Through reading Lovelace and Babbage: A Graphic Novel, I gained a deep understanding of Ada Lovelace and Lillian Gilbreth and their profound impact on the history of interaction design. Their work, though from vastly different fields, but their work laid the foundation for human-centered technology and design and helped shape the principles that define IXD today.
Lovelace as a computer programmer, didn’t just write an algorithm—she imagined how machines could go beyond calculations to create art, music, and even aid human creativity. To me, that’s what interaction design is all about: making technology intuitive, expressive, and seamlessly integrated into human life. Meanwhile, Gilbreth approached design from a behavioral perspective, studying how people interact with their environments to improve efficiency and well-being. Her work in ergonomics and usability mirrors the same principles we use in IXD today—observing users, identifying pain points, and designing solutions that feel natural.
So what makes them essential to IXD history isn’t just their technical contributions, but their way of thinking—a balance of logic and creativity, science and empathy. Lovelace and Gilbreth remind me that great design isn’t just about solving problems; it’s about understanding people. Their contributions are a testament to why interaction design exists in the first place—to bridge the gap between technology and human experience.