Outline

Overview

This unit takes an interdisciplinary approach to think strategically about a selection of key issues that emerge from human-technology interactions. This unit shows how the human-technology interface impacts on what people do with technology (whether a computer program, or a physical equipment), and especially on mistakes that might be made, which can threaten physical safety, social well-being, privacy, and other human needs. The unit will analyse risks that arise from poor or malicious interface design, how one can evaluate these risks, some different ways to limit the risks, and the ethical implications of this. Students will learn about physiological, cognitive, social and cultural aspects of human interaction; diversity among people (including cultural norms etc) impacting both what they aim to do, and how they 'read' instructions, discover affordances and actually use systems. The unit deals with fairness, accountability and transparency of sophisticated interfaces. The unit will provide insights that are important for future leaders, both of technology creation activities and of organizations that include the users. An interdisciplinary approach to evaluating these systems provides an opportunity for collaboration and identification of many factors that would otherwise not typically be considered by the designers of the system. This leads to a collective effort to improve current systems and for future systems to be designed that not only consider better functionality and usability, but also their impact on people, society and the environment across time and space.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	ENGD2001
Academic unit	Computer Science
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	must be in the Dalyell stream
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alan Fekete, alan.fekete@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Alan Fekete, alan.fekete@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam 2 hr, mix of question types	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Draft safety incident analysis report Produce draft report, so other group members can provide feedback	0%	Week 05 Due date: 24 Mar 2024 at 23:59	as appropriate (eg 5 pages)
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Peer feedback Provide feedback to other group members on their draft reports	5%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2024 at 23:59	as appropriate
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Safety incident analysis report Each member of a group produces an individual written report	10%	Week 07 Due date: 14 Apr 2024 at 23:59	as appropriate (eg 5 pages)
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Usable security observational study Carry out "think aloud" study of user with security feature of a system	10%	Week 10 Due date: 05 May 2024 at 23:59	as appropriate (eg 5 pages)
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Contribution to group Member's contribution to observational study, evidenced in several ways	5%	Week 10 Due date: 05 May 2024 at 12:53	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Security incident presentation oral presentation on a security incident, submitted as recording	10%	Week 12 Due date: 19 May 2024 at 23:59	6 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Quizzes Online quizzes, each worth 0.5 mark [total capped at 5]	5%	Weekly	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Hand-written summaries summarize pre-reading slides, identifying main topics and confusions	5%	Weekly	Half-page per week
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Quizzes: Weekly, online, multiple choice tests of knowledge and application of knowledge.
Each week, student produces short, hand-written summary of main topics from lecture slides, and identifying any aspects that are confusing. This is scanned and uploaded to canvas as pdf.
Safety incident analysis report: Done as individual work within the context of multidisciplinary groups. Each member produces an individual report that summaries and reflects on causes and lessons from a different safety incident. Each member reads another’s draft report and provides feedback on it.
Usable security observational study: done in multidisciplinary groups which perform “think aloud” observation of users interacting with a security feature in a system, and building on the observations provide report on identified issues regarding usability and security. Members each take distinctive roles within the group. All members receive the same score from the report, except if contribution is inadequate.
Contribution to group: individual score for a group member, reflecting how well they contributed to the group in which they did the usable security observational study, as evidenced in a variety of ways, including each members submitted report on the group's processes.
Security incident presentation: oral presentation on a security incident, its causes and lessons. Recorded as a video and submitted by upload in Canvas.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas two weeks before due date.

Use of AI or other assistance in writing: when allowed, this must be acknowledged (including giving details of whatever was produced by tools, so we can assess student contribution to the submission)

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Work across the semester has been exemplary. Demonstrates the highest level of understanding, critical thinking, and creativity.
Distinction	75 - 84	Work that meets the assignment requirements to a very high standard over the course of the semester.
Credit	65 - 74	Work that meets the assignment requirements to a good standard over the course of the semester.
Pass	50 - 64	Work that meets the assignment requirements to a minimum standard over the course of the semester.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late work is not accepted for quizzes, hand-written summaries, draft incident analysis report, peer feedback, final exam. Other weighted assessments apply university standard penalties.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Multiple weeks	Most weeks have 1 hr per week (a few have 2 hours), starting in week 2. A mix of discussions, practice in applying concepts, practice for assessments	Tutorial (15 hr)
Multiple weeks	Each group of students will meet a teacher for 20 minutes per week, in most of the weeks from 3-13 (except when the tutorial is scheduled for 2 hours). They will present progress on assessments, and receive feedback and/.or guidance.	Project (3 hr)
Week 01	Administrivia; safety thinking and security thinking; socio-technical systems	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Users and their characteristics; the diversity of users	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Organisational structures; how people behave in organisations.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Uncertainty; approaches for improving safety	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	AI and IoT: impacts on safety	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Usability and user studies (including ethics in user studies); security concepts	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Authentication	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	System security; Malware	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Cryptography and its uses in security; network security	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Information security and privacy	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	AI and IoT impacts on security	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Reflections, review, and exam preview	Lecture (2 hr)
Weekly	Reading, preparation, contribution on discussion boards, working on assessments, etc. 6-8 hours per week.	Independent study (101 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment: Standard unit of study workload at this university should be from 1.5 to 2 hours per credit point which means 9-12 hours for a normal 6 credit point unit of study. For units that are based on research or practical experience, hours may vary

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. communicate clearly and with impact, through oral presentations and written reports
LO2. work in multidisciplinary teams, and with users of different backgrounds
LO3. demonstrate knowledge of case studies where safety of mechanical systems was inadequate, and awareness of approaches that could have reduced these risks
LO4. demonstrate knowledge of case studies where security of computer systems was compromised, e.g. physically, remotely, operationally (esp. social engineering); and awareness of approaches that could have reduced these risks
LO5. demonstrate awareness of processes that can be used to reflect on incidents, identifying contributing issues, and proposing changes that might improve safety or security
LO6. collect observations of users interacting with a system, and in particular to use a think-aloud approach, to identify issues with the usability, security or safety of the system
LO7. demonstrate experience in safety thinking and security thinking, Understand the different sources of risk, understand the balance between incident likelihood, incident damage, and cost; and experience with threat modelling and risk analysis as tools to choose this balance for a given system
LO8. demonstrate awareness of the major challenges for designing safe secure and usable systems, including factors associated with individual users, cultural and organisational contexts
LO9. demonstrate knowledge of a core set of cognitive, physiological, organisational, and other key human factors and their implications for interface design, system safety, and security.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The main student complaint in 2023 was late return of assignments, and delays in quizzes; in 2024, extra effort will be put to grade quickly. In 2023, students learned well, I hope this continues in 2024.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

ENGD2001: Protecting People Who Use Technology

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect