In last few years HCI has gain lot of importance in all software companies. In India too, almost all companies (product and service companies) have started their HCI departments. They may be called as UX Groups, Usability groups, HCI , etc. People from other fields of software like Documentation / Technical Writers, Developers & Product Managers have also shown interest in HCI. So sharing knowledge and learnings in respective projects help to better understand HCI. Students, researchers, ethnographers and conslutants are equally part of this initiatives.

Informal UX meets
A small group of HCI enthusists from Hyderabad started to meet regularly to share experiences in HCI under the name of Hyderabad UX meets . This group increased to almost 100+ people since mid 2005. The group decided to get affliated with internation bodies like UPA so that it gives an opportunity for Hyderabad Usability professionals to get international exposure. This group will continue to collaborate with other local and international groups which share similar interest. Currently we are jointly hosting WUD2006 with oher allied UPA orginizations

Current Executive Chapter Council members are : Sameer Chavan, Muthu Kumar, Raj Allipuram, Kaladhar Bapu, Ravi Shankar, Ashish Tiwari, Dhayan Kumar, Deepti Surabattula, Shyam Sunder, Kailash Dattkaya, Patanjali V, Subhashish Karmarkar, Ravi Shyam, Abhijit Mukherjee, Srikanth Rangavajhala.

You can reach us through email at upahyderabad (AT) yahoo.com. Come Join this group !!! All our monthly meets are free for everyone. Check our recent meets.

UPA Hyderabad Chapter announcement at UPA2006 Denver Conference.
It was a great excitement to see the name of Hyderabad listed as new UPA chapter in front of 650 Usability professionals around the world. Yes, Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus(local chapter coordinator) showed in his opening presentation the list of all UPA chapters around the world. Whoever were present from each chapter at that time were asked to stand. Sameer Chavan from Hyderabad stood up for upa hyderabad and Harshit Desai from Pune for upa Pune. Kanbay India have taken lead to form Pune UPA chapter.

UPA2006 Chapter leaders meet.

1st picture, from left: Sameer Chavan(UPA Hyderabad), Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus (Director of Chapters, UPA ), Lyle Kantrovich ( Director of Marketing UPA USA),
Last picture: Elizabeth Rosenzweig (Director World Usability Day) talking to all at leaders day.