CSE 510 - Advanced Topics in HCI - Spring 2026

Course Overview

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to forms of contribution in several major areas of research in Human-Computer Interaction. Course activities are based in a combination of readings, active discussion and reflection, and a self-defined group project. Across all of these, the course considers HCI research in terms of:

  • Contribution: what knowledge is gained through research activities.
  • Method: how research activities are structured to demonstrate contributions.
  • Framing: how motivation, language, theory, or understanding can provide context for activities and contributions.

Course readings emphasize a combination of historic framing papers and more recent contributions. Discussion and reflection emphasize consideration of readings in terms of their contributions, methods applied in those contributions, and framings of those contributions. The group project asks students to extend consideration of contributions, methods, and framings to their own activities. The combination of course activities is therefore intended to help students examine what the HCI research community considers a contribution across a variety of contexts, thus helping prepare students to understand and make meaningful contributions in these and other areas of HCI research.

This course is explicitly not focused on iterative design methods or associated theory commonly emphasized in HCI practice. We do not assume a strong background in HCI (i.e., there is no undergraduate HCI prerequisite), but students seeking an introduction to effective design or an iterative design process will be better served by CSE 440.

Learning Objectives

  • Be able to differentiate forms of contribution in HCI research.
  • Be able to describe prior fundamental results that frame areas of HCI research.
  • Be able to articulate new contributions relative to such framings of areas of HCI research.
  • Be able to consider, evaluate, and apply common HCI research methods.

Course Staff

James Fogarty

he/him

Shaan Chopra

she/her

Course Coordination

Course information and material will provided primarily on this website.

Canvas and Drive will be used when appropriate for limiting access to course information and materials.

Assignments

Course assignments consist of:

  • Readings and Discussion Posts

    Typically two readings per class, with a discussion post due before class.

    The Calendar will provide any day-specific revisions to this reading structure.

  • Presentations and Discussions

    Student-led in-class presentations and discussions of readings.

  • Project

    Defined in terms of a proposal, a pair of self-defined milestones, and a final report.

  • Reflections

    Reflections on readings and research in terms of contribution, methods, and framing.

Grading

Much of the grading in this course is necessarily subjective. We will attempt to communicate expectations and feedback throughout the course, but it is your responsibility to communicate with us if you would like additional guidance.

The overall course grade will be computed as follows:

  • 15%: Readings, Discussion Posts, and In-Class Small Group Discussions.

    As described in Readings and Discussion Posts and in Presentations and Discussions.

  • 15%: Student-Led Presentations and Discussion Facilitation.

    As described in Presentations and Discussions. All students will take on an appropriate share of student-led presentations and discussion facilitation, including coordinating with course staff to ensure coverage of all necessary roles.

  • 45%: Project.

    • 5%: Proposal Preparation and Document.
    • 5%: Milestone 1 Report and Discussion.
    • 5%: Milestone 2 Report and Discussion.
    • 30%: Final Report.

    Project proposal and milestone grading will emphasize progress and preparation to engage with feedback. Strong grades will result from honest presentation of project status and preparation for a discussion that can support the project (e.g., realistic and concrete proposals, clear discussion of advice that a project currently needs). Proposals or milestones that are less than candid and thoughtful (e.g., vague, incomplete, oversold) fail to take full advantage of an opportunity for feedback.

    Project final report grading will then emphasize overall project execution, appropriate presentation of project activities (e.g., clarity of activities, contributions, and methods), and reflection.

  • 15%: Reflections.

    As described in Reflections.

  • 10%: Participation.

    A participation grade corresponds to course goals for students to actively develop skills in discussing research activities, contributions, methods, and framings (e.g., when discussing existing research, when discussing ongoing research). Participation will therefore include engagement with in-class discussions and other course activities (e.g., being present for discussions, being engaged in discussions).

If necessary, the grades of specific assignments may also be adjusted based on participation and contribution. Any such adjustments will be applied as part of course grade calculation at the end of the quarter

Late Policy

We generally expect all assignments will be submitted according to deadlines in the assignment description. If there is a constraint or an emergency impacting your ability to submit an assignment, contact the course staff before the assignment deadline by email to the course staff list.

We will do our best to be accommodating amidst requirements and expectations of the course (e.g., expecting clear and early communication, understanding that assignments supporting in-class discussion serve little purpose after that discussion, understanding that assignments support engagement and grading throughout the course).

Regrade Policy

Any request for grade clarification or a re-grade must be submitted by email to the course staff list. Requests will only be considered within 7 days of the release of a grade.

Because reflection grading is both subjective and anonymous, we will be averse to revising the grade of a reflection. We will proactively work to be fair in the grading of these assignments, then expect we would decline any request to revisit the grade of a reflection (e.g., because we cannot preserve anonymity in such a request).

Upon calculation of final grades, we will explicitly check for any particularly unfortunate effects of rounding (e.g., adjusting a pre-rounding final grade of 3.649 to instead give a 3.7). This is intended to provide confidence that final grades were not defined by any minor point deduction.

Generative AI Policy

We understand that generative AI is a commonly-used tool in many contexts. We encourage you to be thoughtful in your use of any tool, ensuring that your tools do not undermine your learning goals or the intent of course assignments. Remember that you are responsible for all content of your submitted work, regardless of what tools you used to help create it.

Expectation of In-Person Participation

The course heavily emphasizes required in-person activities, including student-led presentations and discussions. Full engagement with and contribution in group project activities also requires in-person participation. In-person participation is therefore a required component of the course, will be included in participation grading, and can also impact grading of other course activities. Remote participation will not be supported.

If you will be absent for any reason, contact the course staff before class by email to the course staff list. We will track absence-related communication as part of the expectation of in-person participation, including any context you share about the need for an absence. We will do our best to be accommodating amidst requirements and expectations of the course.

COVID-19 Safety, Recordings, and Zoom

There may be reasons you cannot or should not participate in-person, including COVID-19 exposure or symptoms. Our goal is for this course to provide an opportunity for learning without undermining safety, and we all share responsibility for preserving safety of this learning environment. Please review and adhere to COVID-19 related guidance, including:

https://www.ehs.washington.edu/covid-19-prevention-and-response/covid-19-illness-and-exposure-guidance

We will aim to record course sessions (e.g., unless a guest indicates they do not want to be recorded). Recorded sessions will be available within Canvas. We expect recordings will be of relatively poor quality and they are obviously an incomplete proxy for a discussion-focused course. Nevertheless, recording may sometimes be the best available option.

We may also use Zoom as an accommodation (e.g., due to illness, due to requirements of a guest). Zoom participation will use meeting information provided by email and in Canvas.

Accommodations and University Policies

Additional university policies apply (e.g., regarding Academic Integrity, Conduct, Disability Resources, Face Coverings, Religious Accommodations):

https://registrar.washington.edu/curriculum/syllabus-guidelines

Please do not hesitate to contact the course staff regarding these or any other accommodations. We are happy that you are here and want to support your engagement in this learning environment.

Contributing

This course website lives on GitHub:

https://github.com/uwcse510/web-cse510-26sp