51-495 History and Future of Interaction Design

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course grounds students in foundational innovations in interaction design so that they may critique and advance the field with their own contributions. We review how pivotal past interfaces have defined the coupling between humans and machines. Students then use this history to reimagine our interaction with generative AI and latent space. In a series of short sprints, students implement critical past innovations in current technical vernacular, whether screen designs, mock-ups, or clickable prototypes, revealing productive tensions. The course then invites students to invent possible futures by building an interactive final project, grounded in a deep understanding of interaction design's history.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026

Courseweave needs JavaScript to show sections, workloads and planning tools.