Interviews with HCI/UX Students at Georgia Tech — Passionate [Future] Designers, Researchers and Engineers
Published in
53 min readOct 16, 2017
Why did you decide to pursue a degree in HCI? Why did you choose Georgia Tech? What are some of the courses you took? Where did you do your internship, what was your role and how was your experience? What are the tools you use? Any personal advice or tips?
Special thanks to my peers in the program: Kriti, Nick, John, Xinyu, Bradlyn, Kristin, Muchao, Nishant, Azalea, Lulu, Victoria, Jessica, Horyun, Phil, Morgan, Shuhan and Jordan for sharing your thoughts and experiences!
Kriti Nelavelli
Previous Education
BTech in Computer Science and Engineering at Amrita School of Engineering
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Github / Behance
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Engineering Intern at Google
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I’ve always wanted to be in the field of UX so I decided to pursue a degree in HCI. What I hoped to get out of the program was basically a different perspective to solving problems. After studying Computer Science, I learnt that technology could be used to make lives better but I wanted to learn how to do it better. Shortly, I discovered that the right way to approach the problem is to first, discover problems that need attention. Therefore, I wanted to learn how research is conducted and from that, design a solution.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Georgia Tech is known for its active and fascinating research that is done in various labs. The program itself is grounded in academia and it helps us to absorb a massive amount of information before we go off into the commercial world. As students, we get a breadth of knowledge from some of the brightest minds and get to work on projects that are at the edge of innovation. What are some of the courses you took?
I chose design oriented courses given my background in Computer Science. Here are some of the courses I took that I liked the most mainly because these topics were new to me:Mobile and Ubiquitous computingVisual DesignVideo Game DesignExploring these topics that I wasn’t familiar with have showed me how HCI spans across various fields. Also, I learned about designing for wearable devices, usability in video games and color theory, all giving me insight into how humans behave.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
My internship was eye opening. Google being the large company that it is, has millions of users and understanding what that meant for UX Researchers and Designers was the key takeaway from that experience. While we’re in school, we learn in detail how to conduct research thoroughly and design for different personas. However, actually implementing these practices at such a large scale (like Google) is a totally different experience.From my internship, I also learned how decisions are effectively made when there are multiple stakeholders involved. Also, I became familiar with the idea of how UX is just one part of making and selling a good product.
What are some of the tools you use?
Prototyping quickly and efficiently with code — CSS and JQueryFrameworks — Polymer and AngularDesign — Illustrator and Photoshop
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I read a LOT — blogs, articles, papers, books and I also peruse Pinterest and Behance for inspirations. Also, I tend to hoard a lot of information in the form of notes, bookmarks, post-its, etc.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Start early as possible if you really have passion towards studying UX and HCI.Nick Vernon
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Communication at Berry College
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Writer Intern at Google
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
The director of the Physical Computing Lab at my undergrad encouraged me to apply. Since he had also studied Communication before switching the Computer Science, he assured me that the HCI program would be a perfect fit for a hybrid communicator/techie who I’m aiming to become.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
I chose to attend Georgia Tech simply because I am a resident of Georgia. However, after getting to know more about the program, its reputation, great classes and well-known professors, there was no point looking elsewhere.What are some of the courses you took?
My favorite course was Technology and Poverty taught by Neha Kumar. This course challenged me to think about designing for users in developing countries, often below the poverty line. It proved to be the ultimate challenge in sympathizing with users, and as such, was the most rewarding.How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
My internship was all about writing — writing for various user interface elements, error messages, notifications, and most intriguing writing for artificial intelligence. There aren’t many courses offered in any HCI program on UX writing or voice user interface (VUI) design, but I hope it will change soon. All the big companies — Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft — they’re all making a big push in artificial intelligence, and in order to make the Siri’s, Google Assistant’s, and Alexa’s of the world feel more human, I hope HCI programs will need to start teaching students how to design, and write, for these experiences.
What are some of the tools you use?
Rapid Prototyping — Google Slides and Docs Visual Design — SketchAt Google, I used an internal software tool to write and design the VUI for Google Assistant.
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
The most important thing I’ve found is to stay humble. We all should be humble; after all, you can’t be the best at everything. I constantly try to learn from others, and then apply what they do to my practice to become a more complete designer.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
I think it would be helpful to look at one specific UX Design or UX Research portfolio project that’s been really mapped out on a portfolio — from problem, approach, solution — and try to replicate that on some topic your interested in learning more about. Go out and talk to users, sketch out a rough prototype in a day, test it on people, iterate — find out if this is really what you want to do.John Koh
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Google
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I have always had a strong passion for design and after 3 years of coding in undergrad I wanted a taste of design and decided to take minor classes for fun. And it was. Frankly, I had no idea what UX or HCI was until I asked on of my instructors on what they studied. Once I learnt about the HCI program at Tech it sounded too perfect: Problem solving through design. My main expectation from the program was to land a job where I was coding all day but designing. As the semesters progressed my expectation morphed into learning more about the research practices that allow us to really see what the user’s needs were and to allow that to design the solution.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Having done my undergrad here was the pivotal reason for choosing this program for me. Since I took a lot of the classes, knew professors (that resulted in getting a Graduate TA position) and had friends here, I had no trouble in deciding Tech. However, the other aspect I did consider was that this program was 2 years and that it would allow me to have an internship before graduating. I only applied to Tech and have not regretted it one bit.What are some of the courses you took?
Although some may disagree, the core classes for me were some of the most helpful classes for me.Psychology Research methods - A course designed to prep you with the important research practices that allows you to deduce data into useful insights. Although I have taken psych classes before, this class was focused heavily on users and the product which I thoroughly enjoyed.
HCI Fundamentals - This class is a project based class where the result is purely based on the effort that you put in. A good project can be a great portfolio piece and for many new to UX this will be the first project on your portfolio. There are other classes such as Interface Prototyping where I learnt tools that I later used at Google.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
The biggest difference for me was the importance of communication: Keeping everyone on the same page. As a designer at a large company like Google with billions of users a slight change in design can make huge differences. As a designer, my job, as a whole was selling my ideas and designs to different stakeholders: Researchers, Project Managers and Engineers. The same idea cannot be told in the same way to all these people and this was something that I did not experience at school as we are only discussing it with the professors. The way I researched and designed was not hugely different to what I was doing at school (perhaps at a faster rate) as I was using the same tools that I was used to (Sketch and Principle mainly). Getting my ideas and designs across to these different people whilst maintaining the same impact was the most challenging and the gap that I experienced from working versus school.Something that I personally learnt at Google that was different to what we are told a the beginning of our program was “The Triangle”. During the introduction to the program we were shown a diagram of a triangle with each point labelled with: Design, Research and Implementation. We are told to focus on 2 of those and not to try and cover all. At smaller companies I do agree with that. However, at Google, I saw each of those point expand out to even more areas. Looking at the Design point, Google has multiple positions within the realm of Design: Interaction Designer, Visual Designer, Motion Designer and Illustrator. It was humbling to see that there are experts even within design and I have learnt to focus even within that realm itself. Of course I have research and coding experience and can freely communicate with the researchers and engineers but, actually working in that field is a different story. I feel as though as a designer it is important to have an understanding of how the other two points in the triangle operate with design but it is a stretch to claim that you can do multiple.From the internship I have learnt the areas that I need to focus during the year I have left before heading into industry.
What are some of the tools you use?
UI Design / Wireframing - SketchHi-fi Rapid Prototyping for quick usability testing - PrincipleHigher fidelity Prototyping - Framer/Origami Motion Design - Adobe After Effects Organization / Presentation - Google Slides/Doc
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
As a Designer, the more you see and experience, the richer your designs. I read articles on Medium / Facebook Groups, see posts on Dribbble, Behance and Instagram. Whether its a nice static screen design or a smooth motion design clip, I try to keep a collection saved as inspiration. Also, I try to keep an eye out everywhere I go any interesting interaction designs such as elevators, ticket machines or restaurants.Something that I learnt from a designer at Samsung during my internship, and still do to this day, is try to copy exactly a piece of design that I see and like online. I focus on elegant motion design clips and interesting UI designs. Some may view this as futile and unoriginal but I think that it trains you to be able to physically create something to a professional quality as well as boosting you skills with a particular software. (It’s actually very hard to get it identical to the original design!) I view it as practicing a particular skill in football and one day being able to use that trick in a match situation.
What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Knowing whether you want to do this as a living is the most important question. To get a glimpse of what UX Designers do one can simply look at portfolios and see what we do. If there is any part of the process from Research, Design and implementation that draws you in, I think it is worth trying out. Also, something I learnt during the program is that UX design is such a wide field and that just because it has the word “Design” in it does not mean that you have to be artistic. Of course, companies would like the UX designers to have a visual eye nowadays but designing an experience, in my opinion, is not about making things look pretty. So don’t be intimidated!Xinyu Li
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Google
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I would like to experience systematical training of HCI methods and process. Also being in an HCI program means that I will have a place where I could learn from people coming from other backgrounds.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
It has the best reputation among all the offers I got!What are some of the courses you took?
I took mainly ID classes and CS classes. Among them, my favorite ones are Social Computing and Information Visualization. These are areas that I have interests in. Also, as CS courses, they allow students to see from different perspectives, not necessarily development and programming. I had the chance to work on projects that I like as a designer.How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
Honestly, no school course has taught me what I have learned in the three months at Google. It's super difficult to condense them into bullet points. First, better designs are designed with a holistic view. A successful product requires multiple roles to collaborate. I learned to think from their perspectives and work with them. Second, there are techniques in communication. At school, we usually present at the end of a semester but that is not the case at work. Sometimes, I will have different focuses when presenting the same work; sometimes, I will prefer casual talks than formal presentations.What are some of the tools you use?
UI Design - Sketch, Photoshop, IllustratorHi-fi Rapid Prototyping for quick usability testing - PrincipleHigher fidelity Prototyping - Framer, After Effects
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I browsed Pinterest and Dribbble every day. I read heavily on Medium not only about design but also about tech industry, lifestyle, and travel.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Know yourself before applying. I believe a lot of people have talked about things to keep in mind to get in the programs. I personally witnessed a lot of students who don't like being in a UX role at all end up in HCI programs. It's a pity for them because they can't gain happiness and fulfillment here. If you are sure that UX is the right way for you go, go for it and I believe you are all gonna enjoy it.Bradlyn Walker
Previous Education
B.A in Psychology at Georgia State University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Twitter
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Researcher Intern at Amazon
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I loved studying Psychology during my undergraduate years. Everything I learned about people and the science behind our motivations and behaviors fascinated me. When I graduated, I realized that I wanted to learn more about Psychology but in a more applied setting. And to be honest, computers have always been a part of my life — I’ve been tinkering with interfaces and playing video games for as long as I can remember. When I discovered HCI as a degree and realized I could marry these two passions I jumped on it. I’m hoping to come out of the program next year as a UX Researcher ready to enter the field of UX and with my previous internship at Amazon, I’m sure it will be amazing.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Admittedly I’m a little biased, I’ve lived in Georgia for 12 years. Out of the schools I applied to, GT had the strongest focus on research which was important to me, but still had strong connections to current practitioners of UX. I won’t complain about not needing to move though.What are some of the courses you took?
I’ve taken a range of courses since being in the program. Here are some of the courses I took so far:Psychology Stats for HCI —heavy quantitative courseComputing, Creativity, and Design Cognition — very open-ended and creative course where we were free to use the semester to explore a problem space in the realm of computational creativity that spoke to us.Research Methods for HCI — currently a TA for the course as wellIntroduction to HCI — gave me the tools I needed to go out to my internship prepared and with an idea of what UX research and design processes looked like
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
It’s no secret that industry moves at a fast pace, sometimes it can be faster than a semester-long course. It took me a little time to get used to that pacing but once I did, I never felt that there was a dull moment; I could always be reading and learning and thinking about what to do next in my research. Additionally, the decisions you come to as a result of your research have real effects; I feel more confident in my ability to scope and steer a project now in my second year here. Also I’ve gotten way better at poaching free food thanks to my internship, I definitely leveled up in that game coming back to Georgia Tech.
What are some of the tools you use?
Organizing and documenting — Microsoft Office productsPrototyping — InVisionVisual Design & Mockups — Photoshop and Illustrator Survey Distribution — Qualtrics
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Read! And diversify your reading: I keep up with UX-related articles but I also keep up with academic journal articles and books written on processes like decision-making and cognitive load. Draw your knowledge from everywhere, flex your brain muscles, and think critically about the information and how you can put it into practice understanding your users. Also never stop listening: Listen to the people who have been doing this stuff for 10 years and have seen the industry change, listen to your peers and understand how their backgrounds shape how they see the field, and listen to your juniors and realize they’re already asking questions it took you years to realize to ask.
What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
You come from a unique background, don’t forget that. Maybe you’ve never lived in the United States before and that shapes how you see design, or you’re a 30-year industry professional. Take some time and look at the “tools” in your “toolbelt” and figure out how they can be applied to HCI and then sharpen them. And keep reading.Kristin Hare
Previous Education
B.S in Industrial Design at Georgia Tech
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
Product Design Intern at Uber
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I decided to pursue the HCI program because I knew it would give me an excellent, formal, education in the field of user experience design.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
I only applied to two schools (Georgia Tech & Carnegie Mellon) and it was the only one I was accepted to. I decided that if I didn’t get into one of the top MS-HCI programs, then I wouldn’t go to grad school and would try learning on my own. Acceptance to one made my decision very easy, and I’m incredibly glad I am in this program.What are some of the courses you took?
Some of the classes I have particularly enjoyed are project-based classes because they allow me to work with students from different backgrounds to research a user group and design a project in the human-computer interaction space. Here are the courses that I’m currently taking:Technology & Poverty — my group is working on an educational project for refugees in Atlanta. Personal Health Informatics — we are designing a game to help children struggling with obesityThese classes have a lot of readings along with the project, but the readings help orient students to the problem area to better understand how to design for users.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
I was able to sleep!!! Just kidding. But seriously, having time for sleep was wonderful. During my internship, I saw first-hand how designers need to advocate for user research before designing for users. I was able to convey the importance of doing user research to the product manager so that I could design something that was useful to users instead of what was only useful to the company. I also learned the importance of quickly designing motion-based prototypes to be able to fully share design concepts with other team members.What are some of the tools you use?
Visual & UI Design — Sketch Manipulate Images — Photoshop Vector-based Icon Design — Illustrator Prototyping — Framer
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Explore the world outside of my comfort zone and look at non-computer based designs for a breath of fresh air!What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Do it (if you’re not already in the UX field)! Pursuing this degree will not only give you a great education, but also an excellent networking experience to meet amazing people you will stay friends with for years. (A caveat: graduate school can expensive in terms of time, effort, and money; UX design can be learned on your own, so only pursue this degree if you really think you need it to switch industries; in my case, earning a MS-HCI degree from Georgia Tech has been a wonderful investment in my future).Muchao Tang
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Industrial Design at Jiangnan University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Medium / Twitter
Summer of 2017 Internship
Product Design Intern at Uber
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I did a lot of conceptual design projects based on inspiration during my undergrad years, but I was never confident enough to say how valid they could be. Even though I always did market research and user research, I was lack of knowledge to connect the dots and make strong arguments, thus making my design decisions seem somehow arbitrary. I have always wanted to dig deeper into evidence-based design, and that is why I am here.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Broad research area and strong tech background were the main two things that I liked about Georgia Tech’s HCI program. And most importantly, I want to switch mindset from making cool stuff to making valid and then cool stuff.What are some of the courses you took?
Here are some of the courses I took so far:Research methods in HCI — helped me a lot in getting used to affinity mapping, and coming up with creative research plansIntroduction to HCI — greatly reframed my understanding of design process and I learned the tools needed to show my ideasMobile Application & System Research methods and HCI — gave me the opportunity to lead a cross-disciplinary product team and implement what I have learned
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
The workflow of product designers in Uber is not the whole product UCD process we have learned, but mostly iterating design options and meeting with different teams that would be affected by the project to get their input. In work settings, you gotta be ready to do a short pitch within 2 minutes at any time. While at work, 90% of the communication about projects happen without a fully-prepared presentation. Since the engineers, product managers, designers and operations are seated very close to each other within a team, it is convenient to just walk over to the another team member and communicate. Smooth work-related communications are just not going to happen without a good understanding of the works we are doing, and readiness to get key points through efficiently within only a couple of minutes.What are some of the tools you use?
Sketch, framer, Google slides, for different presentation and prototyping purposes.What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Meditate. Talk to inspiring people. Read, practice and reflect.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
In general, really think about what you want to do in the future before applying. Do not apply only because other people say it is a wise choice. Specifically, if you are applying to HCI programs, do not forget to put GATech on your list, no matter short or long.Nishant Panchal
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Computer Science at Mumbai University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble / Twitter / Medium
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Salesforce
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I completed my undergraduate studies in Computer Science back in India and then worked at BrowserStack for two years. BrowserStack was a SaaS based startup where I used to work as Selenium Specialist. This included developing Scripts to automate the UI testing process for mobile and website. Since my company provided the platform to run these scripts, I used to work with the Design teams at companies like BBC, CNN, Equifax, Expedia and many more to understand the application flows and develop scripts to test their UI.Soon I got so interested in these interactions that I used to get into design details and talk to the design teams understanding why they were designing and what was their process. This was my foray into UX Design.As I got enthusiastic about it, I read a couple of books, DOET (changed my perspective about UX) and small UX publication that introduced me to the concepts of Gestalt Psychology, Fitt’s Law and Hick’s Law. This made me realize the is so much more to design than just the pretty pixels. This was the time I started looking for HCI related degrees and eventually ended up at Georgia Tech.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Because it was two-year long program, I expected to take a lot of classes and learn a lot. Also, to find an internship in the Summer to boost my experience in the field of UX. I wanted to give enough time to myself to adapt to the design world as well. Here are some more reasons why I chose Georgia Tech:Better funding opportunities as compared to any other universities that offer a Master’s degree in HCINice weatherExposure to wide variety of research and design domains in HCI in labs and classes taught by amazing professors.
What are some of the courses you took?
I have taken varied courses to explore how the HCD process is applied to various domains of designComputing for GoodData VisualizationUbiquitous ComputingService DesignPsychology Research MethodsHCI FundamentalsI would rate Ubiquitous Computing pretty high over other courses because of the exposure I got to various technology used in Ubiquitous Computing. There were hands-on tech sessions to work with sensors and also, I got to design for a VR project throughout the course which was new and exciting.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
Here were things that were similar:Full-control over my research methods, design process and tools to use to complete my tasksFriendly and encouraging team that is always present to guide me and help me improveExposed to real problems that they were solving right then.Here were things that were different:Though there was no research performed for the product, the focus was to do just enough research to get particular insights helpful for design. There was no time for detailed researchTime was precious. It was my responsibility to manage work schedule and present my work to stakeholders at various stages in the projectIt is better to work on Enterprise products that are used by internal users since you can reach out to any users for research and design testing. This takes much more time if your users are clients
What are some of the tools you use?
UI Design — SketchGraphic and Icon Design — IllustratorRapid Prototyping — InVisionHigh Fidelity Prototyping — Framer
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Everyday, I try to explore new design patterns and interactions on Dribbble and Behance. Also, I stay on top of some of the Design-related news by installing Muzli 2 and Panda Chrome Extensions. I read articles that are published on Medium such as Muzli Design Inspiration, UX Planet, uxdesign.cc, prototypr and Facebook Design which are very useful and informative. Lastly, I listen to these Design Podcasts — Design Details, DesignBetter.co and High Resolution. These podcasts are available on iTunes and Google Play Music.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
As time passes on and more people are understanding the importance of Experience Design, getting into good HCI programs is becoming further more challenging. It is important that you present relevant work on a beautiful portfolio (online or pdf).It is ok if you are not sure if you want to be a designer, or a researcher or a developer. You can figure it out after you join the program and enroll to classes you are interested in. Talk to currently enrolled students and alumni from respective universities to learn about their experience.
Azalea Irani
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Medium
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Research Intern at Salesforce
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I was one of 8 women in a class of 200 students during my undergrad. During this time, I realised that most of the learning was taking place in informal settings amongst the men in the program and that women did not have access to these conversations. Therefore, I decided to pull this peer based learning from an informal setting to a formal one so that everyone would have access to the information being shared. As a result, I started Talks 4 All, a platform for students to share their knowledge and experiences. I decided to create an application and website for this as I wanted it to be scalable and then started researching the best practises for designing websites and applications. I stumbled upon a paper that was about a human centered approach to design. Finding this topic particularly interesting, I read as many papers as I could about it. I wanted to learn more about the HCD process and as a result decided to apply for the HCI program.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
I decided on Georgia Tech because it is a 2 year program. I would have the time for an internship and would have ample opportunity to develop the required skills. The warm weather of Atlanta was a plus.What are some of the courses you took?
Research Methods - this was a very good class as it introduces you to all the different research methods. Introduction to HCI - gives you a portfolio piece Service Design - introduction to service design tools such as journey maps and stakeholder maps was valuable Interface Prototyping - Learn different tools such as Sketch, Framer etc. Technology and Poverty - New frameworks and perspectives that are applicable in emerging markets
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
We usually follow the waterfall framework in the academic setting. In the industry, we have to adapt all the methods to an agile environment. Adapting the methods I have learnt in school so as to keep up with the fast pace of the industry was the biggest take away from my internship.What are some of the tools you use?
Low fidelity prototypes - BalsamiqWireframes and high fidelity screens - SketchHigh fidelity prototypes - Framer, Invision and Principle
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I am part of a lot of online communities of designers and researchers (Facebook, Slack etc.). I read a lot of medium articles and academic papers.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Don't let you unconventional background stop you from applying to the program or entering this field. Your unusual background could turn out to be a big asset.Laurance “Lulu” Saliou
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Computer Science at University of Cambridge
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Twitter
Summer of 2017 Internship
Experience Design Research Intern at Intuit
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
Deciding what to study in undergrad was very difficult, deciding to pursue HCI was crystal-clear. The first time I heard about Human-Computer Interaction as a young undergraduate, I immediately knew it was going to be my thing, it was an epiphany. It was everything I had always been looking for. I had always been interested in human psychology, especially motivation and decision-making. I had always had a keen interest in design, fashion, and architecture. I had a strong background in technology. & I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life, in many lives. Human-Computer Interaction is the marriage of those disciplines, at the service of people. Beyond those three obvious, it is also a lot of translating and crossing cultures, and believe it or not, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a translator. Like I said, this is a perfect match! :)With this program, my goal was and is to discover what gets me most passionate with the field of HCI, and obtain the skills to excel at it, and learn how to have the biggest impact. This program is a preparation for the professional world of HCI/UX, and a horizon-broadening experience, discovering new technologies and applications.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Georgia Tech's program is one of the best HCI Master's in the United-States and world, but it is also a two-year program, which is not common. To me, that was important because, in my undergraduate studies, I had not had the opportunity to specialize. There was a fixed syllabus, and the goal was to lay strong, very theoretical Computer Science foundations. This is quite typical of a bachelor degree in Europe; you then do a Master's degree to specialize. I knew I would not feel ready to start a career in HCI after only one year of studying the field, hence why the two years were important to me. Now in my second year, I know that this was the right call. While I felt confident and ready for the internship, I am happy that I have another full year to keep learning and discovering at university, immersing myself in the world of HCI.Studying HCI at Georgia Tech has been awesome, combining timeless principles, theories, and tools, with timely applications and projects. The theory side gives us a toolbox, and the practical, hands-on projects chances to learn how to pick the right tool from the box, and for what. Finally, the research being done at Georgia Tech is at the forefront of HCI and technology, and there are many opportunities to get involved.
What are some of the courses you took?
Beyond the core courses, I’ve taken Healthcare Design for the Future, Assistive Technology, DataViz, Service Design, Health Informatics, Physical Prototyping, a couple of management courses.All those classes have in common that they were open to students from a variety of programs at Georgia Tech, making for multi-disciplinary project teams that were great to work with and learn from. Each class was challenging in its own way: the project context, the user group, learning to deal with a client, etc.If I had to pick, my favorite class would be Healthcare Design for the Future. It was during my first semester here, and it was my first HCI project in a team of non-HCI people. It was a great learning experience, from how to initiate people to the UCD process, to working in the context of healthcare and the very complex intensive care units. The class was amazing because of its deep connections with healthcare professionals in Atlanta, their constant input, and their help in setting up visits and interviews onsite. Healthcare projects require systems thinking approach, and the considerations of a large number of stakeholders and constraints, which make them invaluable learning moments.I have also thoroughly enjoyed the management courses I have taken. They provide me with a different perspective on the problematics I might be led to help solve as a UX practitioner. After the internship this summer, I can see that they also help me speak a different language, that of stakeholders, business objectives, project management. & that is an essential language to know!
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
My internship experience was amazing, I had the best time and did not want to come back to school. It was different from school in so many ways. While I have worked on real projects, and real problems at school, this summer was a lot more concrete. There were business objectives and stakeholders, multiple teams from different divisions working together, and a lot more constraints. One of the biggest differences was that the projects I worked on at school exist more in a silo. We always started with a clean slate: we created and built something where there was nothing. We had full control and freedom on what we wanted to make. We also didn’t have to pay too much attention to any group beyond the users. Finally, once the class was over, typically we put together a nice presentation and write-up and moved on to a new class and different project, and that was it (although obviously, nothing prevents you from taking a class project to real life). At work, I didn’t start from scratch. There was already something in place, something to start with, and that comes with quite a number of constraints! & once you push your project out to the world, you are accountable for the results, you stay involved.As an intern, I also had a defined role on the product team, while on school projects, I tend to be involved in everything. Both are great, but I really enjoyed focusing on the part I love most about user experience projects; the research. I learned that I am absolutely happy specializing in that role, as long as I stay involved in the design and development of the experience, helping designers making sense of research insights, and ensuring the team does not get side-tracked from the real user needs.One important thing I am taking back to school with me is becoming more self-aware and conscious of my personal growth and development. Intuit was huge on feedback, and I learned that I love feedback. I want to develop such a culture of constant feedback for myself and the projects I work on at school. Thanks to the feedback I received this summer, I know clearly what I need to work on to improve my craft, and I think that is extremely powerful.
What are some of the tools you use?
Communication - SlackDevelop research plans, interview guides, etc - Any text editorDesigns (screen mockups, a nice looking poster, a visual for a presentation, etc) - SketchWorking in groups so easier - Google Drive and Office suite
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I Read & I Listen.I listen to podcasts about research, design, and technology: High Resolution, Mixed Methods, Design Details, Masters of Scale, IDEO Futures, etc. I also follow design and technology leaders on Twitter, and they help me curate my reading list. As much as I want to stay up to date, and read all the Medium/FastCoDesign/etc articles in the world, there are too many of them and too little time, and it can be difficult to know where to focus my attention. Twitter is helping me do that. We also have a good sharing habit happening in the program, where we point each other to great articles and great things to watch out for.Whenever I can, I take notes from those podcasts and articles, I record the powerful and insightful takeaways. I have a notebook specifically for that so it makes it easy to go back through them. Now that I have become more familiar with who the “big names” in the field are, I have also started reading their books. Right now, I am reading “Doorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries” by Steve Portigal. It’s an assortment of field research war stories, and the lessons to learn from them. It is both educational and tragicomic, I’ve been laughing a lot.Finally, I think a lot of my energy and motivation comes from being surrounded by awesome people in the program. Everyone has their interests in the vast world of HCI, and everyone loves sharing and educating others. It has been a fantastic way to keep learning and stay inspired.
What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
There are a number of different "formulas" for masters in HCI around the country, and each has its pros and cons based on your situation. For me, two years was important because of the structure of my undergraduate studies, but it might be different for you. Take the time to figure out what your decision criteria are, rank them by importance to you before you even look too much into the programs. Once you know what matters to you, start sizing up the various programs out there and see which one is the best match for you.In any case, reach out to students, professors, alumni with your questions. LinkedIn, articles like this, or the website of a program you're considering should have information on who to contact, and in my experience, people in the UX Community are happy to help and share their journey and experience with others.
Victoria Chai
Previous Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Georgetown University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX/UI Design Intern at Big Nerd Ranch
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I decided to pursue an HCI program because I wanted to be a designer. Coming from an undergraduate background that had nothing to do with design, I needed something that would allow me to focus 100% of my time on being a designer. This wasn't possible with a FT job. People had also recommended those 10 week design courses but ultimately, I wanted a longer time to focus on developing my skills. I wanted a program that would teach me theories and process and how to apply those to my work.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
I chose Georgia Tech out of the other schools because I wanted a 2-year program. This would allow for a summer internship (that would help me develop real world experience) as well as a longer time to focus on my portfolio. In addition, Georgia Tech's MS-HCI program also has a master's project (similar to a Capstone) that students focus on in their second year. I wanted to go to an institution that was also research driven - this master's project allowed me to do just that.What are some of the courses you took?
Visual Culture and Design - I wish I had taken this course my first semester. I am currently taking it (3rd semester) and am learning so much about design. The professor gives us philosophy readings that seems irrelevant to design. However, the more we discuss those readings, the more I see how it can be applicable to my design work. In addition, we also have design projects, such as making a poster series, that teaches us how to use design principles.How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
I think doing an internship can give you skills necessary for working in industry that school work doesn't always give. For example, I learned a lot about applying Material Design and iOS Human Interface Guidelines to my mobile designs. I think when I look at my designs now, they definitely look more professional than before I did my summer internship.What are some of the tools you use?
High fidelity prototyping - SketchMaking icons - IllustratorEditing images - Photoshop
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
"Taking 2 years out of my life" seems like an over-dramatization of my situation but that's how I like to think of it. I had quit a really nice job to come back to grad school to pursue my dreams. So this mindset really drives me to continue to be a better designer.Of course, that's just a personal, internal inspiration. On a more practical level, I like to go on Dribbble and just look at other work out there. It's pretty inspirational to see what others are doing because there will always be someone better than you that you can learn from.I also take photos whenever I can. I think a lot of photography principles can be applied to design (like layouts). Being a photographer also helps me grow as a designer. Taking pictures is always fun too!
What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
If you are really passionate for something, then go for it. If you are taking the time to apply to HCI programs and want to come to one, then you probably like design/research/engineering enough. If you're like how I was and think you won't be able to get into an HCI program, you most likely will be able to - just make sure your passion for the craft shines through.Jessica Tsui
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Creative Media from City University of Hong Kong
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Sonos
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I took a course in physical computing when I was a sophomore. As I work on the course project which involves designing and developing a musical instrument for children, I find myself deeply fascinated by the power of technology and design. More importantly, the moment I witnessed how much the users were enjoying my design was extremely fulfilling and unforgettable. I realized that is the direction that I would like to head into after graduating from college.After some research and chat with seniors from my undergraduate program, I decided HCI would be a perfect fit for me as it combines my greatest passions. In my undergraduate days, I worked on a lot of projects that jumped straight into design/implementation without conducting enough research about the users. I believe that was not enough for me to become a great UX designer who can truly empathize with users well. Hoping to get the thorough and solid training I need for my career, I decided to pursue my master's in HCI.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
While there are a lot of great HCI programs in the US, Georgia Tech's program is one of the few that lasts for 2 years. Before I joined the program I still did not have enough experience as a UX designer. I believe having the summer in between the 2 years for summer internship is extremely important for me to gain a better understanding of the industry. Moreover, Georgia Tech's program emphasized the importance of user research. That was one of the things that I wanted to learn more about in grad school, so it was not a hard decision.What are some of the courses you took?
I have taken a number of different project based courses to gain a better understanding of UCD from different perspectives. They include: Research Methods in HCI Introductions to HCI Service Design Educational Technologies Personal Health Informatics Interface Prototyping Research Methods and Introductions to HCI - these are core courses of the program, yet they are also extremely valuable as they provide us a deeper understanding in the foundations of the UCD process with hands on experience. On the other hand, I also learned a lot from Service Design as it involved working with real world clients and designing for various stakeholders.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
At school we always have the opportunity to work on the entire UCD process - from research to design and evaluate in one semester. However that is not the luxury you will have when you are working in the industry. Everything needs to be agile. We also need to define MVP well based on time and resource constraints. But these conditions provided me with more opportunity to work on more iterations on designs, which helped to train my design skills. Another important thing that I have learnt is how to effectively communicate with others in the product development team. When we are working on school projects we mainly focus on design and prototyping, not so much on the implementation. Yet the industry needs the product development team to bring the design to life fast. In order to ensure design is properly implemented, designers need to learn how to communicate effectively with developers and PMs.
What are some of the tools you use?
Survey - Qualtrics UI and Visual Design - Sketch Storyboarding - Pen/Paper + Illustrator Prototyping - InVision High Fidelity Prototyping - Framer Video Editing - Premiere
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I enjoy using the Muzli chrome plugin a lot, as it provides a number of interesting news/stories related to design. Following designers on dribbble and instagram also helped me stay inspired as I follow their latest designs. I also like to listen to podcasts like design details and design review to learn more about the industry and design trends.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Don't just apply to HCI programs because UX is popular. Make sure you are really enthusiastic about HCI/UX because it requires true passion and dedication to succeed in grad school and the field of UX. Think about what kind of direction would you like to head into the future (design/research/engineering) as it helps you to make a better decision on the program/classes you should join. Most importantly, stay curious.Horyun Song
Previous Education
B.S in Information & Interaction Design at Yonsei University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Twitter
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Research Intern at Stack Overflow
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I was in my Junior year in undergrad and at the time. The research that I was doing didn’t seem like it will be enough for undergrad (time & effort), so I decided to pursue further into the graduate school. I like academic research.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Georgia Tech is very research-centric in addition to having a lot of courses in design and programming compared to other programs. Also, I learned about Prof. Janet Murray years ago. So I wanted to be part of what she, the legend in digital media, has established and learn from her and other awesome scholars.What are some of the courses you took?
Here are some of the courses I took so far:Principles of Interaction Design — taught by Janet MurraySocial Justice and Design — taught by Nassim JafariNaimiBoth have been a very good blend of theory and practice.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
Over Summer, I had a concrete project to work on at Stack Overflow: the Documentation. Being one out of only two researchers, a lot of questions have fallen on me despite of me being an intern. I feel like I have learned while answering the research-related questions. Also, I took a lead in a formative research. Overall, it was challenging but exciting.What are some of the tools you use?
Visual & UI Design — Sketch, Illustrator and HTML/CSS/JSDocumentation & Video Editing — Screen Flow
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I read articles from Nielsen Normal Group(N/N) on difference between research methods and always try to keep up with academic articles (mostly ACM) for more diverse researches. No need to reinvent the wheels, right?What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
I love the fact that GT MS-HCI is not just a professional degree but also nudges students to be part of GVU Center at Georgia Tech. If you are like me, go find specific labs and research opportunities!Philippe Kimura-Thollander
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Computer Science at Stony Brook University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Capital One
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I decided to pursue HCI as in undergrad I mostly focused on being a front-end developer. C or Java never enchanted me, I was much more invested in seeing the visual results of my code. However, as I did my internships in undergrad I found that developers were just handed down designs from the design department, and didn’t really have a say or any reason as to why designs were made this way. Thus I transitioned to design to have a voice in the UI and to learn what users want.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
It’s one of the few two year programs, which gives you the flexibility to pursue your own research, take more classes of your choice, and also get a summer internship that helps you transition smoothly to the industry. One year programs like the ones offered at Carnegie Mellon or University of Washington(MHCID) don’t really give you the ability to build your own curriculum like Georgia Tech does and plus, you need to look for full-time jobs right away.What are some of the courses you took?
Here are some of the courses I took so far:Service Design — exposed me to analyzing the entire user’s experience with your brand, not just the isolated incidents when they see your site or app. Due to Service Design, creating journey maps have been an important tool for me ever since, helping me understand the context of what you’re designing and where it fits into the bigger picture of the user’s life.Ubiquitous Computing —taught by Gregory Abowd. Get to work on project choices of the class really let you pick one thing you’re really interested in and take an entire semester to just work on it. I picked a VR project and got exposed to a bunch of new design and development constraints that come with working in a new space.Project Studio —taught by Janet Murray, a very accomplished literature professor, and it’s great because the class is focused on advancing the narrative in VR and AR spaces. You can make anything you want as long as you’re exploring something new, and our group has chosen to examine non-verbal communication with characters in a game through a diagetic manner, and how is that accomplished? It’s nice to have such freedom to create and work on cutting edge tech.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
My internship was great to see where designers fit into the gears of a company. I was working at a giant corporation, so interacting with PMs and developers to convey my work in a concise and understandable manner was important. So, I learned how to make a killer Keynote presentation, as well as how valuable it is to be a designer who can write a node.js script when needed.What are some of the tools you use?
Visual Design — SketchPrototyping — Framer, pen and paperVector-based Design — IllustratorGetting my ideas and designs down and out to the world — Webstorm
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I read a lot of Designer News and am in several Facebook groups and subreddits focused on design so I get articles on my feed without having to actively pursue them. I also help run a Design Club at Georgia Tech, and teaching design concepts and practices only helps me to learn them even better. I also try to go to hackathons as often as I can to help spread design to more student developers and to build my design skills while in a pressure cooker.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
HCI is an interdisciplinary field, so don’t worry if you don’t meet the typical “designer” stereotype. Most people I meet in the program were not designers before coming to Georgia Tech, I’ve met everything from lab technicians to mechanical engineers while talking to fellow HCI students. And don’t worry if you’re coming straight of undergrad too, I did and I’m doing just fine.Morgan Orangi
Previous Education
B.A in Art History at Davidson College
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
Experience Design Intern at Capital One
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I was at a point in my career (in digital marketing) where I wanted a new challenge and to do something that had a more direct impact on people’s experiences. After discovering the field of HCI and talking to professionals, it seemed that a graduate degree in HCI would be the best way to accelerate my career shift. Plus I’m a huge nerd and love being in school!Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
I primarily chose Georgia Tech over other MS-HCI programs because of how passionate the current students I talked to were about their work. I tend to get really excited about my projects and wanted to collaborate with peers who felt similarly. Georgia Tech as a university also has such depth and breadth when it comes to research as well as many on- and off-campus opportunities for growth. I also wanted chose to do a two-year program over one-year because I wanted to have enough time to really immerse myself in the program and take advantage of as many opportunities as possible that you only have as a student.
What are some of the courses you took?
Here are some of the courses I took so far:Interaction Design — taught by Janet Murray, an expert in digital media, was a once in a lifetime opportunityService DesignAccessibilityIntroduction to HCIResearch methods in HCIIndependent Study — can also be really powerful. I highly recommend them if there’s a particular professor you want to work with or project you’re interested in working on.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
I think the biggest difference between my internship and school was that during my internship I could focus on one main goal and have all of my work contribute to reaching that goal, whereas my schoolwork takes me in MANY different directions. I had a great relationship with my manager at my internship, and he provided me with projects and feedback that ended up teaching me about the type of work and work environment in which I thrive. That has helped me to narrow in on those types of roles and projects back at school.What are some of the tools you use?
Design and Prototyping — SketchWhat are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I listen to design and design-related podcasts, attend local and campus events where others talk about their projects, and find opportunities for collaboration whenever possible. Learning from others and seeing what is possible always makes me want to do more.What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
I would advise students to think strongly about what they value and choose the program that best aligns with them. If you’re unsure about grad school in general, I’d say to talk to professionals in your industry of interest and get their perspective.Shuhan Yang
Previous Education
Bachelor’s in Industrial Design from Zhejiang University
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble
Summer of 2017 Internship
Product Design Intern at Thumbtack
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
When I was pursuing my bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, I found myself very fascinated about the process of human centered design. I also found myself more into digital products compared to physical products. These were what drove me to pursue HCI. I expect to gain more systematic knowledge of the HCD process and methods when I graduate.Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
It is the top 3 HCI program in the US with fantastic faculties and labs. And it is a two-year program which allows me to have time to take more classes and learn more.What are some of the courses you took?
User Research MethodsSpecial Topic in HCIService DesignPrinciple of Interaction DesignInformation VisualizationResearch Methods in HCI - best since I was able to learn how to efficiently and scientifically apply various user research methods to inform the design process.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
Most of my school projects are never implemented. I don't need to care much about the feasibility but only focus on sharpening the concept. However, in my internship, feasibility is an very important factor I need to take into consideration when creating the design, which requires that I work closely with engineers and get their inputs. Actually, engineers are also a great source to learn various extreme cases that we designers may overlook when we design.What are some of the tools you use?
Brainstorming - Pen/paperVisual Design - SketchEditing images - PhotoshopPrototyping - InVision
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Read articles on Medium and browse for inspirations on Dribbble, Behance and TumblrWhat advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
It would be great to know clearly before application what kind of role in UX you want to act after you graduate. Is it designer? Design user flow or visuals? Or is it user research? Project manager? Different programs have different focus.Jordan Movish
Previous Education
B.A in Economics and Sociology at University of Michigan
Profile Links
Summer of 2017 Internship
UX Design Intern at Sparks Grove
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
I discovered UX serendipitously. Looking back, there's one moment I point to as the genesis of my interest in the field. My eureka moment occurred when I was working at the education consulting business I founded, helping a student to manage their online school classes. The course interface was so frustrating and difficult to navigate that it noticeably impeded the learning process. I remember thinking at the time, "Who designed this thing? It's hopeless. I bet I could do it better." Oddly enough, I had never before considered that the interfaces I used each day were actually purposefully designed. That realization was the first bread crumb that led me down the path of HCI. My curiosity was piqued, so I started reading about UX design online, and things just took off from there. I was immediately enamored by the notion that design was a marriage between science and art, that great design could be informed by research and testing. After immersing myself in books, articles, and podcasts for months, I started to investigate how I could transition into a UX design career. After speaking with a few professionals in the tech industry, I eventually decided that a Master's degree in HCI was the right move. For any student, the MS-HCI program is an opportunity to invest significant time building my UX skills and working with other UX-ers. Personally, after working in finance and education consulting, an even more important result from pursuing a Master's degree was to legitimize my pivot from those fields. While I felt there was progress to be made learning independently, I felt that a degree would help establish my abilities as a design thinker and gain credibility as a UX designer.
Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Just like UX design roles in the industry, HCI Master's programs vary considerably in their approach and scope. At Georgia Tech, there was a strong emphasis placed on working in interdisciplinary teams. As a social science major and someone interested in the psychology behind design, the fact that Tech had a program track specifically for Psychology was a major influence. I was also won over by the emphasis placed on user research compared with other schools. A final distinction that brought me to Tech was that the program lasted two years, which I felt would help me transition into HCI from a career that was less tech-focused.What are some of the courses you took?
Service Design - a semester-long project course that looked at the entire customer journey and focused on integrating technology to create end-to-end immersive experiences. No design exists in a vacuum, so learning more about how to incorporate digital interactions into a broader system was extremely valuable. Working directly with stakeholders in the industry offered insights into the obstacles and considerations that arise in practical applications of UX. Fundamentals of HCI - Another semester-long project course that captured the key points in the design process, from problem scoping to design prototyping. This is a required course in the MS-HCI program- A great way to orient yourself to design thinking! Design of Interactive Environments - Another project course with a lot of freedom to explore and define your problem space. If you are interested in building digital experiences that extend beyond screens and monitors, this is a great place to start.Interface Prototyping - This course is a solid introduction to a variety of prototyping tools, including digital and 3D prototyping software. Particularly helpful as a newcomer to HCI.
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
In school, projects allow you to learn about the design process, working in interdisciplinary teams, and problem solving. But, there is a tendency for projects to be a little too "neat". Projects generally start from scratch and often only superficially involve the actual stakeholders, so they skirt around many of the most difficult challenges in UX design-- like legacy systems, balancing client vs. user interests, and considering network effects and monetization. They are still really valuable learning experiences, but certain inevitable challenges that arise in industry are not always present. During my summer internship, I was confronted with many of the obstacles that come only with working in the industry. Designing for an agency requires careful navigation of the delicate balance between delivering a product that the client demands and an experience that will engage and delight users. Working on a large team, each with several projects going on simultaneously, means putting communication above all else. Unless everyone is on the same page, projects languish. The more people on a project and the more divided their attention, the more vital communication becomes. My internship helped me develop strategies for managing this complexity.
What are some of the tools you use?
UI, Process Illustration, Visual Design — Sketch, IllustratorInteraction Design & animation — Principle, Flinto, Invision, FramerSketching & Ideation — Pen and Paper, Post-it notesUX Research — Qualtrics, SPSS
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
I read, listen, and critically investigate the designs in my world. Reading about UX design is the best way for me to stay engaged and inspired. There are a lot of really incredible thinkers in this industry, so learning from them is a great way to get your brain juices flowing. Articles on Medium are a great place to start. UX Planet is another fruitful source of knowledge and insight. One of my most valued sources of creativity comes from looking at other people's designs and design processes. Behance and Dribbble are great for taking a look at what other designers are working on, seeing what visual design trends are on the rise, and finding new strategies that you may not have considered before. And, of course, excellent design is all about storytelling, so I really enjoy looking at portfolios to learn new ways to communicate my process and deliver engaging experiences.After designing or reading for long periods of time, sometimes my eyes just need a break from staring at a screen. That's where podcasts come in. Tuning into a UX podcast and going for a walk is one of my favorite ways to refresh and reignite my UX motor. There's a number of engaging, informative podcasts out there that help train your brain to find solutions and provide insight about UX practices in the industry. The UX Podcast is my go-to, but What's Wrong with UX, User Defenders, and Brain Sparks are all great as well. And, for a broader, more entertaining listen, 99% Invisible helps me see design solutions from entirely new angles. The other thing I do to grow as a designer-- something I would recommend that all designers do-- is to critically examine the designs I interact with every day. When using an app, for example, I consider the motivations that went into the UI, brainstorm alternative solutions for that problem, and search for elements that enhance/detract from the UX. The amount of insight that can come from even something as simple as comparing an app viewed on an Android vs. iPhone can be incredibly rewarding.
What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
Before you consider applying, the first step is research. Research UX/HCI, read books about design thinking, talk to people that work in the field, and make sure that this career path is right for you. It can be difficult to get a feel for what UX really encapsulates, but the effort is worthwhile. Then, make sure that a Master's degree is necessary for getting where you want to go. There are other avenues into the industry besides graduate school, and those are certainly worth considering as well. Once you are certain that a Master's degree in HCI is for you, do your homework-- learn about the approaches taken by different schools, find a school that will allow you to capitalize on your existing strengths while developing in the areas that you need to succeed in the industry. Also, make sure to research UX roles and know which type(s) you are hoping to fill. That way, you can tailor your studies to meet those specific requirements. And finally, talk to people-- people currently in the program, alumni, and other UX professionals-- to gather information about the skills you need to develop and which school is the best fit to make that possible.
Geunbae Lee
Previous Education
B.A in Psychology at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Profile Links
Portfolio Website / LinkedIn / Dribbble / Medium
Summer of 2017 Internship
Product Design Intern at Facebook
Why did you decide to pursue the HCI degree?
Coming out of Psychology, HCI was a perfect stepping stone for me to get into UX and Design. HCI is a field where it brings together many disciplines such as Computer Science, Design, Psychology and more. When I found out about it, I instantly knew that I wanted to dig into it and to learn more about UX. Ultimately, I wanted to become a designer and I knew that getting a Master's degree in HCI would help me to get a job. Most importantly, I wanted to get a taste of what it's like to do some research, design as well as programming. Why did you choose Georgia Tech?
Out of the schools I was admitted to, I chose Georgia Tech because of three reasons:One, Georgia Tech's MS-HCI program is one of the highest ranking HCI programs in the U.S along with CMU and UW. I wanted to learn from the best with the most talented peers.Two, there are more opportunities to participate in research and do cool projects by getting a Graduate Research Assistantships. It also provides a tuition waiver + monthly payment which actually pays for the school. Grad school costs a ton and getting a GRA is like catching two birds with one stone: opportunities to learn outside of classroom settings and getting paid. Three, the weather in Atlanta is far greater than Michigan where I did my undergrad. Here, it doesn't snow at all (almost) and it's sunny all year long. With hard work that I'd be doing and the stress I'd get, I wanted the weather to be great at least.
What are some of the courses you took?
So far, most of the classes I took were related to HCI and Design:Introduction to HCI - helped me to achieve one of my best projects which is about grocery shopping for international students. I was able to adopt the HCI methodologies into my project which was an amazing experienceResearch Methods in HCI - learned a lot of the research methods that I need to understand while doing projects at the very early phase. It also helped me to understand what UX researchers might be doing at workService DesignInterface PrototypingComputing for Good - was fortunate to work with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) on a real-world setting to alleviate boring waiting time for the cancer patients at the clinic who are mostly children
How was your internship experience different from school? What has changed? What did you learn?
My internship experience was a blast. I was able to accomplish so many things, worked alongside very talented people and learned a lot from my intern manager and my teammates. Frankly, it was extremely different from classroom projects where research is limited, communication between design and development is even harder and most of the times, the project ends up in a prototype. On the other hand, my projects were actually shipped and are currently work in progress. Being able to work at a company that has more than 2 Billion users is definitely mind-blowing and the amount of pressure to get it right always motivated me to work harder. Also, there were endless amount of opportunities for me to grow and showcase my skills and thoughts. One of the main takeaway was that I learned how important soft skill is as a designer. It's very important to get everyone engaged in a conversation, make them excited to work on the project and clearly articulate the problem I'm trying to solve while providing them with multiple potential options.
What are some of the tools you use?
UI Design — SketchPrototyping — Principle, Invision, Framer, Origami
What are some of the things you do to stay inspired and motivated?
Every day, I read articles on Medium about design and technology in general. I also follow works that other great designers have accomplished whether they are UX projects or simple UI/Prototyping/Animations uploaded on places like Dribbble. With so much to learn, I feel like time is always too short. There are so many talented people out there that always push me to late nights. Sometimes, I'm motivated to really learn at a fast pace but sometimes I feel let down by having to learn so much. However, I try to stay positive. Right now, I'm extremely thankful for the opportunities I've had and excited for new problems to solve. What advice would you give to students who are looking to apply to the HCI programs?
I would say, try to do as many things as you can while you have free time. When I was first thinking about applying to grad school, I didn't know a lot about design or programming. However, I was eager to learn and was willing to stay up late to learn new things and to collect information on what I needed to know and how I could make myself shine. Once I got accepted, instead of enjoying my life, I decided to work at a Start up and still push myself to test. Once school started, I probably only had like 5 hours of sleep every day except for the weekend where I could rest a bit. I wrote articles while also reading, uploaded my designs on Dribbble and tried to work hard on my projects. A lot of those became my "portfolio" in addition to the actual portfolio website that everyone has. I knew it was something that I could show to people of what I thought and what I was capable of doing. So, my advice is to just go make something, write about your experience, learn new skills and actively network with other people. If you have the passion to actually stay in your room at least for a few hours every day, I'd say do it rather than saying out loud that you're a passionate person. "Passion" is often louder than "action."
Enjoy life, meet friends and watch movies. However, when you have to focus, you should focus on marching towards your goals.
Thanks for reading this long article.
If you have any questions about the Georgia Tech’s MS-HCI program, internships experiences and more, feel free to reach out to any of us!
