Government becomes one of the most critical stakeholders that could probably help in the realization of this objective, if not critically the most. The internet, GPS, touchscreens, and, quite possibly, self-driving vehicles are all technologies revolutionarily developed and born out of government-funded research. Although these are supposed to be for the meeting of military needs or aerospace’s, the impact of such technologies on human lifestyles was great, perhaps in the same measure of its contribution to unlimited possibilities for the advancement of interaction design.
Take touch screen technology as an example. The development of this technology has greatly promoted innovation in the field of interaction design in which I am engaged. Originally invented in government-funded research, touchscreen technology has become an integral part of smartphones, tablets, and even more sophisticated multimedia devices. The widespread application of this technology allows designers to create more intuitive and attractive user interfaces, greatly improving the user experience.
I have also witnessed the important role of government in the development of modern wind energy technology. The technology was first developed in the 1980s with funding from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and today it provides 6% of the U.S.’s electricity. This progress not only demonstrates the importance of government funding in driving technological innovation, but also provides new opportunities for sustainable design and promotes my exploration of environmentally friendly solutions in my design practice.
Additionally, as an interaction designer, I understand the different but complementary roles that government, business, and the open source community each play in technological invention. Governments play an irreplaceable role in supporting basic research and high-risk projects that are often too risky for the private sector to generate immediate benefits. At the same time, private industry plays a key role in transforming these research results into market products and services, and the open source community complements this process by promoting technology sharing and innovation.
Although government-funded technology projects are not always successful, these investments often bring significant socioeconomic benefits in the long term. My experience has taught me that even failed projects, like Solyndra, are valuable opportunities to learn and improve. And successful projects, such as Tesla, directly prove the effectiveness of the government in promoting technological innovation and promoting economic growth.
Government funding is critical to advancing basic research and technology development that may be overlooked by the private sector as too risky. These investments not only advance technology, but also make significant contributions to improving human well-being and enriching our interaction design practices.
GPS Overview.” GPS.gov, National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, 22 Feb. 2021, gps.gov/systems/gps/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
Jacobs, Liz. “GPS, the Internet, Airbags: The Government is Often Behind Innovation.” TED Blog, 28 Oct. 2013, blog.ted.com/qa-mariana-mazzucato-governments-often-fuel-innovation/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
Monteil, Abby. “50 Inventions You Might Not Know Were Funded by the US Government.” Stacker, 9 Dec. 2020, stacker.com/business-economy/50-inventions-you-might-not-know-were-funded-us-government. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
Singh, Chhavideep. “Tesla to Shut Down Production of Model S and X from Dec 24 to Jan 11.” TechStory, 14 Dec. 2020, techstory.in/tesla-to-shut-down-production-of-model-s-and-model-x-from-dec-24-to-jan-11/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.