Purpose Statement for HCI Masters
Foreword: I’m in the process of writing my story. Making my argument. Attempting to take a dream and make it a reality. This is my first attempt, sure to be followed by many more.
Update: March 11th, 2018 — I ended up submitting a purpose statement based on the same general concepts to the University of Washington’s Human Centered Design & Engineering, and was accepted :)
Note: For those of you looking for some advice on how to write a great purpose statement, I wrote a piece about my experience writing my purpose statement here that you can check out here. Update January 2019: I’ve added an additional section about tips and suggestions for how to make sure your essay is as awesome as possible, which you can read here.
My reason for applying to Carnegie Mellon’s Master in Human Computer Interaction is simple. I seek to learn, to grow and connect with people that dream big and believe they can resolve problems, and build solutions to positively affect the global community one person at a time. My story all started a long time ago.
As a young child, I would spend endless hours daydreaming, running through the forests of Northern California. I dreamt up stories, constructing and enacting sequences of heroism. I scribbled, oozing out dragons in ink. My teens took me to new lands with others to interact with, I journeyed and worked with international personalities to tackle the fevered beasts of Warcraft. I saw beauty in comradery.
My passion became music, through classical concerti to fusion jazz blends that wove individual spirits together in harmony. Yet the university drew me in a new direction and I found myself gravitating towards design and the harmony it can create. During this time I was offered a chance to work with a small team, who asked questions, solved problems, constructed solutions, and monitored successes and learned from failures. This team pushed me to new heights, by drilling down a foundation of learning, curiosity, and honesty. Through all my adventures what I learned is that I knew very little.
I’ve had five years of experience working as a graphic designer, marketer and UI designer with EvenVision (a creative web agency). I’ve seen the tides change, I watched them shift and rode the waves as technology evolved, the business grew, and relationships changed. I’ve been able to work on hundreds of projects spanning all walks of life, and in that time I discovered the capacity of a group and witnessed the collective achievements of a team that solved small problems well. But what are small problems for me, are not insignificant for them. Them, the people we helped; the people who interact with solutions we build.
For a vivid example, we had the opportunity to work with a small non-profit that helped find affordable housing for individuals in need. Their previous web presence was lacking - inaccessible. Our website design overhaul was simple, including the addition of a mobile-friendly webform we transformed their site to a tool for their organization to reach people, but more importantly, for people to seek help.
This site will never be listed on Awwwards because there is no pomp, there is no flash. It’s simple, clean, clear and to the point. It is merely a small site for a small non-profit, that resolves a small issue. That is how the world will see it. But for them, the hundreds of individuals who flocked to contact the organization, it is incredibly significant that the system simply works. For the organization, it has been transformative. For myself, it has been enlightening. I saw my simple solutions, and my team’s small website make a deep impact in the community. But it also shone a light on how much need in the world there was for solutions that touch people.
I’ve been blessed to also work with a group in Menlo Park, the heart of the Silicon Valley. I’ve had the opportunity to research the latest technological trends and watch from a distance, with inside knowledge, how mega companies seek to find answers to questions and attempt to resolve people problems. My years with Strategic Business Insights taught me that technology cannot make a difference. People can. Technology can enable, but people must take action to shape the narrative.
These life experiences tell me to continue dreaming. To continue scribbling, to continue to learn, to work with the best minds and beautiful hearts the world has and resolve that no issue is too small to solve and no issue is too large to climb. This degree will challenge me. Push me beyond my known capacity, and force me to lean on the collective knowledge of the cohort to tackle problems afflicting our global community.
My pursuit of a masters degree is to not master any one thing, but to continue to push myself to connect and understand the complex ways technology and people interact. My goal is to contribute to teams constructing systems that solve small problems for people throughout the globe. Small problems that form together in harmony to construct bridges between nations.
I believe the experience of attending Carnegie Mellon and interacting, listening, soaking in knowledge, and contributing to a talented pool of individuals will help provide the necessary skills required to propel my career to tackle issues on the global level. I believe this opportunity will enable far larger dreams that can someday become reality.
Many thanks
-Josh
