Improving Introduction to Design: A Restructuring of Human Computer Interactions (CS 3205); An Exploration of Cultures Importance in User Experience Design

At the University of Virginia there are little course offerings on the topic of User Experience design. The most notable course, Human Computer Interactions, has been on a slight downwards trend in terms of enrollment, posing a concern for current and future interest on the subject. As the UX design field becomes more and more prominent in the industry, it's imperative to create an environment where students are able to get excited and enjoy the course and its teachings, which to many is their first interaction with it. A restructuring of the current Human Computer Interactions course at the University of Virginia is proposed as a potential next course of action.
The field of UX design is user-centric, meaning creating a sense of empathy with an application's user base is imperative. However, as companies and corporations grow in size, potentially even globally, how important is it to keep the differences between users and designers in mind? A brief investigation makes it clear that when designer for a user body, understanding differences in culture yields a better empathic understanding.