Usability in Brazil
Human-Computer Interaction Series, (2011)Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of HCI in Brazil, from the academic and industrial perspectives. Initially, a brief description of the Brazilian demographics, economy and culture is presented to set the context to understanding HCI development and its characteristics in Brazil. This overview is followed by a retrospective of how the field started in Brazil and how the HCI community consolidated itself. The current status of HCI in Brazil is described through its education at the universities, the research developed in the country and how it is used in the industry. In order to describe how HCI is taught in Brazil, an exploratory research with professors was conducted and the results regarding the courses taught are presented. Next, an outline of Brazilian research interests is discussed, highlighting what we perceive as some of its most relevant contributions, namely, its research in semiotic approaches to HCI and digital inclusion. Finally, interviews with some of the leading usability professionals in the country allow us to describe the industrial activity in Brazil as a flourishing web-centered usability business that is pacing towards maturity.
