computer science

Human–Computer Interaction Institute

Human–Computer Interaction Institute is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Human–Computer Interaction Institute rather than just read about it. In short: The Human–Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) is a department within the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is considered one of the leading centers of human–computer interaction research, and was named one of the top ten most innovative schools in information technology by Computer World in 2008.

Key takeaways

Human–Computer Interaction Institute belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Human–Computer Interaction Institute to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Human–Computer Interaction Institute from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Human–Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) is a department within the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is considered one of the leading centers of human–computer interaction research, and was named one of the top ten most innovative schools in information technology by Computer World in 2008. For the past three decades, the institute has been the predominant publishing force at leading HCI venues, most notably ACM CHI, where it regularly contributes more than 10% of the papers. Research at the institute aims to understand and create technology that harmonizes with and improves human capabilities by integrating aspects of computer science, design, social science, and learning science. HCII offers Human Computer Interaction (HCI) as an additional major for undergraduates, as well as a master's degree and PhDs in HCI. Students from various academic backgrounds come together from around the world to participate in this program. Students hold undergraduate degrees in psychology, design, and computer science, as well as many others. Students enter the program at various stages in their academic and professional careers. HCII research and educational programs span a full cycle of knowledge creation. The cycle includes research on how people work, play, and communicate within groups, organizations, and social structures. It includes the design, creation, and evaluation of technologies and tools to support human and social activities.

Academics The institution offers degrees in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies.

Notable faculty Randy Pausch was a professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design. Pausch was also a best-selling author, who became known around the world after he gave "The Last Lecture" speech on September 18, 2007, at Carnegie Mellon. Pausch was instrumental in the development of Alice, a computer teaching tool. He also co-founded Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center. Randy Pausch died on July 25, 2008. Jodi Forlizzi has been a faculty member with the department since 2000. She specializes interaction design and received a self-defined Ph.D. in human computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007. She has a background of fine arts with a bachelor's degree in Illustration from University of the Arts. She is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery’s CHI Academy and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center has honored her for excellence in human-robot interaction design research. Chris Harrison is a professor at and director of the Future Interfaces Group within the Human–Computer Interaction Institute. He has previously conducted research at AT&T Labs, Microsoft Research, IBM Research and Disney Research. He is known for his pioneering work on scratch input and for developing Skinput and Omnitouch. He is also the CTO and co-founder of Qeexo, a machine learning and interaction technology startup. Robert Kraut is a Herbert A. Simon Professor of Human–Computer Interaction. His interests lie with social computing, design, and information technology. In 2016 he received the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science – SCS Allen Newell Research Award for his research on "Designing Online Communities." Jessica Hammer is an associate professor of learning sciences and the director of the Center for Transformational Play. She has a joint appointment with the Entertainment Technology Center. Hammer researches the psychology of games. She also started the OHLab, along with Amy Ogan and associated students, staff, and colleagues. Kenneth Koedinger is a professor of human–computer interaction and psychology. He is well known for his research with intelligent tutoring systems and cognitive tutors. He is a leader in the Learning Sciences and Educational Technology communities with many publications and grants in these areas. Vincent Aleven is a professor of human–computer interaction. His research is in the area intelligent tutoring systems and the Learning Sciences. Aleven has been a co-editor of the International Journal for Artificial Intelligence in Education for many years. Bruce M. McLaren is a professor of human–computer interaction. His research is in the area educational games, intelligent tutoring systems and the Learning Sciences. He is a former President of the International Artificial Intelligence in Education Society (2017-2019). Amy Ogan is an associate professor at the HCII department with interests in emerging technologies for education. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon two times, first as undergraduate with degrees in Spanish, Computer Science, and Human–Computer Interaction, second with a doctoral degree in Human–Computer Interaction. She is a recipient of the Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship due to her interest in youth education and development.

Research Some fields in which notable research is currently being done at the HCII are Learning Technologies, Tools and Technology, Human Assistance, Robotics, Arts and Entertainment, and the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC).

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Human–Computer Interaction Institute

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Human–Computer Interaction Institute claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Human–Computer Interaction Institute before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Human–Computer Interaction Institute ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Human–Computer Interaction Institute

In research: Human–Computer Interaction Institute appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Human–Computer Interaction Institute in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Human–Computer Interaction Institute is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1993 establishments in Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University schools and departments, Educational institutions established in 1993, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Human–Computer Interaction Institute outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Human–Computer Interaction Institute in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Human–Computer Interaction Institute means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Human–Computer Interaction Institute out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Human–Computer Interaction Institute in simple terms?

Why does Human–Computer Interaction Institute matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Human–Computer Interaction Institute?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Human–Computer Interaction Institute.