The Design of Everyday Things: Preface and Chapter 1: Donald A. Norman

The author, Donald Norman, focuses his research on applications and design of "everyday things." He explains the mistakes in the design of telephones, home cooling & heating systems, digital watches, etc. He believes that user's inability to use a product is not the fault of the user but rather the fault of the product's design. Users seem to blame themselves for not understanding how to use the product.

He discusses three critical topics that were developed in his book:

1. It's not your fault: The person's inability to use a product is not their fault. It is the responsibility of the product's design.
2. Design Principles: Provides designers with techniques to build products that are easily understandable and useable.

There are several principle steps to this process including:
o Conceptual Models: The human mind is always trying to find meaning and understand events. A good design always has communication between the designer and the user. There is a relationship between the device and the controls, so the user knows how to complete the job.
o Feedback: The design of a product must always show the effects of the action otherwise the user will not know if the product is working.
o Constraints: Only provide the user with the ability to choose one way to use the product.
o Affordance: The primary properties that conclude how the device can be used.

3. The Power of Observation: The author hopes to change the way people interpret design. He wants users to notice badly designed products, and he hopes educated users will make more informed decisions about the products they use and demand more user-friendly designed devices.

After reading these excerpts, I begin to think of everyday products that I use, and I thought of an example of good design and bad design:

Bad Design: The Nokia N75 was the phone I had before the iPhone. I had this phone for over two years and I never learned how to add music, update pictures, use the web browser or text message. I even took it to a Nokia store for their assistance, but they were unable to help me. Now I would say that is pretty bad design on Nokia's part.

Good Design: The Apple iPhone is an easy to use straight-forward mobile phone. I received the phone and immediately learned how to add applications, phone numbers, music, etc.