A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design
In A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design, Bret Victor questions why so many modern interfaces are stuck in the world of touchscreens and flat gestures, like tapping and swiping. He’s frustrated by how much these designs ignore our hands’ full potential—hands that can feel, manipulate, and explore in so many ways. Victor argues that truly forward-thinking design would tap into all those physical abilities instead of confining us to “pictures under glass.”
I found myself agreeing with Victor. His critique of touchscreens as limiting felt spot-on, especially when he pointed out how little variety there is in most of our interactions with technology. Tapping a flat screen is easy, sure, but is it really the best we can do? I think he’s right that we’re missing out on richer, more engaging ways to interact with digital content, ways that could make technology feel more natural and even enjoyable.
What grabbed me most was Victor’s emphasis on designing for our full physical range. It made me think about how much more immersive technology could be if it didn’t just stop at the screen. Victor’s vision feels like a reminder to keep pushing for designs that feel human, not just efficient, and to reimagine what “interaction” could mean beyond the usual taps and swipes.