History

GD3990A fall 2014 · GW Corcoran School of the Arts and Design
Instructor: David Ramos (davidramos@email.gwu.edu)

Interaction design is a young field, now emerging from its adolescence; its working methods, philosophies, and landmark accomplishments are still new. This rapid pace of change rewards an historical lens – even the innovations of twenty years ago seem far away.

Content

You have been assigned an historical figure in interaction design, computing, media, or related fields. Research this person’s life and accomplishments. What did this person contribute to design or to the networked world? Place this person’s work in a context, and ask how this person has helped to shape the world of today.

Give a 10–15 minute talk about your person. Examine:

  1. The person’s life and accomplishments.
  2. The cultural, technological, and social context in which they were working.
  3. Their legacy in the design or technology worlds.

Sources

Refer total at least five sources. (Encyclopedias are not acceptable.) Provide a list of works consulted on your site, and provide citations for all images or quotations used.