Bridging factions: a meet-up connecting diverse perspectives in human-computer interaction

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) flourishes through methodological diversity, encompassing computational, human-centric, theoretical, and integrative traditions. While this richness strengthens the field, it can also foster silos and misunderstandings. Computational work may be perceived as rigid, human-centric approaches as less rigorous, theoretical perspectives as abstract, and integrators as “jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none.” The Bridging Factions meet-up provides a friendly and inclusive environment for CHI attendees to acknowledge, explore, and connect across these divides. Through activities such as a post-it notes interests wall and speed networking, participants will identify shared interests, discover unexpected overlaps, and establish new connections across HCI “factions.” The session welcomes researchers, students, educators, and industry professionals-no prior expertise is necessary. By the conclusion of the meet-up, attendees will have expanded their networks, gained shared insights into cross-faction collaboration, and developed a stronger appreciation for how diverse approaches in HCI can complement one another.