May 17, 2024

If I could get one or two papers accepted at conferences like CHI, I would like to temporarily set aside the focus on “research in HCI with papers as the goal” and explore other methodologies or ways of presenting achievements (blu3mo).

  • For direct benefits to myself, refer to the notes I made in October 2023.

  • I believe this is a valid strategy for enhancing how others perceive my value.

    • (Regarding graduate school admissions) I don’t think there is a significant difference whether one has two or four papers accepted at international conferences. I think the value attributed to the number of papers decreases.
    • Rather than increasing the number of papers, it seems more sensible to aim for a state where one can say, “I can write an HCI paper and also do XXX.”
    • Whether for graduate school admissions or other pursuits.
  • In the first place, I am not a graduate student, so no one is expecting me to produce a certain number of papers.

October 2023

  • Currently, I find HCI research the most interesting within the intersection of what I know, what I can do, and what is socially recognized as valuable.

  • However, critically speaking, one could say that I am confined within my current capabilities.

    • For example, the IEEE VR2024 FMRG Paper did not offer many new engineering insights. I believe this should be taken quite seriously.
  • The conditions of “what I know” and “what I can do” significantly limit possibilities and can be expanded by myself.

  • I have only been actively interested in HCI for about three years.

    • Even if I were to expand into software engineering, it would be around 4-5 years, and if I were to include programming, it would be 7-8 years, but I don’t think I should include my experiences from elementary and middle school.
    • Instead of deciding to pursue this for the next 10-20 years based on just three years of experience, I would like to explore other options.
  • For instance, if I were to successfully get a full paper accepted at CHI or UIST, I think deciding to take a break from HCI for a while and moving on to other research or training would make life more interesting.

    • Pursuing the maximization of the enjoyment of life based on uncertainty.
    • The intention behind the condition of “getting a full paper accepted”:
      • Creating achievements that can be recognized by third parties for profit and security.
      • Having a clear goal.
      • Not too strict or too distant as a target.
  • Barbell Strategy, striking a balance.

  • Considering a scenario that seems very promising:

    • B2: Submitting and getting two papers accepted at conferences like UIST/CHI/ISMAR
    • Taking a leave of absence or entering a completely unrelated field
    • B4: Uncertain
    • And then: Uncertain
    • It doesn’t seem like a scenario (blu3mo)(blu3mo)
    • It’s impossible to know beforehand what paths there are in the fog (nishio)
      • +1 (blu3mo)
  • There was a discussion about deciding to pursue something for the next 10-20 years based on just three years of experience, but most fields will undergo drastic changes due to LLM in the next 5 years

    • I think the rarer fields are the ones not affected.
    • It feels like a very dense fog is rolling in.
    • It seems like the point might be shifting, so I didn’t mention it above, but I strongly agree (blu3mo).
      • It is unclear whether I would still want to pursue “HCI research” after it undergoes drastic changes.
      • There is a high likelihood that research done by humans and the title of Ph.D. might no longer be considered “socially recognized as valuable.”