INTERACT

The theme of the INTERACT 2009 conference, Research and Practice, addresses the issue of continuity between theory and practice in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. The main focus is on research that is reflected in real-world applications. The INTERACT series of conferences has been one of the driving forces in the HCI field for many years, and over time much research has been published in the INTERACT Conference proceedings. In Scandinavia, where INTERACT will be held in 2009, the HCI research tradition has always had a strong connection to working life, and the aim to produce practical assets for software design has been an important research issue. But how does research relate to practice in 2009? Are research results spreading beyond the research community and applied in practice, and are practitioners looking into research for their answers? The relation between theory and practice is an old issue that is becoming increasingly important. Has HCI been able to contribute to better IT use in practice? Are the existing methods and tools for the design of usable systems sufficient or is there still a need for new and better processes, methods and tools for systems development? INTERACT 2009 provides a forum in which practitioners and researchers can discuss research and methods for mutual benefit.