Program Overview

Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction

Course Information

Course Number

HCI Undergraduate: 05-180
HCI Graduate: n/a

Course Description

Why are things so hard to use? Why doesn’t this thing I bought work? Why is this app so weird? How do I go back? These are frustrations that we have all faced from systems not designed with humans in mind. In this course, we explore how we can better design human-centered systems that people find useful and usable. This course is a broad introduction to designing, prototyping, and evaluating user interfaces. If you take only one course in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), this is the course for you! We will cover theory as well as practical application of ideas from Human-Computer Interaction. We will also touch on a series of foundational background topics including the history of computer interfaces, human cognition/perception, observational techniques and experiment design. Coursework includes lectures, class discussion, homework, class presentations, and group projects.

Prerequisites

Some experience with programming is a course prerequisite, as you be expected to code small assignments.

Semester Offered and Units

Semester: Spring 2025 Mini 3 & Mini 4
Undergraduate: 5 units

Enrollment Requirements

This course is for first-year students who are interested in learning more about HCI, especially first-year SCS students considering the primary HCI major.

This course will be open to first-year students outside of SCS after SCS first-years have enrolled.

Instructor(s)

Chris Harrison

Academics

Programs

• Ph.D. in HCI
  • Admissions
  • Emphasis Areas
  • Ph.D. FAQ
  • Program Requirements
  • Resources for Current Ph.D. Students
• Masters Programs
• MHCI
  • Curriculum
  • Electives
  • Sample Study Plans
  • Capstone Project
  • Admissions
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
  • MHCI FAQ
• Accelerated Master's
• HCI Undergraduate Programs
  • B.S. in HCI
    • Admissions
    • Curriculum
  • Additional Major in HCI
    • Admissions
  • Minor in HCI
  • HCI Concentration
  • IDeATe Your HCII Program
  • Undergraduate Electives

Research

Research Areas

• Doing Research With Us
• Faculty Projects
• MHCI Capstone Projects
• Affiliated Faculty Projects
• Archived Projects
• Technical Report Collection
• Summer Research Program
  • Application
  • FAQ
  • Research Projects
  • Your Summer at a Glance

People

Faculty and Staff

• Faculty
• Adjunct Faculty
• Affiliated Faculty
• Postdocs
• Administrative Staff
  • Administrative Contacts
• Technical Staff
• PhD Students
• Master’s Students

The Human-Computer Interaction Institute

The Human-Computer Interaction Institute is a part of the CMU School of Computer Science.
The main office of the HCII is located on the 3rd floor of Newell-Simon Hall.
4804 Forbes Avenue

Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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