Importance of art and design: HCI studies is at the intersection of several different fields of studies, involving computer science, behavioral studies and social science as well as industrial design, linguistic and communication theory.
As appearance and functionality are intrinsically connected, one needs basic knowledge of design in order to develop a device. At the same time, as one might be working on the field, communication skills are most impor tant.
Verbal or visual, communication is based on the sensory and motor abil- ity: a sound or image is emitted and captured by somebody else by hear- ing or seeing. Noam Chomsky says that the system of communication is a mysterious human capacity.
The social context and its weigh on the formation of the identity of the message emitter as well as the neurophysiological system are equally im- portant, psychological factors come secondary.
In a social context involving people with neurogenetic diseases (like Alzheimer’s) or people living in a predestinated social environment such as suburbs or neighbourhoods with a majority of people with immigra- tion background, communication isn’t always operable on the commonly accepted ground. Art in a HCI master course is useful so as to practice alternative and unconventional ways of communication.