Upon initial glance, it seems that the field of user experience design was born around the same time that personal computers began to hit the mainstream market in the 1980s. To differentiate themselves from computers, a few of these early pioneers (e.g., Apple Computers) began to shift the focus not so much on the machine itself—but rather, how the machine would interface with the human.
Human Computer Interaction? Ah yes, the old school term for “user experience” design. Or rather, the more technical term used in the academic environment.
But before the proliferation of personal computers, we still have “computers”; they were just massive, unattractive, and built for industrial use. In fact, the first mechanical computer came about in the 1820s: The Difference Machine created by Charles Babbage. Source: https://www.britannica.com/technology/Difference-Engine
The difference machine was essentially a very fancy calculator capable of processing complex calculations. Nevertheless, it could only functionally perform a single operation. Don’t ask me about the details.
So then the question becomes: was there not “user experience” design work involved in create the Difference Machine (mechanical computer)? Was there not a particular user in mind (perhaps an engineer or mathematician)? Was there not a task or set of tasks that were facilitated with this new machine? Was there not a process (flow) involved for this task that was supported by the design/operation of the machine?
If we have a user In mind, and a set of tasks to solve for, and in between there is a computer (mechanical but nevertheless) that helps the user accomplish this—then how far are we really from designing an iOS app for the iPhone? Certainly, the details will be vastly different; but the principles are the same (understand your user, understand their needs, define the set of tasks, map out the process for these tasks, test and evaluate different form to achieve optimal results for end-user).
Isn’t that fundamentally what UX designers do today?
While there is a degree of over-simplification involved here, I believe the bigger picture is clear. User Experience design as we know it today has existed way before it was coined in 1993 by the great Don Norman when he worked for Apple. In fact, user experience design as a way of problem-solving has existed as long as humans began to gain mastery of their environment and shaping tools. Therefore, user experience has been around for thousands of years—we simply didn’t call it that. Humans simply strived to make tools, weapons, and “everyday things” that would benefit their survival and make their life easier.
Historically, there was no "designer" as a specific role; however, we engaged in the ACT of designing. Today, there is a professional role of a designer but humans have been designing to have better control and mastery of their environment for thousands, if not millions, of years. User Experience design has always existed, the only difference today is the context of it's APPLICATION.
Today, user experience design (UX) is centered around helping humans utilize and navigate technology for a variety of tasks and outputs. It was spearheaded and "institutionalized" by our multi-national technology corporations. Consequently, when people think of "user experience" design, inevitably people associate this craft oriented around IT. Commercially speaking, this is accurate: most UX jobs are underneath the IT umbrella in some for or way with varying degrees of integration to other business functions.
However, as I will continue to emphasize, the concept of user experience has materialized into our 21st century reality for the IT departments; nevertheless, it has existed since the dawn of civilization. The principles of design remain the same, but the context has shifted since the needs of our society today are very different than the rural New Englad farmer in the 17th century. Modernity has brought us a plethora of options and conveniences and information technology and it's services is now ingraned in many layers of our day to day existence. But human psychology and human emotions remain largely the same. Therein is the opportunity for the 21st centruy user experience professional: understanding that the needs of human beings are not too different than our ancestors from the past but, in fact, is the external factors that have evolved and will continue to evolve.
Humanizing technology was Steve Job's vision in the early wave of personal computers. Before him, there are many examples of scientists, technologists, chemists, and engineers that have had improved our quality of life in a myriad of ways. At the heart of all of that is user experience design: the act and intention of designing systems, processes, and tools that enable humans to do more, create more, learn more, and elevate their potential for contribution.