Be transparent

AI-driven functions should be clearly known to users. For example, when users talk to AI customer service, the system should clearly prompt rather than pretend to be a real person. Designers need to find a balance between smooth experience and honest notification to avoid misleading users.

Prevent bias

AI may amplify bias in data, such as some recruitment software that has caused controversy because its algorithm discriminates against specific groups. Designers cannot rely entirely on AI’s “objective” judgment, but should actively check whether its output is fair and provide users with ways to question and correct it.

Avoid excessive manipulation

AI recommendation algorithms can easily trap people in an “information cocoon”, such as short video platforms that push similar content endlessly. Designers should retain the user’s right to choose independently, rather than blindly pursuing “precision feeding”.

Consider sustainability

AI training consumes a lot of energy, and designers should carefully evaluate whether AI functions are really needed to avoid adding unnecessary environmental burdens for the sake of “intelligence”.

In the AI ​​era, interaction designers are not only shapers of experience, but also guardians of user rights. Only by balancing technological convenience and ethical responsibility can we truly make responsible designs.

The birth of the iPhone pushed this relationship to a new level. The touch screen made operation extremely natural – sliding, clicking, and zooming, these actions were as simple as instinct. The phone was no longer just a device for making calls, but became a combination of a camera, music player, game console, and social tool. More importantly, the iPhone made technology “invisible” – we no longer felt that we were using a complex machine, but interacting with the digital world naturally.

This change has a profound impact on today’s interaction design. Designers no longer focus only on functions, but more on the user experience. Today’s products are all pursuing “intuitive operation” – like AirPods automatically connecting and smart watches monitoring health data, they are all making technology more naturally integrated into life. Our relationship with technology has changed from “use” to “symbiosis”.

Looking back, the iPod and iPhone taught the most important lesson of the technology industry: the best technology is the one that makes people feel that it does not exist. This may be why today’s smart devices are becoming simpler and more and more understanding of us – because they are becoming our digital extension.

In the Web 2.0 era, the most significant change is that users can create and share content themselves. In the past, only professionals could publish content, and ordinary users could only browse. But with blogs, YouTube and social media, everyone can become a content creator. At the same time, social functions allow users to interact easily and communicate through likes, comments and sharing.

Technological advances have also made the web experience smoother. For example, after using AJAX technology, web pages can update content without refreshing, which makes online services such as Gmail more convenient to use. Wikipedia demonstrates the power of collaboration, and anyone can participate in editing and improving content.

Today, the Internet has made new developments. Artificial intelligence makes services smarter, such as recommendation systems that can recommend content more accurately and chatbots that can have natural conversations. Blockchain technology allows users to better control their own data and no longer rely entirely on large platforms. New technologies such as virtual reality are creating more immersive experiences, allowing people to interact in virtual spaces.

From Web 2.0 to today, the Internet has been evolving. The early focus was on enabling users to participate and create, but now it is more focused on intelligence, privacy protection, and immersive experiences. These changes have made the online world richer and more interesting, and we look forward to more innovations in the future.

Even though many things have changed, some ideas have stayed the same. People still use icons, windows, and buttons. The desktop still has folders and files. Many people still use a mouse and keyboard, even though there are new ways to control computers. Computers still organize things in folders and menus, just like before.

There are still problems that need to be fixed. Voice assistants exist, but they do not work well enough. Computers should understand people better. Some people cannot use computers easily. There should be more ways to help, like bigger buttons and better screen readers. Many apps show too many messages and pop-ups. The screen should look cleaner and easier to use.

Phones, tablets, and computers do not always work smoothly together. Moving between them should be easier. Also, using many apps at once is better now than before, but it can still be improved. More natural controls, better support for different users, and a cleaner screen would make GUIs better for everyone.

Suchman proposed the “situational action” theory, emphasizing that human behavior is carried out in a specific context rather than being driven entirely by a preset plan. This theory challenges the assumption of traditional technology design that users will follow fixed steps. In fact, user behavior is flexible and depends on specific contexts.

At Xerox, Suchman observed copier operators and found that they did not strictly follow the instructions, but adjusted the way they used them according to the task and context. Operators solved problems through trial and error and collaboration rather than relying on the preset process of the machine. This finding reveals the gap between technology design and actual user behavior.

Suchman’s research shows that technology design should focus on the actual needs of users rather than idealized operating procedures. Her work has promoted the transformation of concepts such as user-centered design, flexibility and collaborative support, prompting designers to pay more attention to the social and situational nature of technology.

In this era of rapid technological development, Suchman’s revelation reminds us that technology should truly serve humanity rather than impose fixed models.

It brought the graphical user interface (GUI) into the commercial field for the first time, replacing obscure command lines with intuitive icons and mouse clicks, making computer operations simple and easy to understand. Star also introduced the “desktop metaphor”, comparing the screen to a desk, with files and folders clearly visible, a design that is still widely used today.

In addition, Star also supports network file sharing and WYSIWYG word processing, these innovations laid the foundation for modern computers. Although Star itself failed to become popular, its ideas were inherited by systems such as Macintosh and Windows, which eventually changed the way people interact with computers and opened a new era of personal computing.

In the presentation, Engelbart demonstrated the graphical user interface (GUI) for the first time, including windows, icons, and menus. These designs made computer operations intuitive and easy to understand, and became the core of later operating systems. He also publicly demonstrated the use of the mouse for the first time. This device completely changed the way people interact with computers and became an indispensable input tool for computers.

In addition, Engelbart proposed the concept of hypertext, connecting different documents together through links, an idea that directly influenced the development of the Internet. He also demonstrated the possibility of remote collaboration, enabling multiple people to edit and share documents in real time through computer networks, which was a very advanced concept at the time.

In general, this presentation not only demonstrated a number of revolutionary technologies, but also foreshadowed the widespread application of computers in the future society. It showed us that computers are not just computing tools, but can also become important assistants for human collaboration and innovation. It was this presentation that paved the way for today’s digital world.

Gestalt principles

In the settings interface, I will put related functions (such as sound, notifications) in the same area and use similar colors or shapes to indicate that they belong to the same group. This can reduce the user’s cognitive burden and allow them to find related functions faster. I will also expand the submenus in the navigation menu from left to right gradually, rather than popping up suddenly, so that users feel that the information is hierarchical. This can enhance the logic of the interface and reduce the user’s cognitive barriers.

Fitts law,

In the bottom navigation bar of the mobile app, I will have enough spacing between each button to prevent users from accidentally touching adjacent buttons, which can improve touch accuracy and reduce wrong operation.

Gestalt principles are mainly used for visual and cognitive optimization, and Fitts law is mainly used for physical interaction optimization. Combining the two, I can create a more intuitive and efficient user experience, allowing users to understand the interface faster and complete operations smoothly.

· Instagram’s “Home” Icon: Instagram’s home icon is a simplified house outline, usually composed of lines, with a triangle on top to represent the roof and a square below to represent the main body of the house. This icon conveys the concept of “home” or “home interface”, and users can return to the main page of the application by clicking on it.
· Egyptian Hieroglyphic “House” Symbol: In Egyptian hieroglyphics, the symbol for a house is also a simplified house outline, usually composed of a rectangle, similar to the simplified graphics of a modern house. This symbol not only represents a physical house, but may also symbolize the concept of “home” or “shelter”.

Contrast and Connection: Both use highly simplified graphics to convey the concept of “house”, but Instagram’s icon is more abstract and focuses on functionality (navigation), while the Egyptian hieroglyphic house symbol focuses more on symbolism and cultural context.

2. Instagram’s “heart” icon vs. Mayan hieroglyphic “heart” symbol

· Instagram’s “heart” icon:Instagram’s heart icon is used to represent “like” or “thumbs-up” and is a highly abstract heart-shaped outline. It conveys emotional approval or affection.

· Mayan hieroglyphic “heart” symbol: Mayan culture’s heart symbol is often associated with life, soul, or emotion, and may be used to represent love, passion, or spiritual power. Mayan “heart” symbols are often more complex and may include decorative elements or be used in conjunction with other symbols.

Contrast and connection: Both use the heart shape to convey emotional or spiritual concepts, but Instagram’s heart icon is simpler and focuses on functionality (user interaction), while Mayan heart symbols focus more on cultural and religious significance.

Concepts conveyed:
· Abstraction and functionality: Modern icons (such as Instagram’s) are more abstract and functional, designed to quickly convey information and guide user behavior.
·Symbolism and culture: Ancient writing systems (such as Egyptian hieroglyphics and Mayan hieroglyphics) focus more on symbolism and cultural context and are often used to record complex ideas or stories.

Lovelace is considered to be the first computer programmer, and her work showed how machines could go beyond simple computation, paving the way for logical and algorithmic thinking in modern interaction design. Although her family wouldn’t let her study computers, she kept what she loved despite the obstacles.

Gilbreth was a pioneer in human factors engineering, one of the people who considered user needs and constraints when designing systems, and whose research focused on how to optimize human-tool interactions, directly influencing the principles of user experience design.

Their ideas provided early inspiration for the core of IXD – the effective interaction between people and technology.