From Typing to Swiping: A Brief History of Interaction Design

FROM TYPING TO SWIPINGA Brief History of Interaction DesignHOW WE TALK TO COMPUTERSHOW MACHINES TALK BACK2FIT THE PERSON TO THE MACHINEFIT THE MACHINE TO THE PERSON3WHO’S THE USER?WHAT’S THE INTERFACE?HOW WAS IT USED?WHO BOUGHT THEM?BEFORE 1945MECHANICAL TOOLSWho’s What’s the user?the interface?MAD SCIENTISTSGEARS AND CRANKSHow Who is it bought used?them?1, 2, 3, 4...COUNTINGIT DEPENDSAn undetected error in a logarithmic table is like a sunken rock at sea yet undiscovered, upon which it is impossible to say what wrecks may have taken place.—Sir John Herschel (1842)First published table of Logarithms by John Napier, 16149http://www.math.yorku.ca/SCS/Gallery/images/dan/napier_logtable.jpgCHARLES BABBAGE(1791–1871)“As soon as an Analytical Engine exists, it will necessarily guide the future course of the science. Whenever any result is sought by its aid, the question will then arise — by what course of calculation can these results be arrived at by the machine in the shortest time?—Passages from the Life of a Philosopher, ch. 8 “Of the Analytical Engine”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CharlesBabbage.jpg10