(i.e., curatorialism), and critical theories (e.g., feminism, ontological design, reflective practice, activity theory, practice theory). As a matter of core competence, students learn how to endow interactive forms with meaning and content and interpret interactivity in terms of meaning and content.

W4 transdisciplinary paradigm
(“fourth” wave HCI/ID). The
transdisciplinary [ 6] paradigm may be
defined as a focus on a values orientation
for interactivity design as a concern of
higher order than particular collections
of methods or domains of expertise. The
kinds of curricular matter associated
with the transdisciplinary paradigm
may include skills training in design
frameworks, values, and ethics, and
design for important themes such as
sustainability, equity, adaptation,
justice, and social responsibility.
As a matter of core competence,
students learn how to bring a values
orientation to interaction design and the
explanation of interaction design.
To justify the distinction between
W4 and W3, which are not presented
as separate waves in Harrison et al.,
we would argue that it is in fact not
possible to undertake a focus on any
of the waves in a purely politically
neutral, values-neutral, teleological
way. At the same time, values, ethics,
and politics are not the primary foci
of these first three waves. Thus, we
argue that transdisciplinary design is
distinguished from the other paradigms
by its primary focus on politics and
values and ethics. This focus certainly
must be present in the actual practices
of the other waves, but it is not the
primary focus.
Table 1 summarizes the four waves.

HUMAN-COMPUTER
INTERACTION DESIGN (HCI/D)
AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY

The theoretical framework described here is used as an organizing structure for the Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction Design program at Indiana University in Bloomington. This two-year program has approximately 40 students in each single-year cohort.

Table 2 shows the courses that make up the M.S. degree. For each course, the emphasis (primary, secondary, none) of the four curricular waves is T

PARADIGM COMPETENCE/LEARNING OUTCOME EXAMPLES OF RELATED SKILLS

W1 Technical
Paradigm
Students learn how to understand new technology
developments much in the way that an architect needs
to understand the possibilities and limitations that new
materials present, and be able to predict which materials
and technologies will become available in 2, 5, 10, and 20
years.

HTML/CSS, wireframing, methods such as use case
analysis, pattern languages, application prototyping,
information architecture, tangible computing
W2 Cognitive
Paradigm
Students learn how to study and characterize human
cognitive models and the mappings between human
cognitive models and technology operational models as a
matter of improving design usability and experience.
interviews, surveys, behavioral prototyping, usability
studies, user experience studies, empiricism
W3 Ethnographic and
Criticism Paradigm
Students learn how to endow interactive forms with
meaning and content, and interpret interactivity in terms of
meaning and content.

ethnographic methods including photo-ethnography, observations, collections (i.e., curatorialism), critical theories (e.g., feminism, ontological design, reflective practice, activity theory, practice theory)

W4 Transdisciplinary
Paradigm
Students learn how to bring a values orientation to
interaction design and the explanation of interaction
design.
design frameworks, values and ethics, design for important
themes such as sustainability, equity, adaptation, justice,
and social responsibility