The Role of Human Computer Interaction in Management Information Systems Curricula:A Call to Action

Abstract

This article presents a multifaceted case for the inclusion of the important Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) subject matter at both the graduate and undergraduate levels of the Association of Information Systems (AIS) model curricula. Based on the presentations and discussions during a panel at the 2003 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), we first present the rationale for incorporating HCI materials in Management Information Systems (MIS) curricula. Second, we present a list of relevant and important HCI knowledge and skills that our students need for effective careers. Third, given the limited number of credit hours available to each MIS program, we explore several strategies and options for the integration of HCI into current and future MIS courses. Finally, drawing upon teaching experiences of the authors, we provide pedagogical suggestions for teaching HCI to undergraduate and graduate students.

Teaching Human Computer Interaction: First Experiences

“…Hence, the ECCI has considered it is very important to be pioneer in this field in the country, offering a basic course to create a new generation of software developers aware of the role of human beings in the success of any software application and the importance of their participation within the software development process. Five strategies to introduce the topic of HCI into a computer science curriculum have been proposed [3]: 1) to cover HCI topics in required and elective courses, for example, programming and software engineering courses, 2) to initiate with a course exclusively dedicated to HCI (for example, a Masters course or an elective undergraduate course), 3) when the first dedicated course proposed in strategy 2 has consolidated, to initiate a dedicated course at the other level, 4) to simultaneously initiate HCI courses at the Bachelor and Masters levels, and 5) to offer several elective courses on HCI. At the ECCI, we decided to follow a combination of strategies 2 and 3, starting with a dedicated undergraduate course, and a semester later teaching a dedicated Masters course.…”

The IS History Initiative: Looking Forward by Looking Back

“…Additional activities included planning and monitoring budgets, fund raising, outreaching, promoting, collaborating with other associations (such as ACM SIGCHI, HCI International, Uxnet), and working on other specific projects to generate interest from potential participants in and outside the IS field. Educational aspects included pushing HCI materials into the model curricula in IS (Carey et al, 2004;Gorgone, Gray, Stohr, Valacich, & Wigand, 2006) and cowriting the first textbook on the subject (Te'eni, Carey, & Zhang, 2007).…”

Guest Editorial: HCI studies in management information systems

“…Historically, there are several other terms used by different departments, universities, regions, countries, journals, societies and associations to represent this discipline. These terms include computer information systems, business computing science, information technology, information management, decision support systems, electronic data processing, information resource management, and information systems (Carey et al 2004). Davis (1974) gave one of the earliest definitions of MIS, in which he described MIS as 'an integrated man/ machine system for providing information to support the operation, management, and decision-making functions in an organization'.…”