How to Become an Interaction Designer?

[Adena]

Hello! I'm sure you've all heard this question before, but I'm interested in your individual opinions on how to become an interaction designer. It is unclear if education in the field is mandatory, and at what point in ones career he or she should study ID. For someone from a non-design and non-programming/HCI background, is obtaining a masters degree in the field the only entry point into UX design? Any input would be greatly appreciated. FYI, I'm currently a marketing writer and community manager. Would love to one day be a full-time "idea-generating and wireframe-making" interaction designer.

[Joshua Kaufman]

Hey Adena,

I can remember back in 2002 when I felt the same way. I working as a general web guy who did a little bit of design, project management and front-end coding. My strategy at that point was to do as much interaction design type work as my role would allow in order to practice and hone my skills. But at some point I realized that I really wanted to be an interaction designer, not just doing some interaction design work. So I picked up, moved to London and got a masters in HCI at UCL.

The HCI theory was great, but I would say that studying pure HCI wasn't the best route to the interaction design industry. In retrospect, I wish I would have looked at programs that focused more on interaction design and more practical skills.

Is a masters degree needed? Definitely not, but it helped me to get a job quickly out of school. If you have the time and patience to start in a junior role and build up your skill set then school isn't necessary. Or if you want to get up to speed quickly then it may be worth looking into something like Cooper's interaction design courses.

At the end of the day, there are many ways to become an interaction designer. The beauty is that you can tailor your journey to your specific goals. It's up to you!

Feel free to get in touch if you'd like more thoughts! http://unraveled.com/contact/

Cheers
Joshua

[michael burkett]

I definitely agree with Joshua. I was in the same position, and frankly intimidated by the amount of information available to those who make design a study. Furthermore I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the promulgation's of the self-taught.

My off the cuff, and never expressed before opinions follow.

Requirements for Interaction Designers:
You must have a design education (that is not the same as schooling.) You also need to know which tools and methodologies to apply based on the circumstance and problem. You would need experience and some software skills for that. Above all else, you need a deep curiosity, empathy and a passion for helping people adjust to changes in their world.

I think however you can satisfy the above requirements, you will find yourself with the knowledge you need to perform the job.

BTW, a book that just came out does a good job of encapsulating the entirety of an IxD design education. (Josh let me know if you agree with that statement)

Designing for the Digital Age: How to Create Human-Centered Products and Services
http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Digital-Age-Human-Centered-Products...

That of course does not help with the getting a job part.

[Adena]

Thanks Joshua & Michael. I'm glad to hear that it's fairly normal to be in this spot prior to getting into ID in terms of not knowing exactly how or what to study to get into the field.

From my limited experience, it seems that I either need to become a really good graphic designer, really good front-end coder, or get a degree from one of the top HCI schools to get into the field as a pure-play researcher. Or be able to fake any of the above well enough (ie self taught) in order to get hired. I think I probably have the best chance of becoming a decent or even good designer (I should have majored in graphic design as an undergrad because I have a background in art, but was too stubborn to go into commercial art as an undergrad, stupid me.) What I do have is empathy and a passion for helping people adjust to changes in their world. What I don't have is the ability to understand, from a business sense, how to prioritize good UI with just getting stuff out. Granted, I come from a web startup background, so I imagine things might be different at a larger company with an entire team dedicated to user interface research.

I'm least concerned with getting a job and more concerned with getting the right skills, at least for now. Like Michael, I'm completely intimidated by how much there is to learn. Even though I'm in my 20s, I feel very behind. It's tempting to think of applying to grad programs that provide a design foundation, but then there is the giant price tag to consider.

I'll check out that book, Michael. Thanks for the suggestion.