Kennesaw State’s Department of Technical Communication and Interactive Design hosted a World Interaction Design Day on Tuesday, Sep. 25, in the Atrium Building on the Marietta campus.
According to Lara Palmer, department chair and associate professor for the TCID, the event was one of approximately 75 other WIDD events held across other campuses, corporations and other sites around the world.
“World Interaction Design Day is where we come together as a united global community to show how interaction design improves the human condition,” the WIDD website states. “Our aim is to have a positive, long-lasting impact by facilitating activities that support dialogue and outcomes.”
TCID’s goal was to bring awareness to students about the role design plays in the technologies used everyday such as apps, screens and others. TCID also wanted to promote their unique program and excellent career opportunities to everyone at KSU, Palmer said.
According to the WIDD website, this year’s theme was diversity and inclusion in design.
“We’re challenging the interaction design community to look at how language, culture, gender, age and ability are reflected in design, and how designers can use their skills to improve accessibility to products and services for the community at large,” the website states.
After Palmer opened the session at this year’s event, Michael Lahey, program director for the bachelor of science in interactive design, addressed the group of attendees about the role of design in everyday life.
Lahey explained that design for technologies involves designing for complex systems and experiences. Lahey said that interactive designers must understand stakeholder needs, user needs and business goals to build the best experience possible for users.
After Lahey’s speech, he was able to take questions from students and advisors in the audience.
A group of senior students then sat with guests and presented some of their projects and gave audience members a student’s perspective on the program.
“Our WIDD event was a great success,” Palmer said. “Our students’ work really helped everyone understand how important design is and what our BS in interactive design is all about.”
Palmer will also host a World Usability Day event on Nov. 8 in the Social Science Atrium Building and a Portfolio Capstone for Technical Communication and Interactive Design in the same month.
