Reflecting on HCI Practice and Career Progression for African Professionals

This panel will explore the practice, career trajectories and experiences of African HCI professionals with a view to increasing awareness about the study and practice of HCI among universities and corporate organizations in Africa. Recently, more individuals and university faculties in Africa have begun to pick interest in HCI, but they appear to lack knowledge of the discipline or how to climb up its professional ladder. This is true both for the academia and the corporate industry, and is particularly relevant given the fact that an increasing number of tech companies, such as Google, Microsoft and IBM, as well as startups have started to build and grow UX teams to drive human-centered product development on the continent. The panelists will share individual career stories, journeys and insights, and explore how the practice of HCI research, product design and user experience can be best positioned for the advancement of HCI discipline in Africa.