Blog One

     A problem that commuters or anyone who drives, for that matter, have at some point experienced the problem of finding a parking spot. This is especially true for me, as I often experience this problem when going to appointments or just finding parking around school without having to pay an arm and a leg. I assumed that most people would share a similar sentiment. The UX research method that I began with was observation. I park far from school in order to save money on parking. The walk is long, so I have to allot extra time to make it to class on time. As I walk to class, I notice many empty driveways that are much closer to campus than where I park. On my return walk after class, these parking spots are still empty. From this point, I encountered a problem, and the next step I took was to conduct an interview. I was able to interview a neighbor with whom I am cordial. I thought this would fit my criteria because of their age, they had a vehicle, and they are also ho...

  The project that my team and I will be working on will be a variation of a meal preparation app. More specifically, a step-by-step sushi-making guide. The larger idea of meal preparation was our first decision, but for scale, we decided to go with sushi. We chose this as a way to develop the skill of cooking. Focusing on one aspect of cooking could act as a confidence boost and may increase your overall cooking ability, or may help you discover your passion for a new hobby. This is personally meaningful to me because cooking and preparing food can help save you time and money in the future. The cost of going out to eat is usually expensive, especially when it comes to something like sushi. So, this is almost like an investment that will pay off over time. By the end of this journey, I am hoping to hone my skills in determining what is important by way of what people need or find useful. Also, how to improve my product based on testing and feedback.

TED Believing you could improve I think that HCI will help me become a better version of myself, in that it will give me the skills to help determine issues that people face when interacting with computers and how to solve these issues. Also, this would work as a preventative measure as well if I were to design something in the future. It would also help give me a different perspective when it comes to interacting with the world around me because I would be made aware of how things could be better, rather than just taking things at face value and accepting that just how things are. Like I said earlier, there is always room for improvement.

  One of the biggest impacts that HCI has had on my life would probably be the advent of YouTube. During my time in high school, when it was time to do homework, all I really had to rely on was my textbook and my lackluster notes. So when I would get stuck on a problem, usually a math problem, I would spend a lot of time frustrated trying to figure it out on my own. Now, with YouTube or other educational video-based format webpages, I can better understand concepts in the way that I learn best, by watching similar examples being completed. YouTube videos aren't just good for homework, but also good for diagnosing and fixing mechanical issues with my car. Of which there are a lot. Something that is along the same line is the smartphone and how it made learning more portable and thus more convenient. Another big help is the safety features on newer vehicles. Particularly, the adaptive cruise control. This is actually a big help for my dad because he doesn't have the best eyesight...

   HCI is exciting to me because I like to see the progression of computers and the like. Whether it be embedded systems or user interfaces, there is always room for improvement. I enjoy seeing a concept or product come to life and then improving based on people interacting with said product. An example that comes to mind, even though I was not alive yet to witness it, was how computers transitioned from a command-line interface to a GUI. That was a big jump because it made using a computer much more intuitive for people to work with computers. Especially people like my grandma. I think that she would have some trouble trying to use a command-line interface. So far, this is what I understand HCI to be and how it could be beneficial to everyday people.

  My name is Bart Beltran. I am a student currently enrolled at San Francisco State University. Having been born and raised in the Bay Area has been a rewarding experience in that I have been introduced to an array of different cultures and ideas. After taking a rather long hiatus from school, I decided to go back and pursue a degree in Computer Science. During the time I spent out of school, I worked as an automotive technician at a Bay Area Honda dealership. That time was a rewarding experience as I was able to make many friends and have fun working with something that was, and still is, interesting to me. As for now, I am mostly playing it by ear and just working on small daily goals that include working on my health and learning. A more obvious long-term goal of mine is to finish school, but beyond that, I have not put too much thought into it.