[IxDA Discuss] Question from a newby...

[DanP]

Hi All,

I've been lurking on the list for a while, reading past digests and  
gaining knowledge about the field of Interaction Design through  
informational interviews, online research, and meeting with faculty.  
I'm a former software engineer who returned to school for Industrial  
Design, and have been working with a recruiter who feels that my  
skill set and job prospects are very strongly matched to the  
Interaction Design field.

As I'll be graduating soon, and looking into graduate degree options  
and supplemental work, I was hoping to tap the collective experience  
of the group regarding an unanswered question:

Q: What creative challenge and interest might the field of  
Interaction Design provide for someone with a hands-on visual arts  
background; more specifically, how has the field appealed to and kept  
your interest as a creative?

As support for this, are there any tangible (perhaps object, web, or  
print based) successes you could point to? For instance, in art/ 
design, tangible successes are typically displayed in a portfolio of  
visual work - how might one demonstrate their work in the IxDN field?

Many thanks in advance for your feedback, and please feel free to  
reply via one-on-one email if that's more appropriate.

-Dan P.
Northern California
dnp607    at     pacbell.net