Overview of theUndergraduate Major in HCI

Human Computer Interaction InstituteSchool of Computer ScienceCarnegie Mellon University

Jason HongNewell Simon Hall 2504D

jasonh@cmu.edu

What is HCII?

Our Department’s Mission• Understand and create technology that

harmonizes with and improves human capabilities, goals, and social environments through interdisciplinary research and education in design, computer science, and behavioral and social sciences

What Makes HCI dynamic?

• CMU has the best Human-Computer Interaction program in the country

• One of the few with an undergraduate major• Cutting edge, futuristic• Tight integration of

– Technology– Behavioral Science– Design

• Breadth and Depth– The students themselves– Our interdisciplinary faculty

Our Educational Philosophy at HCII

Take excellent students with depth in one discipline relevant to HCI and give them the educational opportunity to “walk in the shoes” of the other disciplines relevant to HCI.

This will make the students more effective members of interdisciplinary groups in industry.

On the Philosophy…

• A second major in HCI will provide students – Basic skills for designing and implementing

user-centered software– Appreciation of the varied skills necessary

to make usable interactive products– Ability to communication with specialists in

other areas

• It will not make software developers into designers or psychologists into programmers

User Centered Design

Implement

Evaluate design Produce design solutions

Understand context of useand the “problem”

• Multiple iterations, with increasing realism

The Many Disciplines of HCI

Evaluation

Design

Implementation

Flash, Director, Visual Basic, HTML, Databases, Java, C++, GUI toolkits. UI architectures

ColorLayoutGraphic DesignInteraction Design

Human behavior

Human FactorsCognitive PsychologyMotivationGroup behavior

• Think alouds • Heuristic evaluation• GOMs• Interviews• Focus groups

• Cognitive walk-throughs • Surveys• Experiments• Statistical analysis

HCI Curriculum

Core Courses

• Introduction to HCI Methods– Use empirical and analytical methods to figure

out what users want, will find easy-to-use, easy to learn, and/or fun

• Basic Interaction Design– Translate between problem definitions and

innovative designs• Technology core differs by prior experience

– Programming Usable Interfaces (PUI)for non-CS majors

– Software Architecture for User Interfaces (SAUI)for CS majors

• Project Course

Project Course Goals

• Apply HCI skills on a large project• Work in interdisciplinary teams (3-4 people)• Work with real clients

• Learn to write reports• Learn to give presentations

3D Dentistry

CMU Court Reservation System

Now in use at UC!Basis of (failed) small business!

End System MulticastNow in use

by ESM team!

Classroom Controls

Now in usein CMU classrooms!

Typical Week for Project

• Project meeting with client• One or more internal project meetings

among selves• Enrichment lectures• Working towards artifact

– Contextual inquiry, lo-fi prototype, hi-fi prototype, user study

• Typically 30-40 hours per team per week

Elective Courses

– Building Virtual Worlds– Human Factors– Intelligent Tutoring

Systems– Predictive Cognitive

Modeling– Rapid Prototyping of

Computer Systems– Advanced Topics UI

Software

– Computer Supported Cooperative Work

– Computers in Organizations

– Speech Recognition and Understanding

– Applied machine learning – Introduction to Product

Design– Dramatic Structure of

Interactive Games

• Can be in any part of the university– Business, CFA, Robotics, H&SS, Entertainment

Technologies

• Many HCI-specific courses

Business• Marketing Management• Writing and Decision Making • Interactive Marketing

Leveraging Technology• Marketing Communications

and Buyer Behavior • Introduction to

Entrepreneurship • Entrepreneurial Thought

and Action• Technology

Commercialization Workshop

• Managing Intellectual Capital in Knowledge Intensive Businesses

• Consulting and Conflict Resolution

Other Popular Electives Around the University

EntertainmentTechnology

• Game Design• Critical Interaction

Design

Language andCommunication

• On-line Information Design

• Film at the Limits of Imagination

• Writing for Multimedia• Multimedia Authoring I• Document Design• Professional Writing• Professional Speaking

Robotics• DARPA Grand Challenge

(Red Team)• Introduction to Mobile

Robots

More Popular Electives

Computer Science

• Technology Consulting in the Community

• Web Application Development

• Engineering Software Intensive Systems

• Human Aspects of Software Engineering

• Architectures for Software Systems

• Computers and Security• Artificial Intelligence

Design

• Designing Identities• Understanding Perception

Through Design• Design‚ Management and

Organizational Behavior • Designing for Service• Mapping and Diagramming• Color and Communication• How Things Are Made• Product Planning • Sketching and Modeling• Industrial Design

Fundamentals• Conceptual Models• Methodology of

Visualization • Typographic Play

Behavioral Sciences

• Perception • Human Information

Processing and Artificial Intelligence

• Interpersonal Relationships • Evolutionary Psychology • Research Methods for

– Cognitive Psychology– Social Psychology– Developmental Psychology– Learning Sciences

• Organizational Behavior• Human Expertise• Applications of Cognitive

Science• Cognitive Modeling

Independent Study

• Many students do an independent study to explore a particular area in depth

• Personalized, a negotiation between the student and a professor– Can be in any department, just like any other elective– Often grows out of personal contacts after taking class

with an instructor– I send out announcements at beginning of semester

BHCI vs MHCI Program Requirements

MHCI• 3 Prerequisites

– Freshman-level programming– Statistics (thru multivariate

regression)– Design – equivalent of CDF

• 4 Core courses– HCI Methods + Lab

– Interface and Interaction Design– HCI Programming (PUI/SAUI)– HCI Pro-seminar

• MHCI Project (2 semesters)• 5 Electives (4 if also taking CDF)

BHCI• 4 Prerequisites

– Freshman-level programming– Statistics (thru multivariate

regression)– Design – equivalent of CDF– Cognitive psychology

• 4 Core courses– HCI Methods (no lab)– Evaluation– Basic Interaction Design– HCI Programming (PUI/SAUI)

• BHCI Project (1 semester)• 2 Electives

Accelerated Masters Option• Complete a masters degree in 2 semesters past BA or BS• More in-depth project course (spring + summer)• 5 electives (most at Masters level)• Pro-seminar (outside lectures & meetings with visiting

HCI researchers and professionals)

Fall Spring Summer Fall

Standard Masters

2 Core Core Project II

Proseminar Project I

2Elective 3 Electives

Accelerated Masters

(Undergrad Senior Year)

Project II 4 Electives

Project I Proseminar

.

.

Careers In HCI

• Undergraduates get good jobs & job offers

Degree Median salary offer

Bachelors, HCI $73,000

Computer $72,000

Psychology $40,000

Information Systems $58,600

Communication Design $32,000

Masters, HCI $83,000

Recent Job Opportunities(Since Feb 1, 2007)(from Usability Professionals' Association)

• Siemens Medical – User interaction designer• Marriott International – Senior user researcher• Digitas – Interaction designer• PayPal – User experience researcher• The KOHL Group – User interaction designer• Tec-Ed – User Experience Project Manager & Researcher • Insight Enterprises – Customer experience manager• College Center for Library Automation – Usability analyst• Google – User researcher• Lands End – User interface designer• Amazon – User interface designer• Electronic Arts – Interface designer• Travelocity – Information architect• Microsoft – Human factors/Interaction designer• Whirlpool – Voice user interface designer• GE Healthcare – User interface/graphic designer• Verizon – User experience manager

Companies Where B/MHCI Alumni Work

• Accenture• Adobe• Aduna• Agitar Software• Allstate Insurance• Amazon.Com• Apple• Autodesk• Boeing• Brulant• Carnegie Mellon• Citadel Investment • Citrix Systems• Colorado State University• Cook Vascular • Corel• Doubleclick• The Wall Street Journal

Online• Duda Paine Architects• Electronic Arts

• Endeca Technologies• Friendfeed• Frog Design• General Dynamics• Google• Guidewire Software• Hewlett-Packard• Hillcrest Labs• Hindustan Times, New Delhi• Honeywell Labs• Humancentric• IBM• Intel• Johnson Controls• Keane Federal Systems, Inc.• Linden Lab• Linkedin• Logical Design Solutions• Microsoft• Motorola• NASA

• Oracle Corp• Pitney Bowes• Pixar• Qualcomm• Ricoh Americas • Sapient• Scholastic• Soar Technology• SRI International• T-Mobile • Tellme Networks• The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust• The University Of Pittsburgh• University Of Michigan• UPMC• Verizon• Wellspring Worldwide, A

Company I Co-Founded Before Hcii

• Yahoo!• Yahoo!• Zeta Associates• Zühlke Engineering

Plus ~15% have started their own companies

Admission to the Major• 25 Students / Graduating Year • Applications due by Friday, March 21, 2008• Follow instructions on the website

– Statement of purpose – Why is HCI for you?– Proposed course schedule– Letter of reference (optional)– www.hcii.cmu.edu/Academics/Undergrad/applying/applying.html

• Decisions announced by Registration Week• Criteria

– QPA (threshold 3.0+)– Diversity & courses taken– Relevance and clarity in statement of purpose– Viable plan for completing major – Available Slots

More InformationJason HongNSH 2504D(Temporary) Director of Undergraduate Programjasonh@cs.cmu.edu 412 268 1251

Robert KrautDirector of Undergraduate ProgramNSH 3515robert.kraut@cmu.edu412 268-7694

Nicole WillisProgram Coordinator300 S. Craig Street Room 229nicolewi@cs.cmu.edu412.268-7971