A Brief History of UX Design

This article was originally created as a speaking presentation by Caitlyn Hymer for Indiana University’s Statewide IT Conference in 2022. It was later adapted into a blog format for Absorb Studios.

The more we know about the origins of user experience and the factors and forces that have helped to shape this practice, the better equipped we will be to navigate the future of this industry. So, today we’re going to be diving into the history of user experience design.

Now, many of you may know that psychologist and designer Don Norman coined the term “user experience” in the 1990s—but the practice of UX predates its name by about 6,000 years. This takes us to ancient China.

Feng Shui and User Experience

You’re probably wondering what an ancient Chinese philosophy could possibly have to do with UX design, but the connection is not as far-fetched as it sounds. The concept behind Feng Shui dates back 6,000 years and is derived from an ancient poem that talks about the connections between a human life and the environment it flows in. Feng Shui is all about arranging your surroundings in the most optimal, harmonious or user-friendly way— be it an office, bedroom or entire building. 

It concerns everything from layout and framework to materials and colors. When you walk into a space that has been arranged for optimal comfort, you feel at ease. You may even comment on how this room “just works.”

How many times have you looked at a website, app or other product and heard yourself say, “this design just works, it makes sense!” Every placement, every image, every heading, everything seems like it was there for a reason, and whatever those reasons are, it just works. 

So, you could say that Feng Shui was one of the earliest nods to UX as we know it today because both of these concepts share a common goal: to create harmonious spaces that make us feel safe, productive, and at ease. 

Ergonomic tools in Ancient Greece

Our next stop on this historical journey of UX brings us to ancient Greece.There is evidence to suggest that, as early as the 5th century BC, Greek civilizations designed their tools and workplaces based on ergonomic principles.

And according to the International Ergonomics Association, ergonomics is defined as:

The scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design and optimize human well-being and overall system performance.

They also refer to ergonomics as “human factors.” This is all starting to sound a little familiar, isn’t it?

One of the strongest indications that the Ancient Greeks were well aware of ergonomic principles is the way that Hippocrates described how a surgeon’s workplace should be set up. He refers to the lighting in the room, the surgeon’s positioning—“the surgeon may stand or be seated, in a posture comfortable for him”—and the arrangement of tools; “they must be positioned in such a way as to not obstruct the surgeon, and also be within easy reach when required.”

However, the Greeks applied these principles to more than tools and workplaces. We can see the same principles of ergonomics and usability being applied to their pottery as well. One of the most common examples of this can be seen in the Hydria design. It was used mainly to store water or other liquids and had three handles — two horizontal handles on either side that made it easy to carry, and one vertical handle in between the two that made it so one person was able pour from it by themselves. Later versions of these also had flatter sides that allowed for more contact when held against the body, making carrying them to and from places easier.

And that’s just one example of usability in Greek pottery. While some of their pottery was meant to be decorative pieces of art, the creators still prioritized form and function in their designs. 

Leonardo da Vinci’s “Kitchen Nightmare”

Now, the next nod to historical UX practices may come as a surprise. We’re going to jump way ahead to about 1430 where we can look to Leonardo da Vinci’s “kitchen nightmare.” Many people don’t realize that da Vinci had his fair share of user experience practices, but the Duke of Milan commissioned him nonetheless to design a kitchen for a high-profile feast. In true da Vinci fashion, he took the job with his own inventive flair. 

Hundreds of years before the Industrial Revolution, da Vinci designed and employed conveyor belts to transport food items to the preparers. He also built what is likely the first sprinkler system for safety measures. Comically, however, the conveyor belts were too erratic for the workers and—to make matters worse—the sprinkler system went off, ruining most of the food.

The Industrial Revolution: a framework for modern UX

Fast forward to the Industrial Revolution, where Frederick Winslow Taylor, the father of Scientific Management, and Henry Ford, the pioneer of mass production, laid the framework for modern UX practices. Taylor and Ford sought to create an optimal experience between employees and their designated equipment with regards to usability and efficiency. 

So, we could say that the root of UX research was motivated by an industrialist approach; the earliest UX “studies” were meant to remove all points of friction between the product (assembly line equipment) and the user (assembly worker). The problem with this approach was that the  primary focus was productivity and not people, so laborers felt largely dehumanized by these technological advancements.

Toyota’s human-centered approach

Toyota had a different take on these concepts, though. During the mid-1950s, assembly workers at Toyota experienced the benefits of a human-centered approach to UX. Employees at Toyota’s factories would pull an “Andon Cord” to halt the assembly line and offer immediate feedback on how to correct or improve any aspect of the assembly system. You see, the assembly workers’ contributions were valued greatly—almost as much as the technologies used. 

The result was an increase in productivity that significantly improved the overall production process. As Toyota experienced considerable success, their humanized method of technological innovation became increasingly influential. This experience at Toyota brought new attention to the role of human interaction with technology.

“Designing for People”

While Toyota was blazing new trails in human interaction, Henry Dreyfuss, an American industrial designer, wrote the classic text “Designing for People.” In it, he writes:

“When the point of contact between the product and the people becomes a point of friction, then the industrial designer has failed. On the other hand, if people are made safer, more comfortable, more eager to purchase, more efficient—or just plain happier—by contact with the product, then the designer has succeeded.”

These principles have only grown more relevant as the points of contact between product and person have increased over time.

Walt Disney’s framework for positive experiences

In the late 1960s, Walt Disney was in the early stages of designing Walt Disney World in Florida and described his vision for the park as “an experimental prototype that is always in the state of becoming, a place where the latest technology can be used to improve the lives of people.”

Part of his efforts included crafting a framework for hosting positive experiences. Some of the themes found in that framework include:

• “Plussing” which is the idea of constantly working on details to improve the overall experience by going above and beyond expectations. For example, if an Imagineer can’t find the technology they need, they invent it. This is why Disney holds over 100 patents in special effects, mechanics and technology.

• “Storyboarding” is similar to creating a persona. They’re meant to be a memorable and engaging way to empathize with users. Imagineers develop storyboards by picking a persona, dropping them into a scenario and adding some plot details so they can analyze how that “person” might react in different situations.

• “Use data to create magic.” Long before data analysis became a must for businesses, Disney looked at traffic patterns and sales data to tinker with things like the number of ice cream stands and line designs, making him one of the first people to make data-driven business decisions. Today, Disney uses MagicBands as their “key to user data.” These bands act as the user’s park ticket, hotel key, money card and personalized schedule and map for their visit.

• “Design memorable moments.” Disney staff is empowered to go above and beyond to solve problems in a memorable way and typically tedious experiences like parking the car or standing in line for a ride are transformed into memorable moments by design. For example, some line-ups at Disney offer hands-on activities kids can do while waiting. Disney also recently launched a new app with activities customers can do while traveling to a Disney park or waiting in line for a ride.

And these are just a few of the concepts coined by Disney. Now, Disney’s ideas can be used to describe the evolving field of UX design: the process of creating digital products and experiences that are relevant, and meaningful to the user by considering the what, why, and how.

Don Norman: the first UX professional

Finally, this brings us back to Don Norman, the first person known to bear the words “User Experience” in his job title. Norman joined Apple in 1995 to provide a usability focused approach to the research and design of their future products. The first iPhone, which was unveiled as the simplest and most enjoyable phone to use on the market, is clear evidence of the lasting impact of Norman’s philosophy at Apple.

The final frontier of UX

So you see, the concept of user experience has been seen across generations. From ancient China to Greece, Toyota to Walt Disney, and Apple to modern times.

Practically every milestone in the development of user experience has involved interaction between technology and human beings. This brings us to an important note: UX is a story that begins before a device is even in the user’s hands. If there’s anything that history has taught us about user experience and technology, it’s that we need to put our users first and be open to growth and adaptation in order to create more meaningful experiences.

Regardless of where the future of technology leads us through the metaverse, augmented reality, virtual reality, smart homes, autonomous vehicles, wearable devices and products we can’t even imagine yet may lead, designers must remain whole-heartedly focused on why people use a product.

Those who bear in mind the age-old relationship of humans and products will be the ones to discover how to create the most useful and enjoyable user experiences while blazing a trail into this “final frontier” of UX design.