The Human-Computer Interaction Center (HCI Center, or HCIC for short) is a central institute of RWTH Aachen University. It integrates an interdisciplinary group of researchers that look at Human-Computer Interaction, Usability, Risk Communication and Technology Acceptance from different perspectives. We conduct academic and industry-funded research and development. It was founded in 2011 by four faculty members of RWTH Aachen University:
- Jan Borchers, Professor of Computer Science and head of the Chair for Media Informatics and Human-Computer Interaction (founding director)
- Eva Jakobs, Professor of Language and Communication Studies and head of the Chair for Text Linguistics and Technical Communication
- Peter Russell, Professor of Architecture and head of the Chair for Computer-Aided Architectural Design (now at TU Delft)
- Martina Ziefle, Professor of Language and Communication Studies and head of the Chair for Communication Science.
The founding ceremony took place on Nov 10, 2011 on World Usability Day, with a keynote by Bruce Tognazzini, founder of the Apple Human Interface Group and principal with the Nielsen Norman Group. On Apr 11, 2014, the HCI Center celebrated its official move into its new offices in the CAMPUS Logistics cluster.