a literature review, group project work, prototype development, and testing using user-centered methods. Registration is open through Moses (#41186). Recommended for students in their final semesters.

Dates

Registration Deadline: 14.04.2026
Literature Review Due: Week 6
Block Seminar: End of Semester

Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge: Comprehensive overview of good and bad UX design in practice and its adaptation for XR, with deep insights into a topic of choice
  • Skills: Ability to independently review and systematically structure scientific literature, experience presenting research to a critical audience and participating in scientific discussions
  • Competencies: Critically reflect on new scientific results in HCI in practice and theory, relate results to literature and assess quality and impact, transfer existing research results to new XR environments, test prototypes with user-centered investigations (e.g., heuristics)

Course Content

Introduction:

  • Fundamentals of HCI (prior knowledge desired)
  • Overview of interaction in XR
  • Literature review of good and bad examples in theory and practice (e.g., infinite scrolling)
  • Identification of metrics from an HCI perspective to critically discuss design innovations from past to present

Group Projects

  • Identify an example from the introduction session (good vs. bad design innovations)
  • Create three low-fidelity prototypes of how these examples could be transferred to XR
  • Discuss within the group which prototype to select based on metrics from the literature review
  • Create a testable medium-fidelity XR prototype
  • Conduct heuristic test (or other user-centered test) with previously defined metrics
  • Present group project and prototype
  • Submit group portfolio

Course Format

  • Module starts in the second week of the lecture period with an introduction
  • Students must submit a literature review by week 6
  • Majority of module consists of a block seminar at the end of the semester
  • Students choose a topic based on their literature submission and form groups
  • During the seminar: familiarization with topic, transfer of existing knowledge from literature to XR, critical reflection through discussions and written/oral work

Assessment

Portfolio examination (100 points total):

  • Literature review (10 points, written, 6h) - Overview summarized in a one-pager
  • Portfolio (30 points, written, 12h) - Contains literature overview and project description (background/motivation, prototype description, test results, discussion)
  • Presentation (20 points, oral, 15 min) - Format chosen by individual groups
  • Prototype (30 points, practical, 20 min) - XR application demo during testing and as part of final presentation
  • Oral group discussions (10 points, oral, 2x60 min) - About literature and prototype development progress

Course Details

  • Credits: 6 ECTS
  • Language: German (materials/presentations may be in English)
  • Format: Project (PJ), 4 SWS
  • Maximum participants: 12
  • Duration: 1 semester
  • Workload: 180 hours (60h attendance, 120h preparation/follow-up)
  • Module responsible: Prof. Ceenu George
  • Contact: Prof. Ceenu George (ceenu.george@tu-berlin.de)
  • Prerequisites: Recommended for final semesters of Bachelor or Master, programming experience with C#, Unity or comparable languages

Registration

  • Registration via Moses (#41186)
  • Also register in ISIS course: ISIS Course Link
  • Registration open until April 14, 2026 (flexible deadline)
  • Students can drop out until 3 days before the first exam