With the increasing role of computers in our everyday lives, information has become a vital component in the day to day activities of the average person. We share information constantly; we create new information for dispersal, and we absorb information created by others. The computer is the intermediary by which this sharing is able to occur, and the ways information is exchanged between the user and the computer is as complex and important as information exchanges between two people. For this reason, individuals who specialize in human-computer interaction (or HCI) are critical links in the hardware/software development chain. As a student of human-centered design and engineering (HCDE), my primary focus is this interaction between man and machine.
Someone in this field must be skilled in multiple facets of design, communication, usability, and computing to perform to their fullest. They must understand basic design principles how the application of these principles to a variety of artifacts can make or break the effectiveness of visual communication. They must comprehend the complexities of interaction design and how the mutual affordances of the user and the interface continually inform and shape the interaction between the two. There must have a thorough grasp of written communication and the ways in which clear and effective writing and organization improves the user experience, as well as a high degree of comfort with more direct and personal communication approaches. They must know their user and, through a comprehensive understanding of the user's abilities and needs, make the choices necessary to create an appropriately tailored product. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, they must fully grasp the significance of the computer and digital communication in nearly every aspect of interaction in today's world. I feel that all of my projects in the HCDE field, even those which do not directly relate to HCI, help to inform my future HCI work by developing and refining this set of critical skills.
Examples of my writing, such as the design rationale, website planning report, and laboratory reports in my portfolio, show that I am able to write effectively for an audience with varied experience regardless of whether the topic is design-related or technical in nature. More visually oriented projects, such as my marketing poster and my website's design treatment, illustrate my command of design principles. I understand the delicate balance necessary to create a product that is visually stimulating (to a degree appropriate for its purpose) while not detracting from the core written information that the visuals are meant to support. The carbon nanotube-based ink project report, a project on which I was the team lead and project manager, additionally shows my ability to effectively lead a large team over a months-long investigative project which I developed. My sample design rationale and website planning report show how I am able to analyze the audience of a given project and determine the best way to address its needs and optimize the usability of my work. Ultimately, I feel that my portfolio as a whole displays my possession of the final critical skill, as I have met every communication challenge using the latest tools and digital communication is often a key component of my work.
My goal as I move forward with my education and eventual career is to work with the development of novel HCI technologies. I feel that my skills as a designer, communicator, engineer, and scientist, coupled with the unique perspective on usability my physical disability affords me, place me in a exceptional position to work on the increasingly indiscernible point in interaction with the human ends and the computer begins.