“In their work, designers often become expert with the device they are designing. Users are often expert at the task they are trying to perform with the device. [...] Professional designers are usually aware of the pitfalls. But most design is not done by professional designers, it is done by engineers, programmers, and managers.” TryingDoneDesignTasksManagersExpertsDesignerDevicesUsersEngineersProgrammersPitfalls Author:Donald A. Norman
“Innocence lost is not easily regained. The designer simply cannot predict the problems people will have, the misinterpretations that will arise, and the errors that will get made.” PeopleMadeProblemLostErrorsAriseInnocenceDesignerMisinterpretation Author:Donald A. Norman
“Everything has a personality: everything sends an emotional signal. Even where this was not the intention of the designer, the people who view the website infer personalities and experience emotions. Bad websites have horrible personalities and instill horrid emotional states in their users, usually unwittingly. We need to design things-products, websites, services-to convey whatever personality and emotions are desired.” PeopleNeedsStatesViewsEmotionDesignEmotionalProductsPersonalityIntentionHorribleDesignerUsersSignalsWebsiteInstill Author:Donald A. Norman
“A good designer will actually design the company.” CompanyDesignDesignerGood Design Author:Donald A. Norman
“Design is really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the person with whom the designer is communicating.” MeanPersonsUnderstandingDesignCommunicationCommunicateDesignerDeep Understanding Author:Donald A. Norman
“The designer has an obligation to provide an appropriate conceptual model for the way that the device works. It doesn't have to completely accurate but it has to be sufficiently accurate that it will help in both the learning of the operation and also dealing with novel situations.” WayHelpingSituationNovelDesignModelsObligationOperationsDesignerAppropriateDevicesWorking ItAccurate Author:Donald A. Norman
“When you have trouble with things—whether it's figuring out whether to push or pull a door or the arbitrary vagaries of the modern computer and electronics industries—it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself: blame the designer.” TroubleDoorsModernIndustryComputerBlameFaultsDesignerArbitraryElectronics Author:Donald A. Norman
“If people keep buying poorly designed products, manufacturers and designers will think they are doing the right thing and continue as usual.” PeopleIfsThinkingProductsRight ThingDesignerBuyingUsualDoing The Right Thing Author:Donald A. Norman
“Good design is also an act of communication between the designer and the user, except that all the communication has to come about by the appearance of the device itself. The device must explain itself.” DesignCommunicationAppearanceDesignerDevicesUsersGood Design Author:Donald A. Norman
“The designer shouldn't think of a simple dichotomy between errors and correct behavior; rather, the entire interaction should be treated as a cooperative endeavor between person and machine, one in which misconceptions can arise on either side.” ThinkingShouldPersonsSidesSimpleBehaviorMachinesErrorsAriseTreatedDesignerEndeavorInteractionMisconceptionCooperativesDichotomy Author:Donald A. Norman
“A challenge to the designers of the world: Make signs unnecessary.” WorldChallengesDesignDesignerUnnecessary Author:Donald A. Norman
“Everyday people are not very good designers.” PeopleEverydayVery GoodDesignerGood Design Author:Donald A. Norman
