What makes up interaction design and what are some of the industry’s challenges?
Interaction Design is made up of constructing a compelling argument and inviting the audience to experience the work; the creation of a dialogue between a person and a product, service, or system. Interaction Designers can be Usability Engineers, Visual Interface Designers, and Information Engineers. However, developing systems and interfaces does not make one an Interaction Designer. Interaction Designers need to be shapers of behavior who’s greatest challenge is to change the way that people behave through elegant and compelling design. While Interaction Designers were previously looked at as the “final step” in the surface level design of an engineering project, the field has taken on a new role in shaping the what, how, and why of industry.
What is Interaction Design, how is it evolving? What fields does it draw knowledge from?
Interaction design is defined in the text as “the creation of a meaningful relationship between a product and a person, identified and created through ethnographic and other user centered design methods.” Interaction Designers differentiate product offerings by working to make them physically beautiful and emotionally compelling. Interaction Design draws from and builds upon several disciplines; Industrial Design and Usability Engineering primarily influence the field, but an understanding of cognitive psychology, web design, art, business and more all play a heavy role. As more and more Industrial Design and Usability Engineering jobs are being outsourced, the role of the Interaction Designer is becoming exceedingly important. Successful Interaction Design has become a strategic differentiator for businesses looking to elevate their products to a new level, and these designers will be best equipped to take on project management based on skills in culture, creativity, and relationships.