So You Think You Can't Draw? A Hands-on Introductory Course on Sketching in HCI Techniques

CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts

2022

Sketching is a universal activity that frst appears when we play as children, but later, it is often overlooked as a useful skill in adult work -yet it can bring multiple benefts to research and practice. Specifcally, our feld of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) embraces interdisciplinary practices, and amongst those, sketching has proven to be a valuable addition to the skill set of researchers, practitioners, and educators in both academia and industry. Many individuals lack the confdence to take up pen and paper after years of non-practice, but it is possible to re-learn these lost skills, improve on them, and apply them in practical ways to all areas of work and research. This course ofers a journey in sketching, from scribbles and playful interpretations to hands-on and theoretical information inherent in sketching practice. Attending individuals will learn techniques and applied methods for utilizing sketching within the context of HCI, guided by experienced instructors. CCS CONCEPTS• Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI).

Section: Course Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Take a line for a walk! A Hands-on Introductory Course on Sketching in HCI

CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts

2022

“…Collaborative publications: In addition to previous iterations of the sketching in HCI course [7,9,10,21] and associated ACM CHI Special Interest Groups [11,12,21], the authors have also coauthored ACM Interactions magazine features Feeling SketCHI? the lasting appeal of the drawn image in HCI.…”

Section: Promotion Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Let’s Sketch! A Hands-on Introductory Course on Sketching in HCI

Extended Abstracts of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

2021

Self Cite

Sketching is a universal activity but an often overlooked skillyet it can beneft researchers and practitioners in HCI -sketching has proven to be a valuable addition to skill-sets in academic and industrial contexts. Many individuals lack the confdence to take up sketching after years of non-practice, but it is possible to re-learn, improve, and apply this skill in practical ways. This course is a sketching journey, from scribbles and playful interpretations, to helpful theory, storytelling and practical applications. Attending individuals will learn techniques and applied methods for utilizing sketching within the context of HCI, guided by experienced instructors. CCS CONCEPTS• Human-centered computing → Visualization techniques.

Curricula Design & Pedagogy for Sketching Within HCI & UX Education

2022

Front. Comput. Sci.

Sketching is recognised as an important tool in the journey of research and practical processes of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience Design (UX). However, it is not always included in higher education curriculum, in which HCI and UX is often a single module in one year group amongst more “traditional” approaches in computer science. The benefits of sketching and visualisation practice can be used by students across the board in computing degrees, but especially so within HCI and UX, where novel approaches and ideation are valued and practiced. By the time learners leave higher education, they may or may not have engaged with this valuable skill. HCI has a lot in common with UX, and the two are commonly conflated to be the same thing, though despite this, there is not a focus on practical sketching and visualisation skills. In comparison, within the UX workplace environment, sketching is part of design thinking and vital for the structuring of ideas, storyboards, user journey maps and more. We focus on the incorporation and exploration of sketching as an educational tool, technique and output within HCI, and how this learning is given and received over a number of contexts. This paper outlines case studies where sketching has been included in both formal and informal learning with both undergraduate, postgraduate, and post education populations, and how this knowledge exchange has been both enhanced and changed by the recent compulsory move to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss practice and learning in the context of four case studies: Data-Sketching in a First Year Minor; Sketching in a 2nd Year HCI Cohort; Sketching as a Foundational Tool for MSc User Experience Design; and, Sketching in HCI for Peer-to-Peer Learning. Further, we make recommendations for incorporating sketching practice and theory into both undergraduate and postgraduate university programs, as well as for peer-to-peer learning in both public and private contexts.