Teaching HCI with a studio approach

Abstract

HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) education is often referred to as a 'living curriculum', reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the field and the dynamics of many of its components, including interactive technology. Several educators have adopted (and adapted) a design studio approach to HCI courses, especially in MSc and design-oriented postgraduate programs. In this paper, we present an HCI design studio course offered at a department of design engineering in the University of the Aegean, Greece. The approach adopted in the course blends (a) design studio activities: design brief, desk crit, design reviews, portfolio; (b) core HCI and interaction design methods: contextual inquiry, field visits, concept design, wireframes, usability testing, etc. (c) pedagogical principles of problem-based learning (PBL): authentic context, ill-defined problem, work in groups, self-directed learning. We reflect on lessons learnt in a four-year retrospective, on the quality of the use of methods and outcomes, timing and sequencing of activities and intermediate and final assessments. We envisage that this case study provides interesting insights and information to other undergraduate or postgraduate HCI studio courses.