The Design of Everyday Things

Within the preface, Donald Norman demonstrates the strength of design in anything, in everyday things. He emphasizes that we should embrace good design and reject common and inferior design. Norman’s main focus in this book is to be able to construct things that are understandable and usable.

Poor or average design derives from an absence of awareness and attention by the maker in regards to the user. Technologists and inventors are often known not to learn from the mistake of the past, so errors are typically repeated again and again.

Good designs save lives. Bad designs can create accidents in which causes people to blame themselves for. “Human error” is typically the excuse, yet after the incident is scrutinized and examined it is apparent that poor design and/or equipment installation is at fault.

Technology is always advancing yet people change at a relatively slow rate. There should be no reason for a person to blame him/herself due to insufficient knowledge of how to go through a door, turn on a sink, or answer a phone, etc. The design should initially arise from good communication and the understanding of people. One should not blame themselves yet rather blame the designer or the technology.

Norman explains that one will learn three main principles from DOET:

1. It’s not your fault- It is not the person’s fault, the designer is the one to blame.
2. Design principles- Conceptual models are vital to good design; they demonstrate the relationship amongst the location and operation they maneuver to allow the user to know what does what. Feedback, constraints, and affordances are facets which are key to a good design.

3. The power of observation- Critiquing designs is crucial. One should be aware and attentive of device designs everywhere.

Chapter One: The Psychopathology of Everyday Things

This book focuses on the psychology of people and device interactions.

A conceptual model allots visualization and implications for better understanding of a device.

Visibility is the most essential aspect of design. It allows mapping to link determined actions to operations. The visuals need to express accurate messages. The user must know how to flush the toilet easily by the way it is visually designed. With the use of natural designs, one can be able to flush the toilet without having the actual word “flush” on the flush button. Simply natural designs produce natural interpretations without consciousness.

Visual structure refers to:

Affordances- provide hints to how devices should be operated. For example, a bed affords comfort and, therefore, affords sleeping. Affordances allow the user to maneuver the device.

Constraints- limit possibilities of the user.

Mapping- refers to the set of operations that can be maneuvered; it is linkage amongst controls and actions. Natural mapping enables quick understanding.

A conceptual model and visualization of a device is necessary for effective design

Conceptual models are made up of mental models, models that others have of themselves and their surroundings through their being and experiences.

System image- the visible aspects of a device

Norman provides a great comparison between the modern phone and car. The main reasons why it is so much easier to use buttons within in a car in comparison to a phone is because of the visibility structure of controls within the car. The controls in a car are more visible and typically have one function rather than multiple; usually if one control enables numerous functions, maneuvering may become fairly difficult. The phone lacks proper visible structure, mapping, and feedback. Feedback indicates whether an action has been executed. If one turns on the car windshield-wipers, the windshield-wipers will provide apparent feedback by wiping the windshield. On the other hand, a phone does not always provide feedback when a phone is being transferred, one does not know whether the call had been transferred or properly dealt with. The dilemma in this era is that devices are gaining more and more features without efficient feedback.

Although technologies are constantly advancing and device facets are becoming more complex, the aspects of good design can overcome even the most complex controls with the usage of conceptual model and visibility strategies.