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
Liberal Privelege
Investment Biker
A Most Beautiful Thing
Viral Loop
Modernity Without Restraint
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Blackout
Clear Thinking
Women
The Blind Watchmaker
Wake Up: Why The World Has Gone Nuts
The Princeton Companion to Mathematics
The Obstacle Is the Way
On The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
One Billion Hungry
The Outermost House
God Emperor of Dune
The Fiat Standard
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum
The Fourth Turning
Educated
Planta Sapiens
Not Zero
How The Internet Happened
Rick and Morty Book Two
Count Down
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
Principles for Dealing With The Changing World Order
Same As Ever
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World
A Guide To The Good Life
Violence and Social Orders
The White Album
Syntax & Sage
The History of Money
Little Fires Everywhere
Deep Learning
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
More Human
A History of the Theory of Investments
The Trial of Socrates
How To Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck
Working Backwards
Dare To Fly
Chaos Monkeys
Rise of the Robots
On Bullshit
Startup
Maisy Mouse Collection
The Ones We Have Been Waiting For
George's Marvellous Medicine
Check Your Financial Privilege
The 5 Resets
Taxes Have Consequences
The Red Queen
100 Plus
The Emotionally Intelligent Investor
Think Again
The Meaning of the 21st Century
Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic
More Money Than God
Skin In The Game
Healing
Radical Son
Birth of a Theorem
High Fidelity
Acts of Love
Pride and Prejudice
The Precipice
A Bite-Sized History of France
A Life Decoded
Carry on, Jeeves
Find Me Unafraid
Everything is Bullshit
From Galileo to Newton
Tipping Points
Lessons for the Living
Parents Who Lead
Whiplash
Matter
The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition
Complexity
Plowman's Folly
The Double Helix
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Beyond Religion
Falling into Grace
Into Thin Air
The Moth Presents All These Wonders
Empires of Light
The Gift
The Martian
Self Reliance
Stories of Your Life and Others
Rich Woman
Sunset at Blandings
Tribe of Mentors
End The Fed
The Uninhabitable Earth
The Construction of Social Reality