Cross posted from:

http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=37334

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking around for design schools that can teach the relevant skills and methodologies required to be certified as an interaction designer. Unfortunately, I haven't been too confident with the results I've found: Schools I've come across within a near geographic region have:

• Graduate degrees and PGs in ixd related fields that are recognized by the local industry but the graduates who have published their designs/products appear to have created sub-par designs/wire frames and products.
  • If the full degree or parts of it were ixda recognized, students who are aspiring to be ixd's would at least be confident the courses are using relevant materials and methodologies.
• Diploma that claim to use experience and expertise of instructor rather than local industry recognized methodologies
  • Despite the disclosed lack of local industry recognition for those particular specialized diplomas, the pre-diploma foundation courses at the same colleges seem to provide a valid foundation for learning how to design for technology
    • Pre-diploma courses having ixda approval could be more easily recognized by aspiring ixd students
    • Despite the lack of local industry acknowledgement of the diploma, the courses involved could be a relevant path towards a PG in ixd.

As an additional boost, how about including courses and workshops that have parts of the ideal curriculum that would work for building a foundation (pre-college) or path (graduate level) towards a full fledged masters degree in ixd?

In reference to whats been discussed on http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=30515, the suggestions there seem to be the ideal reference for a full ixda degree at the masters level and some could be used for identifying which pre-college/graduate courses contain methodologies and materials relevant to building a path towards a master's level ixd certification.

Viewing ixda approval/recogntion badges on a school's website (I assume it would be a marketing boost for the school to have a badge of approval or recognition from an industy group on display) would make it easier for future ixd's to select the right courses and institutions along the way.

There are possible positive side effects by having ixd courses recognized at earlier stages of schooling (pre-college/graduate:)

• Current IxD/UxD's in an organization have an easier time bringing in persons who have some academic ixd training and knowledge (Current HR and management in less knowledgeable organizations or those who don't have access to ixda conferences and publications seem to only accept locally recognized degrees that are not fully applicable to work that requires ixd proficiency.)
• Traditional HR departments have an easier time recognizing which jobs need an ixd (assuming they successflly cross reference which courses are ixda approved and what the job requires.)
• Non-design students (business/programming/marketing and more) who mingle with ixd students could have an inkling at an earlier stage of how ixd or the lack of it can impact a product during its life cycle and its relevance to their businesses and work.

Just a few thoughts I had on how to push awareness of ixd at an earlier stage in the life of a professional.

Cheers,

SteveJB

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