Before taking this class, I did have some exposure to other Human Computer Interaction (HCI) courses. I have taken CS 147, CS 247G, and CS 278, and I am currently enrolled in CS 377G alongside CS 247B. Having taken many classes with Christina before, I was definitely expecting there to be some form of sketch-noting. This creative way of taking notes was initially introduced to me in CS 247G, and I was expecting it to continue in CS 247B. My initial exposure to the HCI department was through taking CS 147. Given that CS 147 is considered to be the gateway course into the department, I expected other HCI courses to be quite similar: intense weekly deliverables, and an expectation of a final code implementation near the end of the quarter. While yes, there were a lot of assignments expected to be completed every week, three major distinctions that I noticed in this class compared to the others is that there was a clear rationale and explanation of why we were doing tasks that we were supposed to do and how it relates back to driving my teams project forward. Another component is how there is a core focus on users as my teammates and I conducted several user interviews, user research, and assumption testing to help inform our project decisions.
One of the most valuable aspects of the course for me was learning about different design thinking processes and tools. I particularly enjoyed sketch-noting, which helped me retain information through a creative process and forced me to focus on the key points of a topic. However, one thing that I struggled with throughout the course was balancing the theoretical readings and discussions with the practical application of those theories in our project. While I appreciated learning about different behavior change techniques and ethical considerations in design, I sometimes found it difficult to apply those learnings directly to our project. I would have appreciated more explicit guidance on how to incorporate those ideas into our work, rather than just discussing them in theory.
Despite that challenge, I was impressed by the quality of the final project my team produced. I felt that we all worked well together and were able to create a product that we were proud of. I especially appreciated the emphasis on user research and user-centered design in the course. Throughout the project, we were encouraged to constantly iterate and make changes based on feedback from our target audience, and I think that emphasis on user experience really shone through in the final product. Another aspect of the course that I appreciated was the focus on inclusive design. Our discussions around accessibility and designing for all users really pushed me to think beyond my own experiences and consider the needs of a diverse user base. I think this emphasis on inclusivity is crucial in modern design and it was great to have the opportunity to explore it further in this class.
Looking back on my experience in the class, I feel that I gained a deeper understanding of the design process and the importance of user-centered design. I also appreciated being introduced to different design thinking tools and techniques that I can continue to use in my future work. Most importantly, I feel that I gained a new perspective on the power of design and the responsibility that comes with designing for human behavior. Overall, I would highly recommend this class to anyone interested in HCI or design. While it was challenging at times, I found the course to be incredibly rewarding and feel that I grew a lot as a designer as a result. The emphasis on user research, inclusivity, and user-centered design is crucial in modern design and I believe that the skills and knowledge gained in this class will be valuable in my future work.
