Weiser, Winograd, Zimmerman Response

Reading these three articles in chronological order was a fascinating look at the historical trajectory of technology and more specifically “interactive design”.  Even though each article touched on specific ideas regarding design and technology, they all emphasized the importance of technology’s roll as a communication tool. Our inherent and intuitive response to using and utilizing is becoming based more around “communication [than] computation” (Winograd).

In his article “From Computing Machinery to Interaction Design”, Winograd actually predicts the emergence of interactive design as a new area of research and application. Written 13 years ago, he postulates this new field will develop out of the need to design “spaces for human communication and interaction [which] will lead to expansion in those aspects of computing that are focused on people, rather than machinery.” (Winograd) At the time, the skills to build technology with such capabilities were held by engineers and computer scientists. Minds that were capable of problem solving in areas regarding communication, psychology, and visual design seemed crucial to this design problem.

Over a decade later, the title “interactive designer” is being used, and not surprisingly is regarded crucial to the design process. The Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCI) interviewed well regarded interactive designers, to help refine their methodologies and practice of design research. What they found was the integration of interactive designers throughout an entire process, not just at the end, was enriching and beneficial. They note that designers integrate “ideas from art, design, science and engineering, in an attempt to make aesthetically functional interfaces.”(Zimmerman) What I found most interesting in their research was the understanding that designers bring empathy to the process. It is not just about what it looks like or how it works but why and how it’s used. This notion of considering the human connection to design is the future foundation on which we are currently building on.

In Mark Weiser’s essay, “The Computer for the 21st Century”, he writes about the incorporation of “invisible” and integrated technologies are in our everyday lives. He writes, “By pushing computers into the background, embodied virtuality will make individuals more aware of the people on the other ends of their computer links.”(Weiser) By creating and using, what Weiser calls, “ubiquitos computers” individuals can more seamlessly integrate technology, information, and communication into their flow. His ideas of the future involve hundreds of computers ranging from the size of a post-it to a bulletin board.

These reading made me start to think about the direction that I see technology and personal computing traveling in. I agree with all the readings, that personal communication with others is an inherent desire. It is most natural this to shape technology’s growth. There has been such a huge trend in content creation, and lots of the current technologies emphasize the ease with which we can create and disseminate content. It has become second nature, and the fact that anyone can “tweet” from anywhere, really makes the technology seem invisible. I don’t think about the fact that a cell phone was able to run an application which was able to wirelessly send data to online database which I then can access.  More simply put, “Successful interaction design requires a shift from seeing the machinery to seeing the lives of the people using it.”(Winograd)

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