Ada Lovelace and Lillian Gilbreth are important in IXD history because they helped shape how we approach technology and design today as Interaction Designers especially.
Lovelace was actually considered the first computer programmer. Even though she was deeply involved in computers and their field, she believed in creativity. She believed that machines had way more potential than just calculation, envisioning them as tools for creativity such as the arts, music or painting. This was unheard of at her time, so for her to believe so strongly for technology to evolve in this way was inspiring.
Gilbreth, on the other hand, helped study and understand how people interact with tools. Specifically focusing on human needs and experiences. She instead focused on designing tools for efficiency and usability, helping users greatly. Even today her work inspires putting the users needs first and working around their problems.
In conclusion, although their fields were different, both contributed to shaping human-centered technology. Both of these women show us how good design requires both functionality, usability, and how users experience and interact. Lovelace imagined how machines could go beyond simple calculations and inspire creativity which is exactly what Interaction Designers do, bridging the gap between design and technology and users. Gilbreth’s focus on ergonomics and usability pushes the comfort and usefulness of a product, why should a user use it in the first place? It fills the need to understand what the user wants and why. Together, their work bridges the gap between technology and human interaction.