Computer History Museum

As an Interaction Design student, the experience of visiting the Computer History Museum gave me a deeper understanding of the evolution of technology and its impact on design.

First, seeing the journey from Babbage’s Differential Machine to today’s smart devices made me realize the accelerated pace of technological development, which directly impacts the field of interaction design. Advances in computers have not only driven innovation in human-computer interaction, but also changed user expectations and needs. Each technological leap brings new design challenges and opportunities.

For me, the biggest inspiration is realizing that design is not just about the product of the moment, but must also look to the future. Understanding history can help us anticipate trends and better respond to future technological changes. For example, from the early days of graphical interfaces to today’s artificial intelligence interactions, designers must constantly adapt to technological advances and anticipate how users will interact with new systems.

The experience also made me rethink pervasiveness in design. As technology becomes more pervasive, interaction design must not only serve professional users, but also consider a wide range of generalists. How to create inclusive, easy-to-use designs has become a direction I want to explore in depth in the future.

Overall, the visit reminded me that as designers, we must not only focus on the current user experience, but also understand the history and development of technology in order to design innovative products for the future.

The presentation at the Computer History Museum, featuring Fei-Fei Li, offered deep insights into AI’s transformative role and its human-centered approach. One key point was how AI’s development—such as ImageNet—ushered in a new era of deep learning and machine learning. Li emphasised the responsibility we hold in harnessing AI’s potential for good, especially in areas like healthcare and education. As she noted, “AI is made by people, used by people, and will impact people’s lives.”

This presentation reshaped my perspective on interaction design (IXD), pushing me to think beyond functionality and aesthetics. Li’s focus on the societal implications of AI reinforces the importance of empathy in design, ensuring that technological solutions are inclusive and serve broader human needs.

For example, her discussion of “spatial intelligence” highlighted how AI can revolutionise various industries, from healthcare to robotics, through 3D reasoning and problem-solving in physical spaces. This encourages me to incorporate similar forward-thinking approaches in my own design work, considering how interactions might evolve in environments beyond screens—like augmented reality or robotics.