Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of the evolution of digital design, starting from the first graphical interfaces to modern solutions based on artificial intelligence and augmented reality. The purpose of the study is to trace the development of key concepts of UX/UI design and their influence on the creation of intuitive and convenient interfaces. The article examines the key stages in the development of digital design, from graphical interfaces in the 70s to the concept of “mobile-first” in the 2000s, as well as the role of new technologies in the future of UX design.
The results of the study show that the evolution of design is closely related to changing user needs and technological progress. The practical application is that it helps designers and developers of digital products better understand the principles of creating effective interfaces that can adapt to the needs of users, improving their experience of interacting with products. Particular attention is paid to the role of personalization and new technologies that will shape the future of UX/UI design.
The Beginning: Human-Computer Interaction and Early Graphical Interfaces
The first graphical interfaces, developed in the 1970s, marked the beginning of the shift from text-based interfaces to more visual ones. One of the key milestones was the creation of the interface for the Xerox Alto computer in 1973, which introduced the concept of a desktop and windows for the first time. This step played a significant role in the development of the first graphical user interfaces (GUI) such as the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows. It was during this time that the basic principles of visual interfaces were established.
The core idea behind the evolution of digital product design is the creation of interfaces capable of providing intuitive interaction between the user and the computer. The concept that interfaces should be simple and understandable for all users became a foundational principle of GUI design [1].
The graphical interface allowed users to interact with the system using visual metaphors (desktop, icons, windows, folders), which greatly simplified working with computers. A crucial innovation was the use of a cursor and mouse, enabling users to manipulate objects on the screen. This design solution fostered users’ understanding of the interface’s functionality, forming the basis for the development of early graphical interfaces.
It is worth noting that the concepts of simplicity and visual intuitiveness remain relevant today. In modern digital products, these ideas are expressed through minimalism and a focus on user scenarios.
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With the development of the internet in the 1990s, a new stage in the evolution of digital product design began – users started interacting not only with operating systems but also with web applications. Websites became key players in the world of digital design, necessitating the creation of new principles for web-oriented interfaces. Minimalist, structured design that can be adapted for different devices and platforms became the standard. Web standards like HTML and CSS emerged, allowing designers to experiment with layouts and interfaces, ensuring ease of user interaction with products.
Around this time, it also became apparent that the usability of a web product affects user convenience – a concept actively developed by Jakob Nielsen in his book Usability Engineering (1995). He introduced the concept of “usability heuristics,” based on empirical rules that make interfaces more user-friendly. Nielsen highlighted principles such as system visibility, consistency with the real world, error prevention, and minimizing cognitive load. Simultaneously, he promoted rapid testing and iterative improvement of interfaces through usability testing. This approach provided more user-friendly interfaces and was fundamental to the development of web design [2].
Usability principles are applied in modern products, especially in web design and mobile applications, where users demand instant and easy access to information. To this day, modern designers rely on “usability heuristics” to assess the quality of user interfaces.
By the late 2000s, it had become evident that the success of a digital product depends not only on visual appeal but also on how easily and intuitively a user can interact with the system. The emergence of UX design as a separate discipline emphasized the importance of understanding user needs and expectations. This defined the direction of design evolution, which is now data-driven.
A Fundamental Moment in the Development of Digital Design
A key moment in the development of digital design was the realization that interaction with a product is not limited to its visual part. As Jesse James Garrett notes, UX design encompasses the entire interaction process with the product, from first impressions to post-sale service.
He introduced the model of five UX levels: strategy (goals and needs), scope (functional requirements), structure (information organization), skeleton (layout and interface), and surface (visual design). This model has profoundly influenced the development of UX design, helping designers to consider not only the visual aspects but also the structure and ease of interaction [5].
This concept is also reflected in the work of Alan Cooper, where he emphasizes the creation of “personas” (user personas), allowing designers to better understand the target audience and create products that truly solve their tasks. Cooper argues that good UX is one that solves real user problems rather than just being visually appealing [3].
The theories presented by Garrett and Cooper have become foundational in modern UX design, where the focus is on researching user needs, creating personas, and modeling user scenarios.
With the advent of smartphones and tablets, another significant turning point in digital design development occurred. With limited screen space and the need to optimize interaction, mobile design principles presented new challenges for designers.
Thus, the main strategy of “Mobile-First” emerged. This means that design should be primarily oriented towards mobile devices and then adapted for larger screens. This shift was driven by the rapid increase in mobile users, making ease of use on small screens a critical factor in a product’s success. Mobile users are often on the move and distracted, so the importance of minimalism and clarity in mobile interfaces became paramount [4].
The Postulates of “Mobile-First” Are Now the Standard for Most Digital Products
Adaptive design, which automatically adjusts to screen size, has become the norm, especially in web design and app development.
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Today, digital product design has become incredibly complex and diverse. There is a rapid development of trends such as adaptive design, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to create personalized user experiences, as well as the emergence of augmented and virtual reality. Design principles continue to evolve, adapting to new devices and technologies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already actively used to create personalized interfaces that adapt to user behavior and preferences in real time. Virtual reality (AR and VR) introduces entirely new types of interaction, presenting unique challenges for designers. Interfaces are no longer confined to screens, and users can interact with digital products in real physical spaces.
In the future of design, personalization and new technologies will be dominant.
UX designers will need to create interfaces that are not only convenient but also dynamically adapt to the needs of each user.
The evolution of digital product design is a process that never stops. It keeps pace with technological progress and the changing expectations of users. From the first simple graphical interfaces to today’s complex UX systems, several decades have passed, but the primary goal remains the same: to create products that improve people’s lives and make interactions with technology intuitive and enjoyable.
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