Renaissance-era starts in Florence and spread throughout Italy. Leonardo Da Vinci studied Anthropometry, the measurement of a human individual, which today plays a role in Computer design such as accessibility, simplicity of instructions, and ergonomics. Around this time, he also studied the flight of birds as a reference to designing a flying machine for people.
Movable type started in Northern Song Dynasty, China. It then spread throughout Europe. It introduced the idea of moving small pieces of metal cast into letters to make prints. This method replaced ceramic and wood carvings. Movable type allowed for different letter sizes, rapid printing capabilities, mass printing, and cheaper alternatives. Handwritten books were once for the rich and royalty. Libraries became accessible to all, not just for the scholars. More people learn how to read which leads to less poverty, this becomes the beginning of type designers.
Accessibility
Accessibility is the quality of being easily reached. We use accessibility in Interaction Design today so that everyone is able to use our services, whether one is physically or mentally impaired. Examples of this are voice control, font size, closed captions, and color combinations for the colorblind; to name a few.
One of the most accessible services today is the world wide web. It would be way more difficult to navigate it without interaction designers.
Instruction
Da Vinci, as well as many other engineers, planned out his inventions on paper adding instructions on how they worked. Today our simplicity of instruction is mostly digital. This method has evolved into charts, websites, QR codes, etc. As Interaction Designers, it is our job to provide this information to the public as clearly and simply as possible.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment. This study is a derivative of Anthropometry. Ergonomics is important in Interaction Design as it satisfies the physical, cognitive, and organizational human capabilities.
