CSC 842 - My Personal HCI Journey - Leo Wu

Reflecting on my journey through Human-Computer Interaction, I am surprised by how much my perspective has evolved. It is not only in terms of design, but also in how I understand the complex relationship between users and technology. When I began the course, CSC 842: Human-Computer Interaction, I had a basic understanding of usability and user experience. I thought that good design was primarily about visual appeal. However, what I soon learned was much deeper: effective product design starts with a thorough understanding of user needs, behaviors, and the context in which a product will be used. The Beginning In the initial weeks of the course, I felt uncertain and unsure of what to expect. I was not sure whether the class would focus on hands-on activities, lectures, or a balance of both. I had imagined that we would jump right into designing an application from scratch, relying on creativity and collaboration with group members. But as the course progressed, I realized that the desi...

AI Tools in Your Design Process Although my team did not use AI tools directly in building the tutorial application, we actively used ChatGPT as a reference during the planning stages of the design process. We used it as a brainstorming tool to help generate different interface ideas, review sample user flows, and better understand usability principles. For example, when exploring how to design a more flexible user experience, we asked ChatGPT how to support users who might not want to customize every step of the tutorial. ChatGPT suggested using predefined templates. This is an idea that can simplify the user journey, while still allowing personalization options. We also used ChatGPT to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various tutorial formats, including text-based, mixed text-and-visual, and video formats. In addition, we used ChatGPT to enhance our understanding of user-centered design. It helped us review design heuristics, such as Nielsen’s principles, which we used to...