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Human Technology Ingenieur.
Hanze University of applied sciences

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"A Human Technology Engineer connects and designs current and new Technology with a human-centered approach."

What is Human Technology? 

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A Human Technology engineer is a communicative, broadly trained engineer who ensures that technology is optimally tailored to the end-user. He can translate the wishes and needs of people (as users and as consumers) into the development of technical products in the living and working environment. Through research and advice, the Human Technology engineer integrates the human aspects into all phases of the product innovation cycle. He creates a vision of the future human-product interaction that takes shape in the user interface of the product. 

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User Study (UX-Research)

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We do (end)user-based studies to identity the needs and wishes of the end-user for a new product, interface, prototype, or services. “What does the End-User really want?"

Usability Study 

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We do Usability studies to identity the frictions that users encounter with the current product, interface, or services. “How does product X enable the user to achieve their goal?” “What is the usability of product X or Y”?​

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Visualize & Prototyping

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We make low- and highfidelity (digital) prototypes in programs like Axure, Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, or we make real-life prototypes. Then we test these prototypes with our users. Points of improvements? Back to the drawing table. 

Concepting

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With the new user-based insights, we look at the market, the business, and the technology (the user surroundings) what is possible.  Then we concept and test these concepts with the target audience. You can think of Creative Workshops etc. Design Thinking is just one approach. 

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Fields & Skills:

Human Computer Interaction (UX- Research and Design)

Product innovation

Designing Usability (and Testing)

Investigate & Advise

Translate

Professionalize

Behaviour &
​Persuasive Design

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How we Work. 
Design Thinking (one of our methods)

See our tools and methods in our toolbox.

See Toolbox

The Human Technology engineer can be characterized as follows: People-oriented, communicative, initiative-rich, investigative, analytical, creative, problem-solving. The graduated Human Technology engineer is a team worker and can also work independently, can deal with different people in different places in the organization, has a flexible attitude, perseverance, empathy with the users of products, affinity with technology and a sense of trends and market.  ​

​The competences of the HT engineer are derived from the core activities that a HT engineer performs or carries out in professional practice:

A. Translate
The HT engineer can advise designers and technicians in text (requirements) and image (visual prototyping) on human product/computer interaction in specific technological environments in all phases of the product innovation cycle: course, goal, development, implementation and quality of use (usability).

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A1. Specifying consumer and user requirements Investigate the wishes, needs, characteristics, behaviour and experience of users and consumers and translate these into product development specifications.

A2. Verifying usability. Evaluate a product or product design with the aim of optimizing usability.

A3. Identify the market requirements. Identify social and technical developments and trends and translate these into promising ideas for innovation or specifications for product development.

A4. Creating a vision of the (future) human-product interaction Giving guidelines, in word and image, for designing the human-product interface within all phases of the product innovation cycle

A5. Communicate with technical specialists.
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B. Investigate & advise 
At the request of an organization, HT engineers can set up and conduct research in a methodical way and effectively communicate and advise on this.

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B1. Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with all relevant parties, using modern media, and also in an international context. Taking into account (cultural) differences between the different target groups.

B2. Managing research and advisory projects. 
B2a. Set up and implement research and consulting projects 
B2b. Work effectively together in interdisciplinary project teams​

B3. To investigate. Systematically and methodically arrive at an answer to a research question and present the conclusions.
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B4. To advise Systematically mapping and analysing the needs of the client and based on research by presenting an appropriate and supported result and implementation plan.
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C. Professionalize

​The HT engineer can position himself within an organization, knows how to effectively highlight the importance of optimum usability of products and weigh them against other interests and takes the initiative to continue to develop and further develop the field.

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C1. Defining function:
Defining his function within an organization and successfully profiling and positioning himself
and positioning.
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C2. Developing the profession:
To shape, profile, develop and propagate the profession of HT-engineer and the associated competencies independently.
design, profile, further develop and propagate the profession.

C3. Professional Ethics:
In ethical dilemmas, weighing one's own, organizational and societal
organizational and social values and norms, make a decision based on these values and norms and take
take responsibility for this decision.

C4. Personal effectiveness and development:
Reflecting on his functioning, his qualities and interests. Based on
this and the basis of criteria and function requirements successfully develop initiatives
to optimize his actions and to keep developing himself as an HT-engineer.
development.

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Timeline of the Human Technology Bachelor

Human Technology is a four-year bachelor's degree. During the first two years, the student follows 8 professional themes. This is followed by two years with opportunities for broadening and deepening and internships. The role of students changes during the course, with increasing student independence and task maturity.

Year 1

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Thema 1: Human Product Interaction

- Usage research

Subjects:

1. Project Usage Research 
2. Ergonomics 1
3. Human Technology and consumer products 
4. Visualize human product interaction
5. Methods and techniques 1 (research skills) - Research methods (50%) - Quantitative analysis (25%) - Communication (25%)
6. English 1
7. Study career guidance 1

​Thema 2: Human Computer Interaction

- Usage research

Subjects:

1. Project user research (ICT products)
2. Interaction design and usability
3. Human Technology and IT
4. Visualize human-computer interaction
5. Methods and techniques 2 (research skills)
6. Communication skills 1
7. Study career guidance 2

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Theme 3: Human and build environment

- Usage research

Subjects:

1. Project usage research (built environment)
2. Ergonomics 2
3. Human Technology and the built environment
4. Visualize use of built environment
5. Methods and techniques 3 (research skills) - Observation (50%) - Communication (50%) 
6. English 2
7. Study career guidance 3 ​

Theme 4: Product innovation

- Usage research
​- Concepting

Subjects:

1. Project user research and concepting
2. Product innovation
3. Human Technology and the market Test
4. Visualize concepts
5. Methods and techniques 4
6. Communication skills 2
7. ​Study career guidance 4

Thema 5: Human Computer Interaction

- Concepting
- Prototyping

Subjects:

1. Project Prototyping (IT products)
2. Interaction design & Usability
3. Human Technology & ICT
4. Visualize Human-Computer Interaction
5. Methods and techniques 5
6. Communication 3
7. ​Study career guidance 5

Theme 6: Human and build environment

- User research
- Concepting

Subjects:

1. User research and concepting project (built environment) Assignment (25%) - Project (75%)
2. User research-built environment
3. Human Technology and built environment
4. Visualize concepts of the built environment [HTVH3VCGO] - Portfolio (66%) - CAD (33%)
5. Projectmanagement (PRINCE 2)
6. English 3
7. Study career guidance 6

Theme 7: Product Innovation

- User research
​- Concepting

Subjects:

1. User research project (consumer products)
2. Product innovation
3. Human Technology and consumer products
4. Visualize users - Prototype Sketching (66%) - Command Flash (33%)
5. Methods and Techniques 7 
6. Communication skills
7. Study career guidance

Theme 8: Design quality of use (usability)

- Usage research
- User research
- Concepting
- Prototyping

Subjects:

1. Project concepting and prototyping
2. Designing user quality
3. Human Technology: people, market and technology
4. Visualize human-product interaction
5. Ethics
6. English 2 assign (33%)  Paper (66%)
7. Study career guidance 8

Year 3

Exchange Period Sweden Halmstad University

-Minor
​
Subjects:
1. Marketing
2. Introduction to organisation
3. Scandinavian
4. Business culture 1​ & 2
​5. International projects with people from all over the world!

Internship at Microsoft

- Usage research
- User research
- Concepting
- Prototyping

​Working as a junior Human Technology Engineer

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Year 4

Theme 13 & 14 THe HT-eng as a researcher/advisor

- Usage research
- User research
- Concepting
​- Prototyping

Subjects:

1. HT Advisor 1 & 2

• Project

1. HT as Specialist 1 & 2
2. HT as Researcher 1 & 2
3. Student guidance
4. Project 13 & 14

Thesis – Research Internship at Timing – User Study and Prototype new social intranet ​

- Usage research
- User research
- Concepting
- Prototyping

Working as a junior Human Technology Engineer and Thesis

​Finished with an 8.1 Thesis project and average grade of 7.8.  (Dutch rating system 1= bad 10= excellent)

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