The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman explores the principles of user-centered design, emphasizing how thoughtful design can improve usability and enhance the user experience. Norman discusses the importance of understanding human psychology and behavior in creating products that are intuitive and easy to use. Through various examples, he illustrates how poor design can lead to frustration and how good design can empower users.
29 curated highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most impactful passages and quotes from The Design of Everyday Things, carefully selected to capture the essence of the book.
The design of everyday things is about how things work and how people interact with them.
Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than bad design.
The real problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know.
People often confuse the quality of the product with the quality of the design.
Every technology is a tool that can be used for good or for ill.
It is not enough to design a product that works; it must also be usable.
When a product fails, it is often the fault of the designer, not the user.
Feedback is essential to help users understand what action they have taken.
We must design for the way people behave, not for how we would like them to behave.
A well-designed object is one that is easy to use and understand.
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
The design of everyday things is in the details.
Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual.
People often confuse the visual with the functional.
The role of design is to create understanding.
User-centered design means that we must focus on the needs of the user.
Design should be intuitive and simple.
When designers understand how people think, they can design better products.
Feedback is essential for learning and improving.
Mistakes are a part of the design process.
The design of everyday things is in the end about people.
The most important aspect of design is how it interacts with people.
Every object, whether it is a door, a phone, or a car, can be designed to be easier to use.
When you make a mistake, it’s not just the mistake that matters, but how you fix it.
Complexity is not the same as sophistication.
Design should be human-centered, not technology-centered.
Feedback is essential for the user to understand what is going on.
The design of things should be intuitive and easy to understand.
A good user interface is a balance between function and form.