[IxDA Discuss] "Design" in Interaction Design?

[Bryan Minihan]

Not to be a stickler for semantics, but I don't think you can equate "lack
of psychology studies" with "inability to understand, empathize and study
human behavior and motivations".  I'm a cartoonist (my "art background"),
but it wasn't my major, Computer Science was.  Similarly, I have always had
a knack for looking at problems from other people's perspective, empathizing
with their condition, and solving problems that make people happy.  That
doesn't earn me a psychology degree by any means, but I wouldn't say I have
no psychology background - I'd think you need some sense of "how other
people tick" to do this work, at all. 

To answer your question, I seem to remember knowing more psych-degreed
people when I was in tech support, than in software design.  I don't
actually work closely with very many designers, though.

Bryan
http://www.bryanminihan.com


-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com
[mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of Lucy
Buykx

I too noticed the large number of graphics and arts backgrounds in the
'how did you get here thread'. But what struck me was how few (I
think only one) who mentioned any psychology studies. 

Since most of the participants on this list I have to ask this
question of the people you work with. How many of your colleagues
have studied psychology? Is it considered important or are psych
degrees to general to be of use?