Show notes
From Amphitheaters to Apps: The Evolution of User ExperienceLong before we had screens, scroll wheels, or skeuomorphism, we were already wrestling with what it meant to design for humans.Take the Roman Colosseum, for example.Built nearly two thousand years ago, this wasn’t just a feat of architecture—it was a carefully orchestrated user experience. The Romans didn’t just think about how to build it. They thought about how people would use it.They designed for easy access, with a ticketing system based on numbered entrances and a layout that could empty 50,000 spectators in under 15 minutes. The acoustics were finely tuned so the roar of the crowd carried across the arena, and shaded awnings (the velarium) helped protect people from the sun. Every detail was intentional.It was, in many ways, a masterclass in UX before UX had a name.UX Has Always Been About PeopleWe like to think of UX as a digital thing. But humans have been designing with users in mind since the first tool was shaped to fit a hand. Egyptian sickles curved to match the arc of an arm. Greek amphitheaters optimized for sightlines and sound. Roman roads were engineered for ease of maintenance—because someone had to clean them, after all.These weren’t just technical solutions. They were people-first designs.Even medieval cathedrals were built with experiential thinking. Architects considered the way light would filter through stained glass at different times of day. The experience of awe wasn't accidental.And while we’ll skip ahead now (you didn’t pick up this book for a lecture on Mesopotamian farming tools), it’s worth acknowledging this simple truth:UX isn’t new. Only the term is.The Digital ShiftThings changed in the mid-20th century. The rise of aviation and computing forced us to formalize our approach to usability. Mistakes became expensive—or fatal. So, human factors engineering emerged. We studied how people interacted with complex systems and tried to design those systems to be safer and more intuitive.It started in cockpits. Aircraft instrumentation had to be easy to read and understand under pressure. This wasn't about making things pretty. It was about saving lives. That pragmatic approach to human-centred design later shaped everything from microwave interfaces to early computer systems.Fast forward to the 1980s, and computing hit the mainstream.That’s when things really took off.At Xerox PARC, researchers introduced the first graphical user interface. Apple took it further with the Macintosh, turning computing from a tool for specialists into something everyone could use. Suddenly, usability wasn’t just a nice-to-have. It was a competitive advantage. And in 1993, Don Norman, while working at Apple, coined the term "User Experience."“I invented the term because I thought human interface and usability were too narrow.” — Don NormanThat moment matters. Because what Norman was arguing for was a broader view of design. Not just the screen. Not just the features. But the entire experience—from the first moment someone hears about a product to the support they receive after using it.“User experience encompasses all aspects of the end-user’s interaction with the company, its services, and its products.” — Don Norman and Jakob NielsenIn other words, UX was never meant to be confined to wireframes and user flows. It was meant to be everything.UX Gets StrategicBy the early 2000s, UX had a seat at the table—albeit a wobbly one. Jesse James Garrett released The Elements of User Experience in 2002, which became a cornerstone for the field.Garrett didn’t just break UX down into layers—strategy, scope, structure, skeleton, and surface—he emphasized that it all starts with strategy. Before we push pixels or run tests, we need to understand user needs and business goals.That idea changed things.We weren’t just designing interfaces. We were shaping how people experienced products, services, and even entire brands. UX wasn’t just implementation. It was about shaping products from the very beginning, not just making tweaks at the end.And as agile methods took over, UX adapted again. We embraced faster feedback loops, closer collaboration, and more iterative design. We moved from long documentation to quick prototypes. From abstract personas to real user insight.By the 2010s, UX had grown up.Design thinking gained traction. Suddenly, UX was sharing the spotlight with business strategy. Service design entered the conversation. We weren’t just designing digital tools—we were solving human problems, often in messy, non-linear ways.UX vs. Everything ElseAs UX matured, we saw these disciplines emerge from within it. Our understanding of UX broadened, leading to specialization in areas like UI design, product design, service design, DesignOps, and even extending into marketing and customer experience.So let’s clear things up a bit:UI Design is about what the user sees and interacts with. Think buttons, typography, animations. It’s the look and feel.Product Design is broader. It connects user needs with business goals. Product designers care about features, roadmaps, KPIs, and how the product evolves over time.DesignOps and Service Design sit more behind the scenes. They’re about scaling design efficiently. They orchestrate people, tools, and workflows to support good outcomes—kind of like stage managers for a show who make sure the lighting, props, and crew all hit their marks. You might never notice them when everything goes well—but without them, the whole production risks falling apart.And UX?UX is front of stage. It’s the performance the audience actually experiences. It’s the story that unfolds when someone buys your product, uses it, recommends it, or gets frustrated and gives up. Every moment on that journey is part of the user experience, whether it’s a sleek onboarding flow, an unreadable error message, or a helpful reply from customer support.UX is the full experience. It’s not a department. It’s not a phase. It’s not a deliverable. It’s what happens to your users—whether you intended it or not.Take something as emblematic as buying an Apple product. The UX includes everything from the anticipation built by the marketing, the elegant packaging design, the satisfying moment of lifting the lid, the device that powers on right out of the box, the intuitive setup process, and even the helpful support at the Genius Bar.You might admire the product design. But the experience is everything that surrounds it—something Apple has understood since Don Norman helped shape their approach in the early 1990s.“No product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences… Make them all work together seamlessly.” — Don NormanA good UI is important. A strong product strategy is essential. But if the experience feels clunky, frustrating, or inconsistent—none of it matters.UX connects the dots.It asks: How does it feel to use this? Does it make sense? Does it meet a real need?And it reminds us that what we design isn’t just a product or a service. It’s a human moment.The Reality CheckSo, UX has matured significantly. Most business leaders now understand its importance, at least in theory. You'll rarely hear someone argue against the value of good user experience.But understanding isn't the same as implementation.The reality in many organizations is far from the idealized vision we read about online. UX teams are often understaffed and under-resourced. They're expected to deliver transformative results with minimal support, limited budgets, and impossible timelines.The problem goes deeper than resources. UX has been fundamentally misunderstood and under-appreciated within many organizations. Instead of being involved in strategic decisions from the start, UX professionals are often relegated to implementation roles—brought in to "make things pretty" after all the important decisions have already been made.True UX work—which should touch every aspect of how users interact with an organization—frequently runs into organizational silos. The kind of cross-functional collaboration required for excellent user experience threatens established power structures and comfortable routines. As a result, UX's wings are clipped, its scope limited to safe, contained projects that won't ruffle too many feathers.The promise of UX isn't just about better interfaces—it's about better organizations. But that promise remains largely unfulfilled in many companies.These challenges aren't just frustrating for UX practitioners; they're holding back organizations from delivering truly exceptional user experiences. The gap between what's possible and what's actually being delivered continues to widen.Throughout the rest of this email course, we'll explore these challenges in detail and, more importantly, discuss practical strategies for overcoming them. Because understanding the problem is only the first step—what matters is how we respond to it.Your Turn: Reflect and ShareIn our next email, we'll explore what it means to be a true UX designer within an organization. But, between now and then, I encourage you to reflect on your current role. Consider whether there's a gap between what others in your organization expect from you and what you believe you should be doing. Are you being asked to simply "make things pretty," or are you empowered to shape meaningful experiences.Take a moment to jot down your thoughts. This reflection will be valuable as we dive deeper into defining and claiming our role as UX professionals.Also, if you wouldn’t mind, share those thoughts with me by replying to this email. Your insights will help shape the future content of this course, ensuring it addresses the real challenges you face in your UX role. I read every response and use them to make this journey more valuable for everyone.User Experience design has evolved far beyond its digital roots. From ancient Roman architects to industrial designers, and finally to today's digital interfaces - the journey of UX shows how we've always strived to create better human experiences.