5 Minutes to read•17 Dec 2024
Learn what a user experience design is and explore the basics of UX design in this beginner’s guide. Understand its principles, importance, and how it shapes user-friendly products and experiences.
Have you ever wondered why your favorite app is so easy to use or how some websites seem to know exactly what you need? That’s the result of User Experience (UX) Design- a field focused on creating seamless and intuitive interactions.
But this field didn’t pop up out of nowhere. Its roots go back centuries, built on a foundation of innovation and creative problem-solving. By diving into the history of UX design, you’ll see how it evolved into the exciting discipline it is today. As an aspiring designer, understanding this journey will inspire you to create meaningful user experiences and shape the future of technology.
Before diving any further, if this is the first time you are reading about UX, we would recommend that you go through our previous article on “What is User Experience Design” first. Let’s explore!
Did you know that UX design isn’t a modern invention? Its core ideas date back thousands of years. The principles of ergonomics- the study of making tools and products easier and more comfortable for humans to use- have been around since the ancient Greeks (500 BC). It wasn’t called UX design back then, but the idea of designing for people was very much alive.
Fast forward to the early 1900s, and we see the first major developments in human-centered design thinking. During the Industrial Revolution, the world’s focus shifted to improving productivity. People like Frederick Winslow Taylor helped shape modern design by studying the most efficient ways for workers to interact with tools. This idea of optimizing the way people interact with their environment laid the groundwork for UX design today.
Then, in the 1940s, Japan’s Toyota Production System took things even further by incorporating worker feedback directly into the design of products. This focus on human-centered approaches is considered a precursor to what we know today as usability testing.
In the 1970s and 1980s, something huge happened- computers became more accessible to the public. This was a game-changer for UX design. Suddenly, designers were faced with a new challenge: How do you make a machine that people are still learning to use, intuitive, and easy to interact with?
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) was born. This field of study focused on how humans interact with computers, and it was essential for creating more user-friendly designs. One of the key breakthroughs in this era was the mouse– yes, the simple device that you use every day. It was invented by Douglas Engelbart in the 1960s and quickly became a game-changer for navigating digital spaces.
At the same time, research at Xerox PARC developed the Graphical User Interface (GUI)- a visual way of interacting with computers using icons, windows, and menus. These concepts influenced Apple in the 1980s, leading to the creation of the first Macintosh computer. Suddenly, computers weren’t just for experts- they were for everyone.
In the 1990s, something important happened that shaped the way we think about UX design today. Don Norman, a researcher and cognitive scientist, joined Apple and coined the term “User Experience.”
For Norman, UX wasn’t just about how a product looked or how well it worked- it was about the entire experience of interacting with a product. From the feel of the buttons to the ease of the interface, he wanted to create designs that were holistic and user-centered. Norman emphasized that a good UX design should make the user feel like the product “gets them.”
The internet changed everything. Suddenly, designers had to think about how users interacted with websites and apps.
Now that you understand the history of UX design, it’s time to dive into solving real-world challenges. At MIT Institute of Design (MIT ID), we equip aspiring designers with the skills and experience needed to make a real impact. If you’re ready to take the next step, consider joining the best design college in India—MIT Institute of Design. With campuses in Pune, Indore, Alandi, and Shillong, we offer top-notch courses to help you excel in UX design and beyond.
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