Humbot vs Walter Writes

My initial interest in human computer interaction began when I observed my grandfather attempting to schedule a medical appointment online. He was able to obtain the necessary information from the site, however; the site's small print, complicated navigation systems, and unclear error notifications made what should have been a relatively easy process seem nearly impossible. I assisted him in completing the reservation process, however; the experience remained with me. It is commonly believed that technology will assist people in living their lives with greater ease. I wish to determine why technology can often create the opposite effect and how to rectify this situation.

Human-computer interaction has a unique combination of technical problem solving and user-centered design which attracts me to the field. While a system can be high performing and reliable, if a user cannot use the system or does not find the system trustworthy, then the system may have failed. I am drawn to the decision-making process involved in creating the user's experience: how designers discover what users require, how designers evaluate their hypotheses, and how designers consider the trade-offs between accessibility, privacy, and simplicity when designing products. I wish to explore the processes used to transform observations of daily frustrations into improved products.

I have a special interest in making products accessible. The experience of my grandfather demonstrated to me how a simple design decision made by someone else can affect whether or not another individual can access a service at all. Learning about Human-Computer Interaction will teach me how to include individuals with diverse abilities, backgrounds and levels of digital confidence during each phase of the design process. Additionally, I want to grow as an active listener prior to developing solution ideas, and as an evaluator of how well those solutions perform in real-world settings rather than just within the confines of a classroom or laboratory.

In addition to the analytical aspect of the job, I like the creative part as well. When you improve an interface you ask questions; you come up with new ways of doing things; and you are willing to change your mind if facts challenge your first idea. This method works for me as it views mistakes as learning experiences and not reasons to quit.

I want to learn about Human Computer Interaction in order to create technologies which are designed with the user in mind. Regardless of whether I am working in Health Care, Education, or a product that I have not thought of at this point; I want to create user friendly and inclusive digital environments. To me, being successful would mean my Grandfather would be able to do something important on his own, without having to ask for assistance and would be able to continue doing it on his own.

I got interested in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) after seeing my Grandfather have trouble to book a doctor's appointment using his computer. He was able to find all the information he needed; however, his eyesight was not good enough to read the fine print, and there were many "choices" to navigate through to get to where he wanted to go. On top of this, some of the "error messages" did not clearly tell him why the application failed, which made a simple task seem almost impossible.

He asked me to assist him in completing the appointment, and while I completed the appointment, the experience stuck with me.

People are continually told that technology makes their lives easier. While this may be true most times, there are many times when technology makes things difficult. And this is exactly what I want to understand – why technology fails us at times -- and how we can prevent this from happening.

I am drawn to HCI because it involves both the technical aspects of solving problems and understanding people. Just because a system works quickly and efficiently does not mean that it will always be successful. It may never succeed if no one understands it or trusts it. I want to know about the decision-making processes that lead to these user experiences. Specifically, I want to know how designers gather data about what users need, how they evaluate their own assumptions based upon data collected during usability testing, and how they weigh the importance of issues such as accessibility, privacy, and simplicity. Ultimately, I want to apply the methods used by researchers in HCI to take everyday complaints and turn them into better products.

Accessibility is something that I am particularly interested in. The fact that my Grandfather's frustration with using the web-based medical scheduling tool was due to something as seemingly inconsequential as font size demonstrated to me just how much a designer's decision regarding an element of the product can either allow or deny a potential customer access to the service. By studying HCI I believe that I can develop my ability to include users with disabilities, users with limited backgrounds and/or little exposure to digital systems within the entire design cycle. Furthermore, I want to improve my ability to listen before making recommendations and to assess whether the solution proposed is effective beyond the confines of a classroom or laboratory setting.

In addition to the analytical nature of HCI, I also appreciate the creative aspect of this discipline. Designing interfaces requires questioning what is working and what needs to be changed. In addition, designing interfaces requires developing ideas, and having the willingness to abandon ideas when data contradicts your original intent. This process resonates with me because it views errors as learning opportunities as opposed to a reason to discontinue development efforts.

Ultimately, I hope that my studies in HCI will enable me to create technology that acknowledges people who depend on technology. Regardless of whether I contribute toward creating tools for medical services, educational platforms or applications I have not thought of yet; I want to create more accessible and understandable digital experiences.