uwloo

SYDE 548User Centred Design Methods

Units
0.50
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Systems Design Engineering

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course approaches the design of tasks, tools, products, and systems from a user-centered design perspective. Emphasis is on the human factors and usability methods, and techniques that can and should be applied throughout the iterative design process. While design issues pertaining to human-computer interaction are discussed, the methods presented can be applied to the design of almost any user interface. Major topics include user research methods for usability and user experience, inspection methods, user testing, applied statistical analysis.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • CS449 - Human-Computer Interaction (0.50)
    • MSE343 - Human-Computer Interaction (0.50)

Leads to

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00143530 / 47M 10:30–12:20
W 10:30–11:20
LEC 701175817 / 9999Online or by arrangement
TUT 10147110 / 47W 11:30–12:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

50% liked it38% easy63% useful

From 8 ratings and 4 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Taken with Dr MacGregor and Dr Kate Mercer. Pretty good course! Very focused on user research, not so much on design.
    Was pretty practice-focused, so (as someone who had worked in user research and design on a number of coops) a good amount of the content was redundant. Still, the topics themselves are useful - e.g. user interviews, personas, usability testing, and many other techniques / methods.
    Evaluation was in the form of a diagnostic quiz (5%), a big stats test (20%), two large portfolio projects (25%, 35%), and workshop reflection marks (15%).

    Jun 2021 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This is not a bird course, if you've taken SYDE 542 it's around 10x the workload. Wouldn't recommend this to anyone who isn't in UX, it's too in depth for people who are just curious. prof MacGregor might be the GOAT though, one of the rare courses that are actually graded with proper rigour, although this makes assignments a huge pain in the ass. You will need to cite your sources even in short answer quiz questions or you WILL get 71'd

    Apr 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I go back and forth between loving this class and hating this class. The lectures are probably the most engaging lectures I've ever attended, Carolyn MacGregor does a great job at making the lectures interactive, we are always doing in-class activities.
    The homework and project work is very intense. There are some pretty big projects, paired with weekly homework, and quizzes that require hours of preparation (setting up spreadsheets).
    If you're interested in user research and statistics, then this is an awesome course.
    This is probably not the best class to be taking if you're just looking for credits (whoops).
    Additionally, this class requires a strong background in statistics. SYDE 212…

    Feb 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course is really cool, but I feel like it's mostly only useful if you intend on going into user research. I'm not, so for me it was mostly a lot of work for skills I wouldn't use later. However, I appreciate the structure of the course in trying to be as accommodating as possible for deadlines and deliverable expectations.

    Mar 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

3 posts and comments in 3 threads mention SYDE 548, December 2020 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2022

Some “useful” arts or STEM faculty courses to take? 6 points, 12 comments

“Edit: you all have been incredibly helpful, thank you ╰(´︶)╯♡ I’m currently a 2nd yr Legal Studies and English (RMPC) student who’s about to take some courses for the first time irl this spring …”

u/zeph-yr: “… design) these are the ones I was recommended: \- syde 542 interface design (winter) \- syde 548 user research methods (winter) \- bet 350 intro to cx design (taught by gbda prof in fall) \- engl 392a information design / graphic design \- dac 201 graphic + motion design Good …”

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Spring 2021

Technical elective choice help: MTE 545, NE 481, BME 550, ECE 484, NE 466 1 point, 9 comments

“Hello everyone. I am a struggling almost 4A student struggling to choose electives. If you have any experience from these courses and general topics, difficulty, other notes please lmk”

u/BME_or_Bust: “I took NE 466 online. Super short lectures and not many deliverables. Pretty long group research paper at the end. Not too hard, decently interesting, but meh prof.”

u/BME_or_Bust: “SYDE 542, 548 and SYDE 599 (traffic safety) plus the nano course”

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Fall 2020

Admissions / High School Megathread (Fall 2020) 316 points, 7,386 comments

“I think we lost track of the old one somewhere, and this is to also help reset the expiry date (these threads archive after six months) Engineering Admissions Blog: https://theroadtoengineering.com/ …”

u/throwaway267654: “Hey! I understand that uw has courses on human computer interaction, can anyone in any program take these courses? Or is it reserved for those in engineering and CS?”

u/BME_or_Bust: “There’s a few courses that cover that topic including MSCI 343, SYDE 548 and CS 449 Generally you need to be in either engineering or CS, and there’s limited seats available in each elective”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar