Competencies and objectives

Provisional information. Pending approval.

 

Course context for academic year 2025-26

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is an interdisciplinary field that studies the design, development, and evaluation of interactive systems to optimize the user experience (UX) in communication between people and technology. Its goal is to improve usability (efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction), as well as accessibility in the interaction between both. Based on disciplines such as computer science, cognitive psychology, design, and ergonomics, HCI encompasses key areas such as interface design, user experience, multimodal interaction, and accessibility. In the context of Artificial Intelligence, HCI is essential to ensure that intelligent systems are understandable, intuitive, and adaptive to human needs.

Since its beginnings, HCI has evolved alongside advances in computing. In the early decades of computing, interaction was physical, involving the modification of wiring and the activation of switches and other mechanical mechanisms. Later, interaction took place through consoles and command-line interfaces, which allowed interaction with the computer to be decoupled. With the emergence of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) in the 1970s and 1980s, the use of computers became democratized, allowing for more intuitive interaction through windows, icons, and pointers. Later, the arrival of mobile devices and touchscreens redefined interaction, making technology more accessible and ubiquitous.

Today, Artificial Intelligence plays a key role in the evolution of HCI, enabling more natural interactions through gesture-based and conversational interfaces, voice recognition, virtual and augmented reality, etc. The current challenge is to design systems that not only have high usability but are also adapted and accessible to population groups that have historically had less access to technology (digital divide), thus meeting their needs for access to technology.

 

 

Course competencies (verified by ANECA in official undergraduate and Master’s degrees) for academic year 2025-26

Transversal Competences

  • CT01 : Utilizar de forma habitual las herramientas informáticas, así como las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones, en todo su desempeño profesional.
  • CT02 : Comunicar de forma oral y escrita transmitiendo información, ideas, problemas y soluciones a un público tanto especializado como no especializado.

 

General Competences

  • CG3 : Analizar fuentes documentales y adquirir conocimientos del ámbito de la inteligencia artificial para seguir los últimos avances en esta área, determinar su aplicabilidad para la resolución de problemas y adaptarse a nuevos escenarios futuros.
  • CG5 : Comunicar de manera clara y precisa conocimientos, metodologías, ideas, problemas y soluciones en el ámbito de la inteligencia artificial
  • CG6 : Concebir, desarrollar y aplicar sistemas de inteligencia artificial para mejorar los sectores productivos y la sociedad actual, determinando su idoneidad y ámbito de aplicación
  • CG7 : Resolver problemas de inteligencia artificial novedosos o multidisciplinares, mostrando iniciativa y originalidad en el desarrollo, después de analizar y entender las especificaciones planteadas
  • CG8 : Concebir, desarrollar e implantar sistemas de inteligencia artificial teniendo en cuenta aspectos de calidad y seguridad, dentro del marco normativo, además de atender a criterios medioambientales y de uso racional, ético y eficiente de recursos e información

 

Specific Competences

  • CE38 : Diseñar e implementar interfaces persona computador multimodales que garanticen la accesibilidad y usabilidad a los sistemas, servicios y aplicaciones de inteligencia artificial.

 

Basic Competences

  • CB4 : Que los estudiantes puedan transmitir información, ideas, problemas y soluciones a un público tanto especializado como no especializado

 

 

 

Learning outcomes (Training objectives)

 

1. Conocer los fundamentos de la Interacción Hombre-Máquina.

2. Desarrollar aplicaciones siguiendo un proceso estandarizado de diseño centrado en el usuario.

3. Conocer los principales estándares y normativas nacionales e internacionales relacionados con la interacción persona-ordenador.

4. Manejar correctamente las principales técnicas de identificación de necesidades de usuario y ser capaz de aplicarlas en un entorno real.

5. Conocer los principios humanos del diseño de interfaces (habilidades visuales, intelectuales, memorísticas y motoras del humano) y ser capaz de aplicarlos para realizar una correcta asignación de responsabilidades durante el diseño de aplicaciones.

6. Conocer los principales métodos de evaluación de interfaces de usuario, tanto con usuarios como sin usuarios, y ser capaz de seleccionar y aplicar la técnica más adecuada de evaluación de la interfaz de usuario en función del producto a evaluar.

7. Conocer las principales tecnologías para el desarrollo de interfaces multimodales combinando fuentes de percepción humana (visión, tacto, oído, gusto y olfato).

8. Desarrollar interfaces para sistemas de IA que garanticen experiencias de usuario adecuadas.

9. Conocer y utilizar tecnologías de realidad virtual (VR) y realidad aumentada (AR) para el desarrollo de interfaces.

10. Conocer la legislación específica nacional e internacional sobre la publicación de contenidos multimedia: derechos de autor, propiedad intelectual y distribución de material audiovisual y manejar especificaciones, reglamentos y normas de obligado cumplimiento

 

 

Specific objectives stated by the academic staff for academic year 2025-26

  1. Understand the fundamentals of HCI and its historical evolution, highlighting the role of interfaces in the interaction between humans and computational systems.
  2. Classify and analyze the different types of interfaces from the perspective of the hardware used, understanding their operating principles and applications.
  3. Briefly explore traditional interfaces based on conventional input and output devices (keyboard, mouse, touchscreens, graphic tablets).
  4. Examine sensor- and motion-based interfaces, including gesture-detecting cameras, accelerometers, and haptic technologies for tactile feedback.
  5. Study voice- and sound-based interfaces, such as voice assistants and ambient audio recognition for interaction with intelligent systems.
  6. Analyze virtual and augmented reality technologies, understanding their hardware, principles of immersion, and applications across different fields.
  7. Explore interfaces based on biosignals, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), biometric sensors, and eye-tracking systems, with an emphasis on accessibility and neurotechnology.
  8. Evaluate the usability and accessibility of interfaces using specific methodologies and tools to measure their efficiency and impact on the user experience.

 

 

General

Code: 33674
Lecturer responsible:
Luján Mora, Sergio
Credits ECTS: 6,00
Theoretical credits: 1,20
Practical credits: 1,20
Distance-base hours: 3,60

Departments involved

  • Dept: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTING
    Area: COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
    Theoretical credits: 0,6
    Practical credits: 0,6
  • Dept: LANGUAGES AND COMPUTING SYSTEMS
    Area: LANGUAGES AND COMPUTING SYSTEMS
    Theoretical credits: 0,6
    Practical credits: 0,6
    This Dept. is responsible for the course.
    This Dept. is responsible for the final mark record.

Study programmes where this course is taught