Technology’s purpose has always been to increase productivity.  If we look back in history, new tools are not exactly the easiest to handle but people capitalize on them with sweat and time in order to successfully use them, and make things a lot easier the long run. Today, however, technologies that have succeeded in the competitive market are those that are designed to snugly fit into the existing user experience. They are intuitive and easy to use. If, in the olden times, we invested a lot of time to learn how to use technology, in the present day, it’s technology that constantly bulks its algorithm to learn more about us.

Humanization is also the reason why the iPhone and the rest of Apple’s products are so popular. Aside from aesthetics, they are built to cater to the user experience. The large, high resolution screen on a Mac, the sleek design and intuitive user interface of the iPad, the smart application Siri in the iPhone 4s…and did I already say that Apple products are beautiful?

In Asia, the DesignSingapore Council just concluded their 7th annual meeting at the Four Seasons hotel. This year’s discussion focused on how design can be harnessed for new opportunities presented by rapid advances in digital technology.  As for design, it has to be human-focused. “Design is Humanization.”

Check out the infographic below to understand what human-centric design really means, as well as tracing the inception and development of technology humanization, artificial intelligence and the three phases of mass production.