“In the educational setting, you receive accolades for demonstrating that you are accurate,” Aaron Zemach remarks. “In the laboratory, you are equally commended for showing that you were mistaken — as that enables you to progress to the subsequent challenge.”

Zemach, BS ’14, MS ’15, is elaborating on WashU’s newly introduced Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology (MDes). This two-year, 60-credit professional program — the inaugural STEM-designated degree offered by the College of Art within the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts — will encompass conventional design classes alongside a multi-year, studio-like laboratory experience. Announced last summer, the program is slated to welcome its first cohort in the upcoming fall.

However, the development process has spanned several years. In significant ways, this planning has been influenced by a trio of alumni consultants. Similar to Zemach, Molly Needelman, BFA ’08, and Will Bates, BFA ’09, have dedicated their careers to user experience, or UX, at some of the most notable tech firms currently. Now, the three are leveraging their knowledge to assist the upcoming generation of UX designers.

“The three of us frequently discuss how our thinking was shaped at WashU,” comments Bates, who serves as a senior staff UX manager at YouTube, overseeing the YouTube on TV team. “It was never solely about utilizing the most recent tools, as the truth is that many of those tools will be obsolete within a year. Tech firms seek individuals who can question critically, who can present intriguing provocations, and who can combine unexpected elements.”

Needelman, a UX strategist at Google and co-founder of YouTube’s GenAI Lab, agrees. “The capacity to think and the capability to collaborate,” she states, “are two areas where WashU truly excels — equipping its students for the future.”

Defining design

The new MDes program establishes connections with the McKelvey School of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences. In many respects, it emerged from WashU’s popular minor in human-computer interaction, which was launched in 2018 by the Sam Fox School and McKelvey Engineering.

This domain, often referred to as UX, HCI, and interaction design, traces back to the 1980s. The rise of home computing produced millions of users who were neither academic researchers nor IT specialists. This created immense opportunities while simultaneously revealing a disparity between programming capabilities and user-friendly design. In 1986, when the “MS-DOS Power User’s Guide” spanned 397 pages, Apple’s Human Interface Group comprised just seven members.

Yet, as smartphones, tablets, and various mobile gadgets accelerated the digital landscape, the demand for, and competitive edge derived from, user-friendly design became increasingly evident. At WashU, HCI was integrated into the computer science and communication design programs. Nonetheless, their respective methodologies remained grounded in traditional academic disciplines.

“We all utilize the term ‘design,’ but its meaning can vary significantly.”

Jonathan Hanahan, associate professor in the Sam Fox School

“We all utilize the term ‘design,’ but its meaning can vary significantly,” notes Jonathan Hanahan, associate professor in the Sam Fox School and founding chair of the new MDes program. Hanahan also co-established the HCI minor alongside Caitlin Kelleher, professor of computer science and engineering at McKelvey Engineering.

“In engineering, design revolves around identifying quantitative solutions,” Hanahan elaborates. “‘This is the issue; let’s resolve it.’ However, in communication design, we center on qualitative inquiries: ‘Why is this an issue? For whom is that solution intended? How will it be perceived?’

“Thus, in a collaborative context, both groups significantly benefit from each other,” Hanahan continues. “Can we develop a solution that is efficient and effective yet also simple, enjoyable, and engaging?”

Old friends

Bates and Needelman recently participated in the Sam Fox School’s Interaction Design working group, part of its “Shaping the Future” strategic initiative. They share a laid-back camaraderie reminiscent of longtime friends and former classmates. “Molly is the reason I ended up in art school,” Bates chuckles.

Upon arrival at WashU, Bates initially aimed to study psychology and film but began contemplating a shift by his sophomore year. “So I headed to consult with Molly, who was a resident advisor in my building,” Bates recounts. “She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by a series of exquisite watercolor illustrations of a jazz funeral in New Orleans. And I thought, ‘You know what? I think art school is for me.’”

In 2014, when YouTube needed a UX strategist, Bates, who had joined the company two years prior, urged Needelman to apply. “‘This position is tailored for you,’” Bates recalls telling her. “It felt remarkably full circle.”

Similar to Bates, Needelman selected WashU due to its focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. “What I saw here was the chance to fluidly explore my various interests,” she remarks. “I was able to delve into world religion and design and printmaking and children’s literature. All of these elements are integral to who I am.”

Prior to her tenure at YouTube, Needelman worked in the nonprofit sector and as an independent consultant. She was also part of the inaugural class of a new dual degree program, earning an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and a master’s in design leadership from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

“It was exhilarating,” she reflects. “Being in that first cohort, we had a role in shaping the program’s future.” This experience crystallized her thoughts regarding effective practices in professional design education, preparing her to provide insights to her alma mater regarding its novel MDes program.

A hybrid field

In the spring of 2019, just a few months after the debut of WashU’s HCI minor, Hanahan reached out to Bates — who resides in the San Francisco Bay Area — with a request. Would Bates be willing to return to St. Louis and assist in reviewing the current students’ capstone projects?

“I had a vivid memory of presenting in that same room as a student,” shares Bates. “It felt surreal being on the opposite side.” Extensive discussions followed: How might WashU’s expanding HCI curriculum integrate user-centered principles? What is the appropriate balance between HCI and essential design competencies?

Later that year, Needelman collaborated with Zemach, then a UX designer and prototyper for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, for a lecture and a series of HCI workshops with McKelvey and Sam Fox students. “It encompassed all the topics that still ignite our passion,” Zemach recalls. “Engage with users. Conduct research. Evaluate impact.”

That marked the first occasion Zemach, whois situated in New York, encountered Needelman, who resides in Chicago. However, Zemach and Bates had been acquainted for several years. In 2014, during his senior year at WashU, Zemach interned at Google, where Bates was supervising intern programs.

“I entered this profession as a Sam Fox graduate holding an MBA. Will came from Sam Fox with a BFA. Aaron has an engineering background. And now we’re all cooperative colleagues.”

Molly Needelman, BFA ’08

Their personal stories, they eventually discovered, were almost laughably alike. Raised in the suburban area of Deerfield, Illinois, they both attended the identical middle school, high school, summer camp, and, of course, the same university. They even obtained some of the same accolades.

“Aaron and I have experienced precisely the same journey,” Bates jokes. Zemach retorts, “You were my inspiration. I just wasn’t aware of it.”

Nonetheless, their disparate educational routes — Bates through Sam Fox, Zemach through McKelvey — reflect the field’s blended and rapidly changing character. What constitutes the ideal background for UX experts? What should HCI education cover? Indeed, during his initial application to Google, Zemach felt anxious about his portfolio.

“I was freaking out!” he chuckled. “I thought the requirement was to submit all the stunning visual designs that I had created. What I had were applications I’d developed. But interestingly, the hiring manager searched through the candidate pools for interaction design and software engineering. Who possessed skills in both areas? That’s exactly who they were primarily looking for.”

Needelman adds: “I entered this profession as a Sam Fox graduate with an MBA. Will came from Sam Fox with a BFA. Aaron has an engineering background. And now we’re all cooperative colleagues.”

Superpower

Since announcing the new MDes program, Hanahan has devoted significant time to traveling. He has visited numerous colleges and universities. He has conversed with many prospective students. He is frequently inquired about the ideal qualifications for applicants.

Hanahan replies with a metaphor. Picture a neighborhood. There are various houses. “We desire individuals who are specialists in their own gardens,” he explains. “However, they are also keen on engaging in dialogue over the fence.”

“You may possess technical abilities,” Hanahan continues, “but you’ll never have every single technical skill. Understanding to accept that, realizing that you don’t have to resolve every issue by yourself — it’s somewhat of a superpower.”

This viewpoint is mirrored in the program’s framework. Studios will emphasize research, design, and engineering fundamentals. Seminars will delve into technology’s history, ethics, and moral considerations. One intriguing, mandatory seminar — “What Could Go Wrong?” — will examine social impact and the essence of unforeseen consequences.

The core of the MDes program will be what organizers have called the Ix3 Studio, a collaborative, lab-like research environment that, crucially, will persist throughout all four semesters. “That ongoing aspect is distinctive,” Hanahan remarks. “Most design programs segment curricula into semester-based projects. However, industry has taught us that you cannot develop, test, and refine a solution in a single semester.”

“We perceive technology as rapid,” Hanahan continues. “And yes, we can accomplish some tasks quite swiftly. However, working with intricate systems requires time. The Ix3 Studio is where design thinking, technical abilities, and leadership will all converge.”

The Audience Component

Short for “interaction, innovation, and impact,” the Ix3 Studio signifies a blending of design, engineering, and business disciplines. Despite their disparities, these fields share many principles: the significance of research, the methodologies of ideation and prototyping, the necessity for testing, and unbiased critique.

“Design is fundamentally about creating something to serve others,” Bates explains. Fashion designers craft garments for others to wear, he clarifies. Communication designers convey information for others to contemplate. “Interaction design involves creating a digital product that is functional, usable, and addresses the specific needs of a user. Many students, particularly at the undergraduate level, completely skip that audience aspect.”

Needelman recalls her personal senior thesis project. She developed a resource book for elementary school educators who had students with more severe cases of spina bifida. “I conducted extensive research,” she states. “I learned from children who were flourishing. I interviewed medical professionals. From a design perspective, it was clever. It was self-illustrated. It’s a project I still take pride in.”

“However, I never consulted an actual elementary school educator,” she admits regretfully. “I lacked the insight, or frankly the bravery, to engage with them.”

Zemach agrees. “That’s a crucial aspect of HCI,” he comments. “If I have an idea in my mind, I want to present it to colleagues and users as early as possible and have them dissect it — so that we can learn and continue to iterate.”

“If we do this sufficiently, if we undergo enough cycles, eventually we reach a point where we’ve discovered something that’s authentic, useful, and impactful,” Zemach adds. “And ‘failure’ — in quotations because it’s not genuinely failure — is merely a step in the process.”

A Design Challenge

Initiating a new academic program is never a minor undertaking. In a hybrid field encompassing multiple schools and departments, the to-do list is especially formidable: Recruit faculty and students. Develop curricula. Define research parameters. Establish promotion and advancement criteria. Secure physical space and equipment. Communicate with stakeholders. Respond to advancements in the field.

“Creating this program is itself a complex design challenge,” Hanahan remarks, noting that throughout the process, Bates, Needelman, and Zemach acted as reliable industry advisors. “In a sense, it underscores why designers should occupy leadership roles within intricate organizations.”

“Designers approach challenges through both analytical and speculative methods,” Hanahan continues. “Technology is only as beneficial as its application. If it merely collects dust on a shelf, what’s the point? We’re developing a program where design, technology, craftsmanship, and critical thinking are all integrated from the outset.”

Zemach, reflecting on his journey from computer science to HCI, makes a similar observation: “I realized that my passion lay not in solving problems that computers faced, but in addressing the issues people encounter when using computers.”

“That’s the base of what we do,” Needelman concurs. “All the research and design, all the products we’re developing — it’s constructed on a foundation of accountability.”

“There are countless potential futures we might be heading towards,” she adds. “How do you, as a designer, comprehend the human consequences? How do you understand the social, technological, economic, environmental, and ethical ramifications? Design encompasses all of that.”

“I conduct a lot of recruiting for my team,” Bates states. “I’m always looking for those with unconventional backgrounds. I seek individuals who can showcase a profound sense of self. What truly interests you? What are you passionate about? Can you conceive of the broader picture? I’m always drawn to candidates who can illustrate their cognitive processes rather than those who merely demonstrate the ability to create something pixel-perfect.”

“One of the reasons I am enthusiastic about the MDes program is that it reinforces the strengths of WashU,” Bates concludes. “Let’s gather individuals who are passionate about ideas and concepts, who have their own interests and unique ways of synthesizing things — and let’s go create something tangible.”

The post What is design today? appeared first on The Source.