{"id":8099,"date":"2019-01-14T15:20:38","date_gmt":"2019-01-14T20:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=8099"},"modified":"2020-05-15T13:24:03","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T17:24:03","slug":"8-ux-lessons-we-can-learn-from-the-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/8-ux-lessons-we-can-learn-from-the-past","title":{"rendered":"UX Lessons We Can Learn From the Past"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve written about the increasing demand for user experience (UX) design in cities like<\/span> New York <\/span><\/a>and <\/span>Vancouver<\/span><\/a>, but opportunities for UX Designers are on the rise around the world. And while this is relatively new as a profession, the concept of designing something around your users is as old as antiquity itself. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a brief look at the history of UX design (and some key design lessons we can learn from the past).<\/span><\/p>\n

Finding Harmony in the Ancient World<\/span><\/h2>\n

When we talk about UX design, most people picture easy-to-use, free-flowing websites and mobile apps. They don\u2019t tend to think about six-thousand-year-old Chinese philosophies. Still, there are a lot of similarities between UX design and feng shui, with some even calling the latter a form of \u201cancient UX design.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, feng shui does tell you to keep your toilet seat down if you don\u2019t want to lose money. Let\u2019s look past that. The philosophy gained in popularity, and is still being consulted, because it\u2019s essentially focused on how to create harmony within your surroundings. According to consultant <\/span>Rodika Tchi,<\/span><\/a> \u201cfeng shui is sometimes thought to be the art placement\u2014understanding how the placement of yourself and objects within a space affects your life in various areas of experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: The Ergonomics Unit<\/p><\/div>\n

This idea was also prevalent in Ancient Greece, where applied ergonomics, and the idea of designing objects and spaces to human characteristics, took hold. For an example, consider the Greeks\u2019 famed theater culture, which often had citizens sitting in one spot for four consecutive plays. To make the experience more comfortable, theater seats were designed with an inward curve, which fit the shape of the lower leg. This allowed for more movement, and additional support for the lower part of the foot, making it easier to stand. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ergonomics were so prevalent, that when Hippocrates wrote his suggested setup for a surgeon\u2019s workplace, he took time to list the ideal posture, amount of light, and positioning of tools so that Physicians could \u201cbe within easy reach when required.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Da Vinci and the Power of Usability Testing <\/span><\/h2>\n

As the story goes, the Duke of Milan asked Leonardo Da Vinci to design a kitchen that would help him and his palace host an extravagant feast.\u00a0<\/span>Da Vinci accepted and spent a few days watching the palace cooks in action. He came up with a plan and would soon invent:<\/span>
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