In work, school, and everyday life, the use of computers and mobile devices has become pervasive. What has also become pervasive is people complaining about how frustrating it is to use their computers and mobile devices. A big part of this frustration stems from one simple fact: Software engineers are not psychologists. And just because a piece of software or a web page is technologically sophisticated doesn’t mean that it will be easy to use.

The field of user experience (UX) is all about bridging the gap between programmers and end users. In this class, we’ll focus on understanding how psychological research findings can help make a better app or web page. We’ll also explore how psychological research methods and data analysis techniques are used every day by companies who want to help users achieve their goals – without cursing and throwing things.