8.3 Interaction Design


What is interaction design? It can be defined as follows; "Designing interactive products to support the way
people communicate and interact in their everyday and working lives".
In other words, it is the creation of an environment that supports and enhances the way people work,
communicate, and interact with one another.
Other terms such as user interface design, software design, user-centered design, product design, web
design, and interactive system design all fall under the umbrella term of 'interaction design'.
All of these terms require many expert developers from many disciplines and fields.
Interaction design takes in many disciplines that are needed in order for the design of interactive products to
be a user friendly one that facilities and enhances the communication between users.
For example, psychology and cognitive science experts are needed as well as experts in the fields of
computer science and the social sciences (see Figure 1.2).

8.3 Interaction Design




Figure 1.2: Disciplines and Practices Involved in Interaction Design

8.3 Interaction Design


Figure 1.2 shows the number of disciplines and practices involved in interaction design.
This means that a large number of people are involved in the design and development stage of interactive
design.
This is due to the fact that designers need to know many things about users before developing a
product.
They also need to know the technologies that are available to them and how it interacts with other
technologies that are needed, in order to develop an interactive product that will provide the user with
an effective user experience.
Designers need to understand how people interact and communicate with one another and how the emotions
of human beings function in order to design products that have the correct aesthetics and desirability.
As well as understanding the way humans/user behave and interact, designers also need to understand how
the business side of things works, as well as the marketing and manufacturing side.
It is however very difficult for one designer to be an expert in all of these disciplines and fields, this is why
many experts in their fields are needed such as engineers, designers, programmers, psychologists,
anthropologists, sociologists and artists.

8.3 Interaction Design


However, these various personnel are not always present as this depends on the company size (that is
making the interactive product), the budget, and the company's design philosophy.