What computer career?

What exactly is human-computer interaction and what kind of skills are learned? How does it differ from other computer-based programs (e.g. computer science, information systems, software engineering, etc.)? What type of career opportunities becomes available?

• Answer:

  Let me begin this with a big disclaimer: the whole world of humans-using-technology is very ill-defined and lots of arguments happen around what exactly in the difference between two different titles. There is so little consistency that one person can be called a Human Factors Engineer at one company and do the exact same thing as a User Interface Developer at another. I'm sure other people will chime in with their experiences which are bound to be different from mine. HCI is a discipline that evolved out of Human Factors in Engineering, which is an old (relatively speaking) discipline that addresses the variabilities that humans bring to a mechanical design, such as average human reaching distance (when determining where to put controls) or maximum cognitive load capabilities (when determining how many items a human operator has to remember at one time). As computers became more "personal" and smaller, more emphasis was placed on the software that ran on the computer rather than on physical, mechanical qualities -- although that is still relevant in the design of manufacturing equipment and physical environments. A practitioner of Human-Computer Interaction typically requires the following skills: - Excellent interviewing and listening skills - Ability to synthesize information from a variety of sources and present conclusions clearly, both in written form and using easy-to-understand visuals (graphs, charts, diagrams, flow charts, wireframes) - At least a moderate level of skill in designing and conducting usability studies and delivering findings in an actionable format - Graduate-level understanding of quantitative and qualitative data, statistics, and when it's appropriate to use each kind - Ability to keep up with new advances in technology in the chosen specialty (healthcare, manufacturing, software engineering, education, etc.) as well as a great understanding of the capabilities of different kinds of computing devices (desktop, tablet, smartphone, smart watch, touch screens, wearable devices, etc.) Note that there isn't a requirement for any kind of programming or development capabilities. An understanding of different kinds of software languages are of course helpful, but I would argue that a Human-Computer Interaction specialist should be fairly agnostic to the kind technology being developed, and instead focus on the human experience of using that technology. Differences between HCI and other disciplines mentioned: HCI vs Computer Science: CS focuses almost entirely on the machine itself; it deals with machine language, software programming, data storage. The human operator is abstracted and pretty much disregarded in comparison. HCI vs Information Systems: There is much more overlap between these two. IS from a business perspective can be more like Business Analysis, which looks at systems from the business requirements perspective. IS from an empirical/academic perspective deals with the science of information hierarchies (think Information Architecture), taxonomy, ontology, etc. Again the big difference here is that IS is much more about the information itself, leaving humans out of it. HCI vs Software Engineering: This one is fuzzy because, depending on the engineer, there can be more or less of a consideration for the human experience in using the software. Sometimes within the large discipline of Software Engineering you will find specialists that focus more on the interface between the human operator and the computer, which is where User Interface designer/developers live. UI designers have a LOT in common with HCI specialists, often to the point that they play in the same philosophical sandbox together. I think the biggest difference between the two is that UI designers are expected to create and deliver a functioning interface, where HCI practitioners typical give reports and recommendations only. Career Opportunities in HCI: This field is becoming very hot and in high demand, in my experience. People are finally realizing that there is a big gap between pure programming and the psychology of human behavior. There needs to be a translator role, who can determine the needs of the human users (besides simply asking them, because any UX practitioner knows that people don't know what they want/need) and effectively communicate those requirements to the software developers. The two camps have fundamental differences in values and worldviews, so being able to effectively cross that bridge to help each side understand each other is essential. HCI specialists can be called any number of titles, such as User Experience (UX) Designer, Web Designer, Interaction (IX) Designer, Information Architect (IA), Usability Engineer, Human Factors Engineer, and so on. Typically, unless it's a large company and/or one that has a company focus on the user experience (think Apple), HCI practitioners are hired on a project-by-project basis for limited contracts. Consultants in this field are expected to alternate their time working on projects for hire, doing their own projects/conducting research, attending/presenting at industry conferences, and publishing content (books/articles). I am attaching a diagram by Dan Saffer that I've used dozens of times when I explain this very topic to others.