Human-Computer Interaction // Metamuse podcast episode 6

32:00 Three ways to get research HCI

23:00 - 31:00 Discussion of striking a balance between maintaining the status quo vs coming up with new ways of interacting with computers so we don’t get stuck in a rut trying to translate everything too directly.

• It goes back to first principles. By and large, the reality is that a lot of usability is driven by the cognitive architecture that is... See more

• 31:00 The aim is to bring the best parts across such as zero latency for your digital pen to respond, but then expanding the potential of what you can do now that you’re in a computing / virtual space.

Refer to Ben Reinhardt on how this stuff gets funding.

• Academic HCI work, where your output is published papers & it's very competitive. 

• Corporate R&D, usually requires commercialization on a very short timeline.

1:30 Definition of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction)

12:00-21:35 Discussion of the scientific and academic literature that observes computing practices as "folk practices" and ethnographic studies. Through the lens of cognitive science and behavioral science. Reading older texts even today proves to be so fundamental, bold, and innovative, even 15-20... See more

• Status quo should not be underestimated, nor always messed with.

You can also work in HCI as a practitioner, such as an engineer, and do product work and engage with the community.

38:45 - Great tips on how to dig into the literature with Google Scholar

40:30-50:00 discussion of community overlap between academic & product designer or engineers.

Bottom Line: Anyone can step into this world without a degree.

• 26:34 - A “big source of inspiration for me [Mark] has been the world of analog tools. We’ve been thinking about how to build good digital tools for maybe 50 years or so. We have a couple thousand years of explicit and implicit study of how to create analog work environments.” Eg: personal libraries, studies, workshops, artist studios. How can we... See more