Evolution of Technology and a Question of Innovation
Technology refers to the scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Today, technology is often used to describe any electronic tools, however, it also includes any tools that we've developed in order to change our environment. A pen, for example, is in fact a technology.
The Ancient Age (3000BC to 610 AD) was dominated by Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Mayans, Byzantines and Mesopotamians. They were one of the first to introduce technologies such as the wheel, paper and toilets.
During the Medieval Period (610 to 1760 AD) gunpowder lead to the development of new warfare tools such as cannons. There was also a milestone for sharing knowledge and literacy with the invention of the printing press.
In addition, in 1725 automated weaving machines ("Jacquard loom") were tested for the first time in history. They were inspired by automated organs and were based on the identical usage of punchcards. These machines are in fact the predecessor of today's computers.
With the Industrial Revolution, technology evolved immensely. Coal allowed many transport systems to be established - steamships, trains and automobiles appeared.
Colonisation and the contest of expanding empires boosted the progress of technology.
The 20th and 21st century introduced us to new forms of technology - nuclear power, computers, internet and nano-technology (used in smartphones). Interestingly enough, most development during the 20th century were financed and accelerated by the US army.
Throughout its history, we can observe that the speed of inventing new technologies has increased nearly exponentially. This progress won't stop because humans are constantly searching for new tools in order to solve everyday problems - and these problems will hardly disappear because whenever we introduce a solution to our surroundings, new ones appear.
The development of technology is also linked to our history and its context - it is strongly influenced by the people and the situations that were current at the time.
Governments or people in power have often tried to control the usage of technologies by executing laws and regulations.
It is important to note that the adoption of technologies takes its time. Certain inventions of today will only be accepted or used in public in several years time. This observation was made by Fernand Braudel, a French historian.
Short Summary of the History of Technology
Technology was initially characterised by the human's need of surviving, hunting and gathering food. In the Stone Age, our ancestors made stone tools that helped them to fulfil these needs. Once we learnt the skill of forging iron, we started to replace stone tools with ones out of this newly discovered, stronger material.The Ancient Age (3000BC to 610 AD) was dominated by Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Mayans, Byzantines and Mesopotamians. They were one of the first to introduce technologies such as the wheel, paper and toilets.
During the Medieval Period (610 to 1760 AD) gunpowder lead to the development of new warfare tools such as cannons. There was also a milestone for sharing knowledge and literacy with the invention of the printing press.
In addition, in 1725 automated weaving machines ("Jacquard loom") were tested for the first time in history. They were inspired by automated organs and were based on the identical usage of punchcards. These machines are in fact the predecessor of today's computers.
With the Industrial Revolution, technology evolved immensely. Coal allowed many transport systems to be established - steamships, trains and automobiles appeared.
Colonisation and the contest of expanding empires boosted the progress of technology.
The 20th and 21st century introduced us to new forms of technology - nuclear power, computers, internet and nano-technology (used in smartphones). Interestingly enough, most development during the 20th century were financed and accelerated by the US army.
Throughout its history, we can observe that the speed of inventing new technologies has increased nearly exponentially. This progress won't stop because humans are constantly searching for new tools in order to solve everyday problems - and these problems will hardly disappear because whenever we introduce a solution to our surroundings, new ones appear.
The development of technology is also linked to our history and its context - it is strongly influenced by the people and the situations that were current at the time.
Governments or people in power have often tried to control the usage of technologies by executing laws and regulations.
It is important to note that the adoption of technologies takes its time. Certain inventions of today will only be accepted or used in public in several years time. This observation was made by Fernand Braudel, a French historian.
A Question of Innovation
In order to innovate, surrounding must first be observed and assessed. Observing others is easier than observing ourselves - this is because we act often subconsciously - in other words, we do things without even noticing.
Once the problem has been defined, it is important to break it down and to deconstruct it. By observing it from all levels (levels of the collective / individual / structure) it is more easy to find an entry point from where we can approach it. This process is especially helpful when working with big problems - by finding our entry point, a problem becomes more approachable, more tangible and more understandable.
Asking questions is often not enough when wanting to understand a problem. This is because, words don't always correlate with behaviour. For this reason, designers must always observe.
A designers task is to observe the world, reflect upon these observations, create ideas that can be implemented within our actual surroundings, allowing user experience to be improved. Only then can we be innovative.
Innovation often has a long history - old ideas receive new layers of improvement which lead to more efficient solutions. Without doubt, innovation is heavily dependant on a participatory process.