Human - Computer Interaction

Technological advances have meant that computers have become more and more present in our lives, in the form of mobile telephones, boiler programmes or computers in the work place, among others. Far from a tool that helps us to live better, computers are usually difficult to understand and create problems for their users. The barriers for the disabled or older people in the use of computers are another problem to be resolved. It is elemental to understand that it is not the users who must change their way of being radically, but the systems that must be designed to satisfy the needs of their users. The systems should be focused towards the user.

Nowadays the industry is aware that a more suitable interface can suppose market appeal with respect to other competitors with similar characteristics. The evolution of the simple interfaces of mobile telephones is a good example of this.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is the discipline that studies the exchange of information between people and computers. Its objective is to make this exchange more efficient: minimising errors, incrementing satisfaction, diminishing frustration, and in short, making the tasks that involve people and computers more productive. To sum up, they work to ensure that interactive systems are practical and accessable.

The main objective of the master´s degree, through its professional itinerary, is to train professional in the most relevant issues related to the HCI disciplines that form a theoretical and practical knowledge base. In short, it trains students to participate in design and evaluation, putting easy to use interactive systems into practice that are efficient and effective for all their users. To sum up, they work to ensure that interactive systems are usables and accessibles.

Certificate holders will be capable of:
o Being incorporated into companies related to design, development, implantation or interactive service consultant services.
o Carrying out tasks related to the HCI discipline within an independent company whatever its sector.
o Carrying out internal and/or external usability, accessibility consulting and, in general, any issue related to the interfaces employed by users.

With the research itinerary Certificate holders are given the availability of the research that permits them to access the doctorate program of the postgraduate in Engineering and Information technology.