What is History?
History refers to the examination of past events, trends, and contexts that are relevant to the design project. It involves studying the evolution of a particular product or service, industry, or market to gain insights into current and future trends.
Historical research can take different forms depending on the nature of the design project and the available historical data sources. However, some common types of historical research include:
- Industry history: This involves studying the evolution of the industry that the product or service belongs to, including the emergence of new technologies, changes in customer behaviour, and the rise and fall of competitors.
- Product history: This involves studying the evolution of the product or service over time, including changes in design, features, and functionality.
- Cultural history: This involves studying the cultural, social, and economic context in which the product or service exists, including the values, beliefs, and attitudes of the target audience.
- Historical trends: This involves studying past trends and patterns in the market or industry, including changes in customer preferences, economic conditions, and technological innovations.
By studying history, designers can gain a better understanding of the design project's context, identify potential challenges and opportunities, and develop insights that inform the design process. Historical research can also help designers avoid repeating mistakes of the past and build on past successes to create innovative and effective designs.
