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Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE)

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Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE)

Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. We advance systems a

The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) is an interdisciplinary engineering department at the University of Washington in Seattle, an internationally-ranked, R1 research institution. Students and faculty in HCDE focus on understanding human needs and interests as they design and build solutions to the problems our world is facing. The department has a core interest in research

-based approaches to design that place people at the center of activity. HCDE offers four academic programs: Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and a Graduate Certificate in User-Centered Design. HCDE students and faculty collaborate across other University units and with industry partners through the HCDE Corporate Affiliates Program.

09/10/2026

Please join us in welcoming Samantha Speer to the HCDE faculty! 👋

Dr. Speer joins us as an assistant teaching professor, where her teaching and research bring together robotics, human-centered design, and interdisciplinary, collaborative learning.

This year, she’ll teach both undergraduate and graduate HCDE courses, with interests in creating new opportunities for students to explore human-centered robotics and getting involved with HCDE’s K–12 outreach efforts.

HCDE welcomes Assistant Teaching Professor Samantha Speer, whose teaching and research explore robotics, collaborative learning, and human-centered design.

09/08/2026

Seattle-area HCDE alumni: Join us Sept. 30 for an afternoon of community service and connection at the NE Seattle Tool Library!

We’ll help organize and beautify the space, enjoy drinks and appetizers, and give back to a community partner that has mentored many HCDE capstone and usability study teams.

📅 Wednesday, Sept. 30, 4–6 p.m.
📍 NE Seattle Tool Library

Learn more and join us:

Events organized by or affiliated with the University of Washington's Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering.

09/02/2026

What happens when kids play with toys that can talk, remember conversations, and personalize their responses?

A new UW study explored how children ages 6–11 interacted with AI-powered toys. The kids were curious and sometimes delighted by what the toys could do, but they also got frustrated when the toys didn’t understand them or respond as expected.

HCDE researchers Aayushi Dangol, Meghna Gupta, and Julie Kientz contributed to the study as part of a multidisciplinary UW research team. The study offers an early look at how generative AI may be changing children’s relationships with toys.

Read more and watch the video from UW News:

University of Washington researchers gathered eight kids on campus to explore how they played with AI toys. The kids initially were curious, asking introductory

08/31/2026

Does your nonprofit have a challenge that could benefit from a human-centered design perspective?

UW Human Centered Design & Engineering students are looking for nonprofit organizations to partner with on real-world projects in 2027.

Your challenge might involve:
• Understanding how people use your website, app, or digital tool
• Improving accessibility or the experience of a physical or digital space
• Rethinking outreach or engagement with the communities you serve
• Exploring a problem you know exists, even if you’re not yet sure what the solution should be

Through usability studies and capstone projects, HCDE students work with partner organizations to conduct research, identify opportunities, develop ideas, and test potential solutions.

There is no sponsorship fee for nonprofit partners. We ask partners to contribute their time and expertise to help students understand the organization, its communities, and the challenge they’re working to address.

Interested in partnering with HCDE students in 2027? Learn more about opportunities for community partners:

The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering offers a range of opportunities for sponsoring student projects, including capstone projects, usability studies, directed research groups, and design jams. Project sponsors can gain fresh perspectives, actionable insights, and discover solutions....

08/26/2026

Over the past year, HCDE students partnered with Rainier Valley Food Bank in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood to explore how the organization could strengthen the experience of its clients and its connections with the surrounding community.

Through three Directed Research Groups and a bachelor’s capstone project, students spent time at the food bank and in the surrounding neighborhood, learning from clients, staff and community members. Their work led to redesigned shopping signage and client information materials, along with a community outreach campaign. Several recommendations are already being put into practice by RVFB.

For HCDE Emeritus Professor Andrew Davidson, who led the Directed Research Groups, the partnership is a good example of how HCDE skills can contribute well beyond traditional technology projects.

“When people hear HCDE, they often think about apps or products. But every organization has services and systems that shape how people interact with it. Our role is to help students understand those experiences before deciding how they might improve them.”

The partnership gave students the chance to apply what they’re learning to a real community setting, while giving RVFB dedicated time and research to better understand how people experience its services.

Read more about the partnership and view some of the students’ work:

A year-long partnership with Rainier Valley Food Bank gave HCDE students the opportunity to apply their skills in a community setting, helping the organization improve the client experience, strengthen outreach, and better understand the people it serves.

08/06/2026

Get to know HCDE's newest assistant professor, Dr. Emily Tseng!

Professor Tseng joined HCDE this spring, bringing research that explores digital safety and how technologies shape people's relationships, safety, and everyday lives.

In this Q&A, she shares the path that brought her to HCDE, the research questions she's exploring, and what she hopes students take away from her classes.

Assistant Professor Emily Tseng joined the HCDE faculty in Spring 2026, bringing expertise in digital safety and the human impacts of emerging technologies. Learn about the path that brought her to UW, the research questions she's exploring, and what she's looking forward to as she joins the HCDE co...

07/29/2026

How do you help people understand the transportation decisions that will shape Washington over the next 25 years?

HCDE researchers partnered with UW's Mobility Innovation Center to develop Mobility Washington 2050, an interactive platform that transforms complex transportation planning data into a resource the public can explore.

Using human-centered design methods, the team conducted user research and usability testing to make long-term infrastructure planning more accessible and meaningful for communities, policymakers, and anyone interested in Washington's future.

HCDE researchers helped create Mobility Washington 2050, a new interactive platform from UW's Mobility Innovation Center that makes complex transportation and infrastructure data easier to understand. Using human-centered design methods, the team transformed decades of planning data into an interact...

07/27/2026

Join us in congratulating HCDE Assistant Professor Emily Tseng, whose research group has been selected as one of 18 university labs worldwide to participate in Microsoft's new External Red Team Alliance (EXTRA).

The initiative recognizes the important role of independent academic research in advancing AI safety and will support Tseng's lab as it explores how AI systems can be designed, evaluated, and governed responsibly.

HCDE Assistant Professor Emily Tseng's research group is one of 18 university labs worldwide selected to participate in Microsoft's new External Red Team Alliance (EXTRA), a global initiative supporting independent AI safety research. The recognition will support her lab's work to better understand....

07/20/2026

Chronic stress affects millions of people, but it isn't always easy to recognize what's happening in our bodies or know how to respond.

Earlier this month, HCDE master's student Selah Key presented her independent research project, Ordinary Days, at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. The project received a Best Use Case award through the International Telecommunication Union's Innovate for Impact initiative and was featured in the AI for Good Innovate for Impact Report 2026.

'Ordinary Days' is an AI system designed to help people better understand and respond to chronic stress. By combining data from wearable devices with user input and other contextual information, it provides personalized, evidence-based support while keeping people actively involved in their own care.

"My goal has always been to create human-centered technology that helps people live happier, more authentic lives," Key said.

Read more about Selah's research, the development of Ordinary Days, and her experience presenting on the global stage:

HCDE master's student Selah Key presented her independent research project, Ordinary Days, at the United Nations' AI for Good Global Summit, where it received a Best Use Case award. Key developed a context-aware, multimodal AI system that helps people recognize physiological signs of chronic stress....

07/07/2026

From startup lessons to a new incubator at HCDE, Seattle Tech Week offers a glimpse at what's next for entrepreneurship in our community.

Join HCDE Professor Beth Kolko on July 27 as she moderates "Stories from the World of Build-Fail-Build," featuring Babak Parviz (Newdays.ai), Omri Mor (Routable) and Steve Krenzel (Logic), and hosted by David Pitman (Lightspeed AI).

Together, they'll share lessons from building companies, navigating successes and failures, and developing AI-driven ventures in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape. The panelists will also introduce their new incubator collaboration that will be based in the HCDE department at the University of Washington.

Register here: https://luma.com/seattletechweek2026

View and follow events from Seattle Tech Week on Luma. Attendee registration opens June 25 for all events! Want to host an STW event? Review the guidelines here: http://bit.ly/4lz3vM9 Questions? Email [email protected].

Address

Sieg Building Room 428, Box 352315
Seattle, WA
98195

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 12pm
	1pm - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 12pm
	1pm - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 12pm
	1pm - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 12pm
	1pm - 6pm
Friday	9am - 12pm
	1pm - 5pm

Telephone

(206)5432567

Website

http://hcde.uw.edu/

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