Humanistic HCI

Although it has influenced the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) since its origins, humanistic HCI has come into its own since the early 2000s. In that time, it has made substantial contributions to HCI theory and methodologies and also had major influence in user experience (UX) design, aesthetic interaction, and emancipatory/social change-oriented approaches to HCI. This book reintroduces the humanities to a general HCI readership; characterizes its major epistemological and methodological commitments as well as forms of rigor; compares the scientific report vs. the humanistic essay as research products, while offering some practical advice for peer review; and focuses on two major topics where humanistic HCI has had particular influence in the field—user experience and aesthetics and emancipatory approaches to computing. This book argues for a more inclusive and broad reach for humanistic thought within the interdisciplinary field of HCI, and its lively and engaging style will invite readers into that project.

Jeffrey Bardzell is an Associate Professor of HCI/Design in the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University, Bloomington. His research examines design theory, with emphases on critical design, research through design, and design criticism. A common thread throughout this work is the use of aesthetics (including the history of criticism, critical theory, and analytic aesthetics) to explore art-based design methods. He is co-editor of Critical Theory and Interaction Design (MIT Press, in press) and is working on a book, tentatively titled, Design as Inquiry. Bardzells work is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing.Shaowen Bardzell is an Associate Professor of Informatics in the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University. Known for her work in feminist HCI, Bardzells research focuses on emancipatory research and design methods, including critical design, participatory design, care ethics, and feminist utopianism. She has applied this work in several domains of inquiry, including creativity in IT innovation, maker cultures, human sexuality, and culture and creative industries in Asia. She is writing a book on utopian design and is co-editor of Critical Theory and Interaction Design (MIT Press). She co-directs the Cultural Research in Technology (CRIT) Lab. Her work is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing.