Teaching

The user interface is the visible part of computer applications. In the field of Human-Computer Interaction, the need for an adequate user interface is emphasized, ensuring that tasks for which the application was designed can be performed with ease. While aesthetics are important, the primary goal is always to facilitate user interaction with the application. Through the study and application of this subject, students will learn to develop applications with key, foundational considerations in mind, such as understanding the user, interaction mechanisms, and essential design principles.

This course introduces fundamental global concepts in Computer Science (engineering, abstraction, model, system, project, process, information) to progressively arrive at the concept of a computer system (hardware + software + data), and from there to the broader concept of an Information System (IS) as a specialized type of socio-technical system (with technological, human, social, and organizational elements) aimed at meeting the information needs of an organization.

With the course’s horizontal perspective on computing, students gain a clearer understanding of the role each area of Computer Science plays as part of the whole. This course also provides a foundational, both conceptual and practical, basis for later courses related to information systems, such as enterprise information systems, information systems management, information systems auditing, and software system security. In this sense, the course serves a preparatory purpose.

In the era of digitalization, the capture, processing, and retrieval of information have become key elements in most services. Computer engineers are aware of the need for efficient systems capable of managing large volumes of diverse information. Consequently, modern computing technology is inconceivable without an underlying database to help achieve its objectives. Technologies based on artificial intelligence, networks, web technologies, gaming, information systems, and more would not be feasible without effective database management.

Database management systems are therefore a fundamental component in information and communication technologies, essential for achieving the social reach that the internet and communications have today.

This course provides an overview of Software Engineering and its role within the context of Computer Engineering. It introduces fundamental concepts as well as key characteristics and techniques to be applied across the various stages of software development: requirements, analysis, design, and implementation. All topics are approached from the Object-Oriented paradigm.