The Undergraduate Major and Minor in HCI Human Computer Interaction Institute School of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon

1. The Undergraduate Major and Minor in HCIHuman Computer Interaction InstituteSchool of Computer ScienceCarnegie Mellon University Vincent Aleven Newell Simon Hall 3135 aleven@cs.cmu.edu

2. What is the HCII? Our Mission • Engineering & Design: To create effective, usable, enjoyable experiences with technology through interdisciplinary research and teaching in design, computer science, the behavioral and social sciences, and engineering • Science: To understand the impact of technology on individuals, groups, and organizations.

3. The Philosophy of the HCI undergraduate programs 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. Make the students more effective members of interdisciplinary teams in industry Prepare students for leadership in HCI-related industries

4. Educational programs for undergraduates • Second major: • Formal admissions with ~50% admissions rate • 12 courses (3 core), including a final project • Guaranteed admission to core courses • Minor • Formal admissions with lighter application requirements • 7 courses (2 core courses) • Guaranteed admission to core courses

5. On the Philosophy… • Undergrad education HCI will provide students • Basic skills for designing and implementing user-centered software • Appreciation of the varied skills necessary to make useful, usable & satisfying interactive products • Ability to communication with specialists in other areas • It will not make software developers into designers or psychologists into programmers. • It is not a second degree.

6. Human-Centered DesignThe User is Not Like Me Human FactorsCognitive PsychologyMotivationGroup behavior ColorLayoutGraphic Design Interaction Design Interviews Surveys Experiments Think alouds Heuristic evaluation Focus groups Cognitive walk-throughs Statistical analysis Flash, Director, Visual Basic, HTML, Databases, Java, C++, GUI toolkits, UI architectures

7. What makes the HCII dynamic? • CMU has the best Human-Computer Interaction program in the country • One of the few (only?) with an undergraduate major • Tight integration of • Technology • Behavioral Science • Design • Breadth and Depth • Students from SCS, CFA and H&SS • Interdisciplinary faculty

8. What students like about the program • Interdisciplinary • Project focused • Flexible • “Working with people from other disciplines “ • “The interdisciplinary nature. I learned a lot from having courses outside my major and from working with people that have different focii” • “Courses were project oriented” • “Applying the skills I learned in classes to research projects” • “Without this major, I would have never discovered my enjoyment for creatively solving problems with constraints and business needs.” • “The professors. I was lucky because all of the core classes … were taught by professors who were well-respected in the field and clearly knew their stuff”

9. HCI Second Major Curriculum 4 Pre-requisites 3 Core courses + 4 Electives Senior project

10. HCI Second Major Core Courses Introduction to User Centered Research and Evaluation Use empirical and analytical methods to figure out what users of systems want and will find easy and fun to use and learn Test whether you delivered the right experience Basic Interface Design/Interaction Design Fundamentals Translate between problem definitions and innovative designs Technology core differs by technical skill Programming Usable Interfaces (non-CS majors) Software Structures for User Interfaces (CS majors) UI lab (sections on GUI, mobile applications, web applications) Capstone Project

11. HCI Second MajorSenior Capstone Project Course Goals • Apply HCI skills on a semester-long project • Work in interdisciplinary teams (3-5 people) • Work with clients • Integrate skills gathered over the curriculum • Learn to write reports & give presentations

12. Mattress Factory: Interactive Archive of Past Installations

13. Controls for a Semi-Autonomous Orchard Tractor

14. Now in use in CMU classrooms! Classroom Controls

15. 3D Dentistry

16. Quote by a student about the capstone project “I had the chance to use HCI methods and understand the basis for them. We had to constantly test and change things based on the very specific needs of our users. Things that seemed so simple to us were like a foreign language to them. It really helped drive the entire point of HCI home to me.”

17. Human Factors Social Web Gadgets Educational Games Applied Cognitive Psych Rapid Prototyping of Computer Systems Advanced Topics UI Software Usable Security & Privacy Visualization & i-Pad programming Computer Supported Cooperative Work Speech Recognition and Understanding Applied Machine Learning Introduction to Product Design Assistive Technology Smart Homes Personalized Online Learning 4 Electives • http://www.hcii.cmu.edu/undergraduate-electives • Many electives offered by the HCII • >100 others in other part of the university • Business, CFA, H&SS, CS, Robotics, Entertainment Technologies

18. HCI Minor

19. Minor Less formal admissions process Guaranteed slots for core courses 1 Prerequisites Freshman-level programming 2 Core courses Designing Human-Centered Systems (DHCS) Combines User Centered Research + Programming Usable Interfaces Design for HCI (DHCI) Combines Interaction Design Fundamentals + Interaction Design Studio 4 Electives No Project HCI Second Major Formal admissions process Guaranteed slots for core courses 4 Prerequisites Freshman-level programming Interaction Design Fundamentals Statistics (introductory) Cognitive psychology 3 Core courses User Centered Research Interaction Design Studio HCI Programming (PUI/SSUI) 4 Electives Capstone Project Comparison of Requirements

20. 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

21. Designing Human-Centered Systems (core course for the Minor) • How to design human-centered systems that people find useful and usable • Into to designing, prototyping, evaluating user interfaces • Cover theory and practical applications of HCI concepts • Lecture-style, discussion, homework, class presentations • Big group project

22. MHCI 3 Prerequisites Freshman-level programming Interaction Design Fundamentals Statistics (thru multivariate regression) 4 Core courses User Centered Research Interaction Design Studio HCI Programming (PUI/SUUI) HCI Pro-seminar MHCI Project (2 semesters; 60 units) 5 Electives BHCI 4 Prerequisites Freshman-level programming Interaction Design Fundamentals Statistics (introductory) Cognitive psychology 3 Core courses User Centered Research Interaction Design Studio HCI Programming (PUI/SSUI) BHCI Project 4 Electives BHCI vs MHCI Requirements Similar goals, quite a bit overlap!

23. Accelerated Masters Option • Complete a masters degree in 2 semesters past undergrad degree • More in-depth project course • 5 electives (most at Masters level) • Pro-seminar (outside lectures & meetings with visiting HCI researchers and professionals)

24. Careers In HCI • Undergraduates get good jobs & job offers (AY 2011/2012 data)

25. Other reasons for getting an HCI 2nd major / minor • More interesting problems to work on • More interaction with stakeholders • Creative expression • Working on the parts of computers that everyone sees • Fame • Personal interest • Career security, etc.

26. APT Accenture Adobe Amazon Amazon.com Apple Inc Applied Predictive Technologies Athena Health Bank of America Global Markets Technology Boeing Brulant/Rosetta CGI Cengage Aplia Deloitte Democratic National Committee Deutsche Bank Digg Discovery Engine Dobly Endeca Epic Systems Extractable Facebook Fuild Inc General Electric Co. Goldman Sachs Google Green Hills Software HPTi IBM Intuit JPMorgan Chase Jonnson & Johnson Kaiser Permanente LearningBop Lockheed Martin LotterShelly Manhattan Associates, Atlanta McKinsey Merrill Lynch Microsoft Moment Design NASA New York Times NextJump Oracle OutSystems PNC Bank Palantir Technologies Precor PwC R/GARatheon Ready at Dawn Studios Companies Where B/MHCI Alumni Work • Riberbed • Rosetta Stone • Round Arch • RoundArch • Roundarch • Salesforce.com • Schematic • Schoolnet • Shiny Entertainment • Speaker Text • Tagged • Teach for America • Team Detroit • Thermo Fisher Scientific • Thomson Reuters • TripAdvisor • UBS Investment Bank • Union pacific railroad • University of Michigan • VMware • Vanguard • Vistaprint • Wizzard Media • WorldEvolved Services • Yadseiir • Yahoo • Yinzcam • Zazzle Plus ~15% have started their own companies

27. ~40 Students / Graduating Year Applications due by March 7, 2014 (Friday before Spring Break) Follow instructions on the website Statement of purpose (Why is HCI for you?) Proposed course schedule (Can you fit everything in?) Letter of reference (optional) www.hcii.cmu.edu/Academics/Undergrad/applying/applying.html Decisions announced April 1, 2014 (well before Fall Registration Week) Criteria QPA (threshold  3.0+) Relevance and clarity in statement of purpose Viable plan for completing major Diversity & relevance of courses taken Available Slots Appying to the HCI 2nd Major

28. ~60 Students / Graduating Year Form opens March 7, 2014 (Friday before Spring Break) Form closes March April 2, 2014 Form to be posted on the minor page on the HCII website) Decisions announced April 1, 2014 Criteria QPA (threshold  3.0+) Available Slots (trying to have an interdisciplinary class) Applying to the HCI Minor

29. Chances of Admission (2011) • Freshman: • 8/16 • 50% • Mean GPA=3.6 • Sophomores & Juniors • 26/38 • 68% • Mean GPA=3.5 • If you don’t get in at first attempt, apply again next year!