Human-Computer Interaction Research: a Paradigm Clash? G. W. MATTHIAS RAUTERBERG TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY EINDHOVEN FACULTY INDUSTRIAL DESIGN USER-CENTERED ENGINEERING GROUP (UCE) DEN DOLECH 2, 5600 MB EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS Abstract: One of the major challenges in the emerging interdisciplinary field of human-computer interaction (HCI) is the specification of a research line that can enable the development of validated design relevant knowledge with a predictive power for the design of interactive systems. Based on the three different elements in the design of interactive systems: (1) human being(s), (2) technical artifact(s), and (3) context of use, different disciplines contribute with different research paradigms to this new field: social sciences with a strong empirical and experimental approach, and engineering disciplines with a strong technical and formal approach. This paper presents and discusses a possible way to integrate the strengths of different research and design paradigms. Keywords: human computer interaction, science, design, engineering, paradigm Introduction All over the world, several research and development groups contribute to the growing area of human-computer interaction (HCI), based on the context in which each group is established (e.g., computing science, electrical engineering, psychology, etc.). The survival of these groups depends on their capabilities to adapt to their environment, and to which extent the whole community can be established as such. In this paper we try to In: Kameas A, Streitz N (eds), Tales of the Disappearing Computer (Proceedings of the Disappearing Computer Conference, 1-4 June Santorini, Greece). Patras, Greece: CTI Press.