Course Number: HUW 161
Course Title: Principles of Multimedia and Web Design
Days/Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:15p - 4:25p — E 261
Instructor: Jeff Ong
Email jeffrey.ong97@lagcc.cuny.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:30p - 1:30p, email or chat to schedule
Class Website:
Course Description
We will look at the fundamental principles of web design, focusing on user experience and visual design for websites and mobile applications. Topics include typography, visual/graphic design, layout and responsive design, motion and interaction design, and accessibility. We will start by doing research.
We will show each other some fundamental techniques of interacting with computers, and ask you to experiment and try some of them. If you like them, you can use it in your own interface.
Goals
The course has three goals:
- Understand foundational web design practices and principles
- Practice with professional design tools and workflows
- Design an interface to a project of one's choosing
Objectives
On completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Lay out typography in a readable and expressive manner
- Apply color, composition, and visual hierarchy to a digital design
- Prototype motion and interaction for an interface
- Evaluate and remediate a design for accessibility
Course Materials
- Figma Design Tutorials https://www.figma.com/community/design-tutorials
- Readings (instructor provided PDFs / links)
- Something to store your work — external hard drive / USB drive / Google Drive
- Patience
Course Overview
The dates are subject to flexibility, depending on our pace
Unit 0 — Introduction & Setup
September 15 — 17
Course overview, Figma setup, and an introduction to the studio format of the class.
Unit 1 — Text
September 15 – 29
Typography as both a functional and expressive medium. Type anatomy, classification, pairing, and hierarchy.
Unit 2 — Visual Design
Oct 1 — 22
Color theory, composition, and visual hierarchy as the building blocks of a cohesive visual system.
Unit 3 — Layout
Oct 27 — Nov 17
Grid systems, layout principles, and designing across breakpoints from mobile to desktop.
Unit 4 — Motion
Nov 19 — Dec 3
Principles of motion design and interactivity transitions, microinteractions, and prototyping interface behavior.
Unit 5 — Accessibility
Nov 19 — Dec 3
WCAG fundamentals, assistive technology, and auditing/remediating a design.
Final Projects & Presentations
Dec 8 — 15
You will take what you have learned and combine it to create a final project.
Assignments
Each unit has one assignment, that is due at the beginning of class. You will have time to work on it during class across the full duration of the unit.
| # | Assignment | Unit | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Typography | Unit 1 | Sep 29 |
| 2 | Visual Design | Unit 2 | Oct 22 |
| 3 | Layout | Unit 3 | Nov 17 |
| 4 | Motion | Unit 4 | Dec 3 |
| 5 | Accessibility | Unit 5 | Dec 15 |
Final Project
In Unit 6, students combine everything from the semester into a final project, due Tuesday, Dec 15. Alongside the assignments, building an online portfolio is a course requirement — by the end of the semester, your portfolio will contain a representation of all five unit assignments plus the final project. We will build the portfolio together over the course of the semester.
Grading Policy
Letter grades are determined by a combination of your work and participation in class:
- Assignments (5 × 10%): 50%
- Final Project & Portfolio: 20%
- Participation: 30%
Late work is always accepted, but will receive one letter grade down per late class:
- 1 class late — one grade down A→B
- 2 classes late — two grades down A→C
- 3 classes late — D
Attendance Policy
Your on-time attendance is crucial. Roll call is within 5 - 10 minutes of the beginning of class. You are expected to arrive on time and remain for the entire class period. Take a break when you need it, you don't need to ask, just try to not disrupt others.
- 10 minutes late = 1 late
- 30 minutes late or leaving class for more than 30 minutes = 1 absence
- 3 lates = 1 absence
- 5 absences = Automatic withdrawal (WD)
- Final critique absence = F
If you are absent, you are responsible for finding and reviewing information and homework from that class, via Brightspace.
- Absences without communicating with me beforehand count toward your 4 absence limit.
- If you miss class without communication, it is your responsibility to figure out what occurred during that session
- It is not my to chase students to review missed material or submit late assignments.
For excused absences:
- It is your responsibility to seek out the information that was covered in class. You are more than welcome to send me a message and I will help point you to the resources.
- It is your responsibility to complete any assignments due that day.
- You are encouraged to come to office hours or message me for extra help.
Participation
Attendance does not equal participation. I look forward to sharing work, and discussing with you and learning together. We spend so much time staring at our phones. I ask that while I or one of your fellow students is speaking, to listen intently.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This class is focused on developing your critical media literacy and technical abilities. Submitting work that is primarily or entirely generated by AI will be considered a failure to complete the assignment. If AI is used to create an entire assignment or project, the result will be an automatic 0. Repeated misuse of AI will result in a failing grade for the course.
Safety and Inclusivity
In this classroom, which includes the virtual spaces and communication we share, there is zero-tolerance from any or of harassment and/or discriminatory, oppressive, suppressive, or violent behavior.
I commit to creating an environment free of harassment and intimidation for everyone in this course — regardless of socioeconomic privilege and status, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices.
Harassment can include, but is not limited to, offensive verbal comments, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption, inappropriate or non-consensual physical contact, unwelcome attention, and/or refusing to accept the limits or boundaries set by another participant in our classroom. These expectations are inclusive of everyone, including me, the instructor.
If you experience or witness harassment, threatening behavior, suppressive behavior, or have any other concerns, I encourage you to speak up, say something, and/or let me know immediately.
NO Meta Glasses
For the safety of our students, especially those targeted by ICE, no META glasses are allowed in any New Media Technology space. It does not matter if they are recording or not. They are physically NOT allowed inside any of our classrooms, labs, or offices. Nearby Glasses is an app that alerts you if there are smart glasses in the vicinity, and I encourage you to use it.
Inclusivity
Students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives should be well served by this course. The diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present activities that accommodate and value a diversity of gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. I will gladly respect your request to address you by the pronouns and name you specify, in accordance with the New York City and State laws regarding the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and the Gender Recognition act.
Accommodations
I commit to make individual arrangements to address disabilities, and religious needs (e.g. religious events in conflict with class meetings).
If you have a disability and have an accommodation letter, you are encouraged to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible; I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as best I can.
Student Resources
LaGuardia CARES (College Access for Retention and Economic Success) connects students with resources, referrals and local community services to overcome financial barriers, stay in school and graduate. LaGuardia CARES provides resources for daily living expenses, including food, healthcare, rent, utilities, childcare, emergency transportation and more! All of our services are free for LaGuardia students and their immediate family members.
The Women’s Center & LGBTQ+ Hub is a space open to all students, providing resources and programs to learn more about women’s & LGBTQ+ rights, equity, and gender & sexuality expressions. We offer opportunities for mentoring, mindfulness, creativity, advocacy and volunteering during affinity months, such as, Women’s History Month and Pride Month. We are also committed to providing a range of information and connecting students to on and off campus resources, to address issues such as, women’s reproductive health, Domestic Violence (DV) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), mental health services, LGBTQ+ services, and housing or food insecurity. Our goals are to raise awareness about issues affecting women, LGBTQ+ populations and intersections, share resources, provide space for dialogue, connection, and empowerment, and celebrate the experiences of all identities.
Accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, the Wellness Center provides counseling and wellness services that support and assist you in your intellectual, emotional, psychological, and social development while coping with the challenges of college and life stressors. The Wellness Center offers free and confidential counseling in a safe environment where individual and cultural differences are valued and respected. Our services include: short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, workshops, outreach and referrals to college community resources.