Pretty amazing right? I’ve watched this talk a few times now and what really strikes me is the comparison Wilson makes between the automobile and the computer screen. I never really thought about how we shape our world around certain things. More importantly though, I’m now thinking about how natural this sometimes feels. If we built a car it seems natural that it would have something to drive on, so roads almost seem organic, like they magically appeared after the car. But roads where built by people and they took a ton of planning and hard work.

The computer is our automobile and we have shaped our lives around it with the screen. When it’s done correctly this experience feels natural, just like roads. My iPhone is a perfect example of this. The way it looks, feels and responds to my touch is so natural that it almost feels like an extension of myself. It’s absolutely incredible to think that someone consciously designed and created this experience.

As designers I think this is where the real measure of success lies. If we can create something that allows people to experience an important part of life and have it feel natural than we have created something worthwhile. Wilson is right, this is a great job.