User System Interaction (USI)
Encyclopedia
User-System Interaction (USI) is a multidisciplinary, post-Master
educational program which provides practical training in the field of human-computer interaction and user interface design
. The program is a part of the Industrial Design
faculty at the Eindhoven University of Technology
and is a part of the Stan Ackermans Institute and the 3TU
, a cooperative initiative between the Eindhoven University of Technology
, the Delft University of Technology
, and University of Twente .
As in most post-Master
programs at Dutch universities
, participants are officially both students and employees of the university
, with the official job title of Postgraduate Design Engineer. As such, each participant is contractually obligated for the two-year duration of the program and the terms of this employment are subject to the legal provisions for Dutch universities
(CAO nederlandse universiteiten). Upon graduation, each student receives a Professional Doctorate in Engineering
(PDEng).
. Also part of the study period is a ten-week design case where students work closely with teams either in the university or in an external organization. This part of the curriculum is geared toward introducing students to the entire design cycle.
, Microsoft
, Vodafone
, Océ
, Novay
, KPN
, Lucent, and Ericsson
, among others.
to round out the curriculum, e.g. presentation skills, project management, and teamwork.
These workshops prepare USI students for life in the professional sector. Since the USI program's emphasis is on working in industry, PD empowers USI students to be capable managers as well as designers, to make them more competitive players in the job market.
, Turkey
, Russia
, Poland
, Brazil
, and China
, among others .
As each generation consists of around 20 students, admission procedures are designed to create in each generation a mix of inductees with technical and non-technical backgrounds, and a mix of European and non-European students. This mixing of backgrounds and nationalities puts inductees in team-working situations where they can develop their soft skills in a practical, professional environment, much like the environment with which they will be confronted as professionals after graduation.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
educational program which provides practical training in the field of human-computer interaction and user interface design
User experience design
User experience design is a subset of the field of experience design that pertains to the creation of the architecture and interaction models that affect user experience of a device or system...
. The program is a part of the Industrial Design
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
faculty at the Eindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven University of Technology
The ' is a university of technology located in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The motto of the university is: Mens agitat molem . The university was the second of its kind in the Netherlands, only Delft University of Technology existed previously. Until mid-1980 it was known as the...
and is a part of the Stan Ackermans Institute and the 3TU
3TU
3TU is a federation of three leading Dutch technical universities: TU Delft, TU Eindhoven, and University of Twente. The federation aims at maximizing innovation by concentrating the strengths in research, education and knowledge transfer of all technical universities in The Netherlands.-Stan...
, a cooperative initiative between the Eindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven University of Technology
The ' is a university of technology located in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The motto of the university is: Mens agitat molem . The university was the second of its kind in the Netherlands, only Delft University of Technology existed previously. Until mid-1980 it was known as the...
, the Delft University of Technology
Delft University of Technology
Delft University of Technology , also known as TU Delft, is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands...
, and University of Twente .
As in most post-Master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
programs at Dutch universities
Dutch universities
Dutch universities are supported by state funding so that universities do not have to rely on private funding to facilitate tuition. All citizens of the Netherlands who complete high school at the pre-academic level or have a professional bachelor's degree at hbo level are eligible to attend...
, participants are officially both students and employees of the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, with the official job title of Postgraduate Design Engineer. As such, each participant is contractually obligated for the two-year duration of the program and the terms of this employment are subject to the legal provisions for Dutch universities
Dutch universities
Dutch universities are supported by state funding so that universities do not have to rely on private funding to facilitate tuition. All citizens of the Netherlands who complete high school at the pre-academic level or have a professional bachelor's degree at hbo level are eligible to attend...
(CAO nederlandse universiteiten). Upon graduation, each student receives a Professional Doctorate in Engineering
Professional Doctorate in Engineering
The Professional Doctorate in Engineering is a name awarded to graduates of engineering programs that develop their students' capabilities to work within a professional context. These programs focus on applied techniques in their respective engineering fields...
(PDEng).
Curriculum
The USI program lasts two years and is divided into two parts, the study period and the industrial project.Study Period
The study period, lasting 14 months consists of two-week modules, each providing 80 hours of theoretical instruction (lectures) and practical application (project work). Each module is given by a different instructor, and each covers a different aspect of user interaction designUser experience design
User experience design is a subset of the field of experience design that pertains to the creation of the architecture and interaction models that affect user experience of a device or system...
. Also part of the study period is a ten-week design case where students work closely with teams either in the university or in an external organization. This part of the curriculum is geared toward introducing students to the entire design cycle.
Industrial Project
After the study period, students proceed to the industrial project, the nine-month capstone of the USI program. Like the design case, it involves working on a project in a practical environment, either in academia or industry, but goes further in depth. These projects have been carried out in organizations like PhilipsPhilips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
, Océ
Océ
Océ N.V. is a Netherlands-based company that develops, manufactures and sells printing and copying hardware and related software. The offering includes office printing and copying systems; production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and color display...
, Novay
Novay
Novay, formally known as the Telematica Instituut is a Dutch Research institute in the field of Information Technology, founded in 1997, known for its development of ArchiMate....
, KPN
KPN
KPN is a Dutch landline and mobile telecommunications company, including both 2G and 3G mobile operations...
, Lucent, and Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
, among others.
Professional Development
Parallel to the other two components of the program is professional development (PD). These are a series of workshops that concentrate on various soft skillsSoft skills
Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" , the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people...
to round out the curriculum, e.g. presentation skills, project management, and teamwork.
These workshops prepare USI students for life in the professional sector. Since the USI program's emphasis is on working in industry, PD empowers USI students to be capable managers as well as designers, to make them more competitive players in the job market.
Philosophy
At its core, the USI program is multidisciplinary. It accepts inductees from widely varied technical and academic backgrounds, e.g. computer science, psychology, communication technology, behavioral sciences, and new media design. Furthermore, the program is multinational as it has had inductees from countries like the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, among others .
As each generation consists of around 20 students, admission procedures are designed to create in each generation a mix of inductees with technical and non-technical backgrounds, and a mix of European and non-European students. This mixing of backgrounds and nationalities puts inductees in team-working situations where they can develop their soft skills in a practical, professional environment, much like the environment with which they will be confronted as professionals after graduation.