Themes, Lenses, and Materials: Three Perspectives on HCI Program Development

As an inter-discipline or trans-discipline, HCI includes or references many different sources of knowledge in which students are expected to be conversant. The education of HCI practitioners requires exposure to an increasingly large number of these perspectives. However, how should this exposure be structured, with what level of depth, and through what metaphors? In this unsolved challenge, we outline the complex range of perspectives required and the limitations of typical curriculum and program design techniques. We then illustrate how HCI educators might use three different perspectives to consider and communicate program complexity to students: 1) content themes; 2) transdisciplinary lenses; and 3) design materials. We conclude with opportunities for HCI educators to leverage these insights to build courses, projects, and other program structures.