Human-Computer Interaction

The School of Design is world-leading in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research and our researchers have been recognised through multiple awards for Best Paper and Honourable Mention in CHI – HCI’s premier academic conference.

Together with Northlab ( a community bringing together Northumbria University’s HCI researchers from across Design, Psychology, Computer Science and Business), it forms the largest grouping of HCI researchers in the UK. We have particular strengths in participatory and co-design techniques for technology development, social computing, speculative and critical design approaches and UX design/consulting/research.

Research conducted in this space includes developing and applying creative approaches to communicating the intangible functions of data, technology design for cultural organisations, civic institutions and non-profits and the exploration of AI in smart home and city.

The recently launched Centre for Digital Citizens (CDC) is a large scale 5 year EPSRC funded project with Newcastle University addressing the emerging challenges of digital citizenship and offers multiple new avenues for HCI research for the school and the North East more generally.

The Design School also founded the Digital Disruption Network as a forum for collaboration and seeding new research ideas where organisations and academics can invent the future of digital technology together.