DEFINITIONS
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Independent Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Practitioners |
Professionals who earn a substantial percentage of their income from the sale of their cognitive ergonomic expertise and evaluation abilities to a variety of clients. Independent HCI practitioners work in numerous specialties, including software and web application user interface research design, and development; heuristic, lab & field research and evaluation. |
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A Professional Organization |
(HCI Association) encourages and subscribes to the highest levels of professional and ethical conduct. It is committed to defending the rights of independent HCI professionals and expanding their career opportunities. (HCI Association) members agree to aid their colleagues whenever it is reasonably within their ability to do so and never knowingly do them harm. |
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Purpose of Professional Standards |
To establish uniform business practices for HCI professionals and their clients so that misunderstandings and disputes may be avoided, this document may, by specific mention in a written agreement, become the formal statement of standards established between HCI professional and Client. |
STANDARDS
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1. Initial discussions |
Good communication at the outset of any new project is essential. The Client is obligated to explain fully to the HCI professional the requirements and constraints of the job and to judge the HCI professional’s competence for the work based on the HCI professional’s submitted samples and representations. At the same time, the HCI professional is obligated to become thoroughly familiar with the demands of the job and project any assignment that he or she knows is beyond his or her capability to complete in a manner satisfactory to the Client. HCI professionals shall never falsely represent their qualifications or submit work done by others as samples of their own. |
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2. Establishing conditions |
The nature of the assignment, its format and purpose, its intended users, and the Client's expectations should be clearly set forth at the beginning of the project. Estimated delivery dates and payment schedules should also be established in advance. When a project is to be paid on an hourly rather than a flat fee basis, (HCI Association) recommends that the HCI professional and Client discuss their expectations regarding the likely final cost to avoid subsequent disputes. |
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3. Establishing the development process |
For large scale projects, (HCI Association) recommends that the development process proceed from needs analysis, to user and task analysis, to functional analysis, to function / task allocation, to requirements analysis, to setting usability goals, to designing the interface, with review by the Client expected at each stage. Once a draft or initial iteration has been approved, or approved with revisions, the Client shall not subsequently require major changes not anticipated in the earlier drafts without paying additional compensation to the HCI professional. |
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4. Approvals |
The Client shall specify in advance the party(ies) who shall direct the project, approve work in progress, and accept the final draft. Any changes requested by persons other than the designated party(ies) shall be deemed additional labor at additional expense. If, after the designated party(ies) has received the final draft, the work is deemed inadequate, unacceptable, or unnecessary for reasons beyond the scope of the original agreement, the Client shall still be obligated to the HCI professional for the full amount contracted, and the HCI professional shall not be required to undertake any rewrites or revisions unless additional compensation is agreed upon in advance. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, when the HCI professional submits a final project and the Client does not indicate approval or disapproval within ten (10) working days, approval shall be presumed. |
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5. Conferences |
The HCI professional is to be compensated for conference time with the Client. If a flat fee is agreed upon for a project, rather than an hourly charge, the number and location of conferences should be agreed upon in advance. |
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6. Changes and additions |
Requests by the Client for changes or additions other than those contemplated in the initial agreement shall be deemed additional labor at additional expense. Any changes occasioned by demonstrable fault of the HCI professional shall be made without additional compensation. |
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7. Terms of payment |
Unless otherwise agreed, invoices are due when rendered and shall be paid within thirty (30) days of invoice date. In case of dispute, the Client shall render payment within thirty (30) days of invoice date for all portions of the bill not in dispute. For a project requiring a substantial commitment of time and effort by the HCI professional, the HCI professional may request incremental payments prior to completion, the balance to be paid upon acceptance of the final project. |
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8. Expenses |
All reasonable expenses incurred by the HCI professional during the course of the project, including photocopying, postage, delivery service, telephone calls, travel costs and/or time, entertainment, production costs, and so on, may be billed to the Client as incurred or presented with the final invoice. Reimbursement for all such expenses shall be agreed upon at the outset of the project, and the HCI professional, whenever practical, shall supply appropriate receipts. |
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9. Written agreements |
(HCI Association) recommends that a formal contract be drawn up and signed by all concerned parties before any major project is undertaken. In the absence of such a contract, (HCI Association) recommends that one party draft a letter summarizing the terms and conditions of the project and present it to the other within two (2) working days of the start of work. Unless the other party objects in writing within two (2) working days of its receipt, the letter shall be presumed to be accurate and binding. |
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10. Changing conditions |
If, through no fault of either party, the nature or conditions of the project change, then the parties may agree in writing to revised terms, including deadlines and fees. If for any reason the project is canceled after work has begun, the HCI professional shall be compensated pro rata for the time and work already invested. |
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11. Unsatisfactory work |
It is recognized that occasionally, despite good intentions on both sides, an HCI professional will be unable to complete a job satisfactorily; in such cases, a reduced fee may be agreed upon. In no case, however, shall an HCI professional who has performed to the best of his or her ability be denied reasonable compensation for time and effort. |
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12. Rush work |
Additional payment is expected for rush jobs requiring night or weekend work. |
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13. Submission standards |
Work submitted by the HCI professional shall meet commonly accepted standards for preparation and presentation. Lacking a specific style or guideline provided in advance by the Client, material prepared by the HCI professional shall be submitted in a form generally consistent with The Website Design and Usability Guidelines (US National Institutes of Health), and current platform standards. |
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14. Speculative work |
(HCI Association) urges that no Client request the HCI professional to perform work on speculation, lf the work is to be exploratory or subject to competitive bid at later stages, such conditions must be stipulated, and in all cases the HCI professional must be adequately compensated for time spent. |
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15. Work-for-hire |
No work shall be considered work-for-hire as defined under United States copyright laws unless so specified in a written agreement. In no case shall copyright to a creative work pass from the HCI professional to any other party before the HCI professional has received payment in full. |
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16. Proprietary information |
Once a work-for-hire contract has been signed, the HCI professional shall respect, without exception, the Client's ownership of the content and finished form of the project, plus any sensitive or proprietary information stipulated within the contract. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary the HCI professional's right of pride in authorship regarding unpublished materials shall be restricted to the personal presentation of samples; none will be sent ahead or left behind. No current work will be shown under any circumstance to direct competitors of the Client. |