Name: Ragnar Digital, LLC
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American

1943

Aaron Marcus is a pioneer in computer graphics, HCI, and UX design, recognized as the first graphic designer to work with computers and the founder of Aaron Marcus and Associates. His influential career spans global exhibitions, over 60 books and 300 articles, and decades of leadership in interface design, research, and education across major institutions and conferences worldwide.

Aaron Marcus. Photo courtesy the artist.

Full Bio

Aaron Marcus was born in 1943 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He is a pioneering figure in computer graphics and user experience design. As the first graphic designer to use computers (1967), he laid the groundwork for digital typography, interface design, and information visualization. Marcus studied physics and philosophy at Princeton University (B.A.) before earning his B.F.A. and M.F.A. in graphic design from Yale University.

He grew up in Omaha in the 1950s, where he developed early interests in astronomy and paleontology alongside a passion for drawing cartoons. He also learned painting and calligraphy, foreshadowing a lifelong engagement with both scientific inquiry and visual expression.

In the 1970s, he taught at Princeton University’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning and led international research in visual communication. He created early virtual environments and developed computer-generated concrete poetry through custom programming. His works were exhibited at venues including the Princeton University Art Museum and the International Computer Arts Festivals.

In 1982, Marcus founded Aaron Marcus and Associates (AM+A), a Berkeley-based UX and interface design firm. The company has completed over 500 projects for clients such as Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and the US Federal Reserve Bank. A prolific writer and educator, Marcus has published several books and articles and taught at institutions including Yale, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Tongji University in Shanghai.

Marcus' art and design works are held in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Computer History Museum. A Fellow of AIGA and a member of the CHI Academy, He has played a lasting role in shaping how people engage with technology and visual information, influencing the way we understand, navigate, and connect with digital systems. His legacy lies not only in being first but in showing that design can bring clarity to even the most complex technologies.