Home // International Journal On Advances in Intelligent Systems, volume 8, numbers 3 and 4, 2015 // View article

Innovation and Creativity in the HCI classroom

Authors:
Alma Leora Culén

Keywords: innovation, creativity, design thinking, HCI education

Abstract:
The present paper explores what creative thinking and design thinking could contribute to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) education if included as a part of the curriculum. The investigations were carried out in the context of a mixed undergraduate and graduate course in HCI. The findings indicate that design thinking contributed to increased focus on innovation and creativity, as well as prevented too early fixation on a single solution in the initial phases of HCI design processes. More openness in design processes and changes in ways of learning required stepping out of the comfort zone for some students. However, increased creativity and adaptability may still be the best long-term benefits that HCI education can offer to students when preparing them for future work practices. The paper also addresses the organization of the course that, based on the empirical evidence from the past two years, fosters such processes in HCI education.

Pages: 300 to 309

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2015. Used with permission.

Publication date: December 30, 2015

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2679