An interface is a dialogue between the developers and the clients. It is the language that translates between computer-ese and user-ese. This dialogue is often skewed to the developers' language because these are the people who put the most effort into building a system. User dissatisfaction is a breakdown in the dialogue between developer and client.
Interaction designers are translators. We advocate for the clients and the developers. We are responsible for organizing the functions of a system in terms that the clients understand. We make sure that the innovations implemented by the developers satisfy the clients. This felicitous relationship has positive benefits for client loyalty, developer confidence and profitability of the company.
In order to satisfy a client's desires, we must first understand his needs. Often a client articulates his needs only vaguely. His desires are often even more vague. Interaction designers are observers. We ask questions and make connections. We think in terms of stories, metaphors and task flows. The systems we design are not isolated tools. They are integrated solutions. We take into account the tasks that the client admits to performing and those that he does not realize he performs. We then work with the developers to bring these applications to life. The final product should cause the client to exclaim, "I didn't know I wanted that, but now that I have it, I don't know how I lived without it."
Wicked problems are ill-defined and difficult to solve. Indeed, one may never arrive at the definition of solution criteria, much less their achievement. Jeff Conklin defines four characteristics of wicked problems (borrowed from Wikipedia | "Wicked Problem").
Wicked problems require both decisive action and flexibility. The iterative design approach that interaction designers use is well suited to resolving wicked problems.
Human-Computer Interaction is a field that focuses both on critical assessment of current systems designs and the development of practical skills and methods to build better systems.
HCID practitioners are multi-disciplinary in their approach to designing and evaluating computer systems. We take into account psychology, cognitive science, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, computer science, and any other field of knowledge that might result in the development of an improved user experience.