HCI Foundations & Frontiers

CS 347, Winter 2025

How will the future of human-computer interaction (HCI) evolve? Futuristic visions of HCI as conceptualized in popular media often depict a world filled helpful AI collaborators, holographic displays, and voice- or gesture-based interactions. Whether these visions are filled with techno-optimism or dystopic-pessimism, they have been around for over 50 years. Is this where interaction with computing is headed? If not, where?

This course equips students with the major animating theories of human-computer interaction, and connects those theories to modern innovations. We will examine foundational work in design, social computing, ubiquitous computing, cognition, and human-centered AI. We will consider how these foundations have in turn led to reseach advances in virtual/augmented reality, automated design tools, accessibility and collaborative support. Unlike other courses in HCI, this course will primarily be focused on conceptual understanding rather than implementation and design practice.

Learning Goals: The goals of this course are to provide students with the foundations necessary for understanding and extending the current state of the art in human computer interaction. By the end of the course, students will have:

  • An understanding of key HCI theories and methods, crossing domains such as ubicomp, social computing, design, human cognition, and human-ceneted AI.
  • Experience critically discussing the core interaction design hypotheses described in HCI research texts.

Topics include ubiquitous computing, social computing, design tools+methods, AI+HCI, augmented and virtual reality, collaboration, and accessibility.

We read about two papers per class. You will submit paper commentaries by 5:00 PM the evening before each class, to prepare for our discussion.

Once during the quarter, you will help us lead your section’s discussion on that lecture’s readings. Read student commentaries in your section and prepare a response on their main themes.

For undergraduates or masters students in CS or SymSys, having taken CS147 or CS247 is a prerequisite. All graduate and PhD students from other departments are welcome. We expect attendance and active participation during lecture and discussion.

Teaching Staff

Instructor: Michael Bernstein
    Office Hours: Wednesdays 4:30pm-5:30pm, Gates 384.
Course Assistant Parker Ruth
    Office Hours: Thursdays 3:00pm-4:00pm, Gates 388.
    For the first week of class, my office hours will only be 30 minutes long.
Course Assistant Michelle Lam
    Office Hours: Thursdays 5:30pm-6:30pm, Thornton 211.
Course Assistant Philip Baillargeon
    Office Hours: Thursdays 12:30pm-1:30pm, Mitchell Earth Sciences Patio.
Course Assistant Miroslav Suzara
    Office Hours: Thursdays 3:00pm-4:00pm, Coupa Café (Green Library).
    For the first two weeks of class, I will have office hours from 12:00pm-1:00pm.
Course Assistant Defne Genc
    Office Hours: Wednesdays 11:00am-12:00pm, Gates 3B.

Questions?
Email us: cs347@cs.stanford.edu