The Design of Everyday Things

Revised and Expanded Edition

Don Norman

Genre

Book Synopsis

"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman is a thought-provoking exploration of the principles and psychology behind good design. In this impactful book, Norman challenges both designers and users to reevaluate the way they interact with objects and products in their daily lives.

By examining the common frustrations and failures that arise from poorly designed objects, Norman illustrates the importance of understanding user-centered design. He outlines practical strategies for creating intuitive and user-friendly designs, emphasizing the need to consider people's natural abilities, behaviors, and limitations.

Through engaging anecdotes and real-world examples, Norman demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform the user experience. He delves into various topics, including the concept of affordances, which refers to the perceived abilities and potential uses an object offers to its users.

Norman also delves into the psychology of user error and the critical role of feedback in design. He argues that errors are not solely the fault of the user but often a consequence of confusing or poorly designed interfaces. He pinpoints features that enhance discoverability and help users easily understand and navigate through complex systems.

As technology continues to shape our lives, Norman stresses the importance of designing with empathy and inclusivity. He explores the challenges posed by emerging technologies, such as automation and artificial intelligence, and emphasizes the need for ethical decision-making to ensure positive outcomes for users.

"The Design of Everyday Things" is a must-read for designers, engineers, and anyone who wants to understand how good design can enhance their daily interactions. With its clear-cut principles and actionable advice, this book is a valuable resource that will inspire the reader to think critically about the objects that surround them and drive meaningful change in the world of design.

Explore More Books

See All
The New Leadership Literacies
Healing
Foundation and Earth
Clocks and Culture
The Rosie Project
My Stroke of Insight
The Last Lion
The Odyssey
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Beyond Religion
Prepared
Getting Better
Setting The Table
Eating to Extinction
No Filter
Limitless
Mountains Beyond Mountains
How Asia Works
The Journey of Crazy Horse
Siddhartha
Harvesting the Biosphere
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
A Matter of Degrees
Systems Medicine
Democracy In America
The Fear Book
The Razor's Edge
On Drugs
Liberating Learning
Contrarian Investment Strategies
Farmer's Progress
Your Dad Stole My Rake
The Conquest of Gaul
Wild
Justice on Trial
A Hall of Mirrors
Slow Sex
An Everyone Culture
The Feynman Lectures on Physics
Trick Mirror
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
The Captive Mind
The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need
The Vital Question
Silently Seduced
The Story of Civilization
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
The Fear Factor
Jesse Livermore - Boy Plunger
Conspiracy of Fools
Super Mind
Thus Spoke the Plant
Einstein's Dreams
Representing Talent
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing
Good Calories, Bad Calories
Catch-22
Bad Blood
The Startup Community Way
Chasing Hillary
Women
Deep Learning
The Elements of Statistical Learning
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Making The Modern World
The Price of Tomorrow
The Act of Creation
BLITZ
The Mathematics of Politics
To Rule the Waves
Six Not-So-Easy Pieces
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
Business Adventures
The City In History
Man, Economy, and State
A Good Man
Thai Stick
Explaining Social Behavior
The Oz Principle
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Louis XIV
The Fund
A Universe From Nothing
An Immense World
Intellectuals and Society
Naked Statistics
The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
An Agricultural Testament
Deiter Rams
The Art of Manipulation
Longitude
A Cure for the Common Company
Applied Minds
Infinite Powers
The White Album
Valuation
The Unsettling of America
The Paleo Solution
We Learn Nothing
What You Do Is Who You Are
The Goal