[Sighci-l] Live or let die?

[Andrew Dillon]

Well there are a couple of points to consider here. First, is the field of
HCI dying? That is a real question but I sense that Joette is asking more
about the SIG within ASIST and I thank her for raising this.

Is  this SIG beyond dying and in fact dead? Where is the discussion on this
list? Where were the members at the recent annual meeting? Barbara mentioned
Sig USE which seems to be thriving- I was not aware until the recent annual
that SIG USE now covers usability (appratently) as part of its
discussions....why have we got an HCI list if that is the case? Barbara
mentioned that SIG Use is more concerned with people's interactions with
information than technology. Again, I always felt that HCI did cover that
too......so I have to ask, what are we here for if the major areas we
consider important to HCI are covered by other SIGs? I cannot subscribe that
HCI is only about people and technology without information being part of
that use of the 'technology' word, but that might just be me....Do others
SIGS cover HCI issues adequately? If not, why is there so little activity in
this list?

And if this is not enough, I have a bigger question than these (it is
possible)....just what do we expect from a SIG?

According to the official ASIST view:

"SIGs give members with similar professional specialties the opportunity to
exchange ideas and keep themselves informed about current and discrete
developments in their fields. The activities of the SIGs, planned by their
members and elected officers, provide clear indication of the diverse
interests and needs of ASIST members. Through participation in SIGs, you can
help design what, in essence, are small professional organizations within
the broader national society. "

So we have the forum but we have not had the events or plans. I am not sure
I need another list to discuss ideas on when I find the various divisions
between HCI, UE, IA, USE etc. to be largely irrelevant to me, and if I just
need to talk narrow usability or interface design issues then there are many
other dedicated lists I can use outside of ASIST. So, I have to ask the
members,  what do we want here? If we cannot answer this, then this group
is, in my view, defunct. I hope it is not so, and cannot help but think that
ASIST without an HCI group would be a poorer society but the evidence of the
last year makes me wonder how we might consider it otherwise. Is there
really room for an HCI sig anymore? I'd love to hear some voices.....