# Session 1, Design Evolution Wed, 22 Jan 25 ### The Evolution of Computing & Interfaces (1940s-1990s) - Harvard Mark 1 (1940s) marked the beginning of modern computing, initially developed for military calculations - GUI development at Xerox PARC introduced WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers) paradigm - First personal computers emerged in 1980s with IBM PC and Apple Macintosh - By 1993, internet had 15 million users globally - Apple coined term “UX” in early 1990s, recognizing need for dedicated design focus beyond engineering ### The Mobile Revolution (2000s-2010s) - 2007: iPhone release transformed mobile computing - 2010: Key Indian startups emerged - Paytm (Pay Through Mobile) - Ola - FreeCharge - By 2010: App Store had 35,000 apps - BlackBerry dominated with 43% market share initially - India eventually surpassed US in smartphone users ### The Current Tech Landscape (2020s) - COVID-19 accelerated digital transformation - Normalized remote work - Increased screen time - Elevated importance of digital experiences - Rise of AI tools (2022-2024) - ChatGPT launch: December 2022 - Midjourney and other generative AI tools - Claude and Perplexity for research - India now has 659 million smartphone users (2022 data) - Project Stargate announced by OpenAI: $500B investment planned ### The Interface Evolution - While using an interface, users go through an experience - Interfaces evolved from: - Command line to GUI - Desktop to mobile - Touch to voice - Each interface advancement reduced cognitive load for users - Current interfaces still largely based on 1970s WIMP paradigm ### Democratization of Technology - Fame is decentralizing through social media - Access to expertise “in the air” through LLMs - Software pricing moved from high upfront costs to subscription models - Technology becoming more accessible through: - Cheaper hardware - Cloud services - AI tools ### The Role of Designers in 2025 - Designers are creators, not just consumers of technology - Technologists make bets on the future - Designers can influence but not stop technological progress - Need to maintain sense of wonder while dealing with complexity - Opportunity to impact large scale: Nearly 1 billion smartphone users in India ### Digital Transformation Patterns - Paper got absorbed into screens (documents, communication) - Money being absorbed into screens (digital payments, crypto) - Social media evolved from being “social” to primarily “media” - Physical experiences gaining new value as digital becomes default ### Current Design Opportunities - Business models being replicated creates familiar work patterns - AI tools enabling faster design workflows - Growing importance of: - Community building - Offline experiences - User research - Interface simplification - Global remote work opportunities increasing --- ### Insights from o1 - **Fear and Wonder Coexist** Several people described technology as “magic,” yet they also voiced anxiety about its rapid rise. That mix of excitement and fear isn’t just an emotional quirk—it’s a hallmark of living at a time when technology can deliver on wild promises (4-minute deliveries, AI-generated code) while also making us uneasy about what might come next. - **Metaphors Steer Reality** The fact that modern interfaces still mimic “desktops” or “documents” underscores how old metaphors can guide current product design. Sometimes these metaphors speed adoption (because users ‘get it’), but they can also hold back more radical ideas—like how Xerox PARC invented a windowed interface but didn’t dare replace “paper thinking” entirely. - **Tech as a Social Leveller, but also a Divider** Stories of selling used items online (OLX) or skipping the local recharge shop (FreeCharge, Paytm) show how tech lowers barriers and opens doors. Yet the same wave leaves people who aren’t plugged in feeling more excluded than ever. The conversation highlights that empowerment for some can mean disconnection or confusion for others. - **Instant Gratification Shapes Expectations** Speakers marveled at Shazam identifying a track in seconds or daily AI helping with code. These aren’t just new tools—they shape how quickly we expect solutions, sometimes bypassing the slow, deep learning previously required. That shift toward “shortcut culture” changes how we value effort and expertise. - **Design Is About Bets, Not Predictions** Designing any product involves a wager on future behavior (e.g., separate apps for food delivery vs. grocery vs. quick-commerce). It’s rarely about predicting the future precisely—rather, it’s betting on which human habits will stick or evolve, then shaping interfaces around those instincts.