HCI evaluation with Cognitive Dimensions of Notations

During the design and development of a technological artifact or when such artifact is already in the hands of users, an inspection method can help researchers and practitioners deal with not only usability issues, but also provide a common language to evaluate different design alternatives. The Cognitive Dimensions of Notations framework (CDNf) is a methodological resource designed to identify and discuss cognitive loads imposed by notations. In this six-hour short course, we aim to talk about our experience with CDNf – alone and combined with other HCI methods – and to explore CDNf in practice – with hands-on activities to show participants how it can be a useful resource.