The Design of Everyday Things (1988) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Jacques Carelman: Add a description of this character.
• Tom
• Kasim

Quotes edit see section history

• “...studies have to be made on people who are the same as the intended audience. The designers and the employees already know too much: they can no longer put themselves into the role of the viewer.”

• “In fact, the best computer programs are the ones in which the computer itself "disappears," in which you work directly on the problem without having to be aware of the computer.”

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• If an error is possible, someone will make it. The designer must assume that all possible errors will occur and design so as to minimize the chance of the error in the first place, or its effects once it gets made. Errors should be easy to detect, they should have minimal consequences, and, if possible, their effects should be reversible.

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• visibility. The correct parts must be visible, and they must convey the correct message.

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• Design is really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the person with whom the designer is communicating.

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• When affordances are taken advantage of, the user knows what to do just by looking: no picture, label, or instruction is required.

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• Feedback. In design, it is important to show the effect of an action. Without feedback, one is always wondering whether anything has happened.

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• Constraints. The surest way to make something easy to use, with few errors, is to make it impossible to do otherwise—to constrain the choices.

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• Affordances. A good designer makes sure that appropriate actions are perceptible and inappropriate ones invisible.

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• A goal is something to be achieved, often vaguely stated. An intention is a specific action taken to get to the goal.

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• The Gulf of Evaluation reflects the amount of effort that the person must exert to interpret the physical state of the system and to determine how well the expectations and intentions have been met.

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• The same technology that simplifies life by providing more functions in each device also complicates life by making the device harder to learn, harder to use. This is the paradox of technology.

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• United States
• Seattle
• England
• Los Angeles
• Lego
• San Diego
• Miami

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by The Four Steps to the Epiphany, and followed by Universal Principles of Design.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Donald A. Norman (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 620.82

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Professional & Technical › Engineering › Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems › Industrial Design
• Books › Arts & Photography › Design & Decorative Arts › Graphic Design › Commercial
• Books › Health, Mind & Body › Psychology & Counseling
• Books › Business & Investing
• Books › Science

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