A fascinating discussion with Bill Verplank about the early days of of interaction design.
His discussion of the three paradigms of interaction design (computer as intelligence/brain, computer as person/life, computer as agent) is superb.
From http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2008/09/02/spoolcast-the-history-of-interaction-with-bill-verplank/
Encouraging useful and usable designs for a better customer experience. /
A new inflection point in human-computer interaction is upon us. Along with other technologies, Microsoft Surface marks a departure from graphical user interface or GUI into the world of Natural User Interface or NUI. This talk begins with discussion of emotional design and its importance in the future of society. The lens shifts to how one design team is thinking about designing for a new era in which emotional intent and intuitive interaction are the imperative. Using theoretical models drawn from a mix of history, science, philosophy, and even video game design, this presentation reveals principles behind experience design for Microsoft Surface and beyond.
Interaction design is often focused at the interface between a person and a system in the form of a series of request-response actions. But interaction design can be positioned at the strategic level when the interaction designer looks at the transition between interactions & touchpoints; and the aggregate effect of these interactions on the overall service experience.