At the 2011 Build Conference in Belfast, Wilson Miner delivered his ‘When We Build’ speech with which he inspired many designers with his focus on building a better web experience for everyone.
Despite the main focus of the conference (and his talk) being web design, Miner rarely mentions the web at all during his presentation. Miner focuses on the broader impact that technologies have on our world, and how that world in turn shapes us. He reminds us that we aren't just building websites, but shaping the world we will live in for much of the foreseeable future. And, as the Alistair Smith quote shown in the talk says;
"at times of change, the learners are the ones who will inherit the world, while the knowers will be beautifully prepared for a world which no longer exists.”
Miner discusses how our opinions and views can be influenced by the world around us, particularly by media. If we think of topics like war, we are influenced by whichever side our media takes. In the UK, for example, our media is more inclined to take the side of Palestine in the Israel/Palestine conflict, so we are more likely to agree with the Palestinian argument. American mainstream media, however, often favours the Israeli side and, therefore, a huge amount of American people will sympathise with the Israeli argument.
Miner also discusses our attachment to objects and things around us, for example a piece of jewellery or a childhood toy. Miner quotes Marshall McLuhan, saying;
“We shape our tools, and there after our tools shape us”
Miner uses this quote to illustrate to us that our attachments and interests grow to shape who we are as people. Whether that be through influencing our opinions, our likes and dislikes or any other range of things. This is then related back to how we change and adapt as our technologies change and adapt. As we began to have easier access to computers, our brains began to work in a way which complimented the function of our machines. If we think about our parents 40 years ago, they did not have access to computers in the way we do now- yet toddlers are now capable of using iPads and other gaming consoles for entertainment. It is these kind of adjustments that show how we adapt and grow with our technology.
Miner then takes us back to the beginning of computers, showing us huge computers the size of whole rooms. Then, we began taking away the network, making computers wireless, making them smaller and now we cannot escape screens in the modern day. Screens have become integral parts of our day-to-day lives. They have shaped us and continue to build both the digital and physical environment around us.
Miner reminds us to consider the differences in how quickly different forms of media can spread. In his talk, he gives us figures illustrating how long it takes for different types of media to reach 50 million users: