On Human Hands and Technology

“A tool addresses human needs by amplifying human capabilities.” Bret Victor’s Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design grabbed me from that line. The illustrated essay is a timely reflection on the utility of our hands and how humans interact with tools and technology. If you’ve enjoyed reading such books as Henry Petroski’s The Evolution of Useful Things, then you’ll also be intrigued by this plea for interactive design that employs our entire bodies, and not just a single digit sliding across a screen, notwithstanding the popularity of technology emphasizing that kind of interaction. I am not a designer, but as a consumer of technology I find this fascinating and important. It is not necessary to watch the 6:00 minute video to follow Victor’s argument, looking at the illustrations is sufficient.