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Don Norman

Don Norman is a researcher, professor and author working in the fields of design, usability engineering and cognitive science. In 1986 he introduced the term human-centered-design, which is a term for a design sector that focusses on the user. We should design for people and their needs first.

Because of Norman’s active engagement in design psychology he established the term „Norman‘s doors“. This designation summarizes all doors that show unlogical opening mechanisms (see examples below)

The development of human-centered-design

Products haven‘t always been ergo dynamic and handy. Before the industrial revolution, furniture was established as decoration or assesory. The comfortable usage of daily objects has been very low. This trend changed with the mass production, where objects needed to be produced and shipped quickly. During the following Bauhaus era objects were created for the shape and anatomy of the user. The main thesis said:

Form follows function

Don Norman’s main ideas

Norman demands a closer collaboration between design, psychology and technology to provide mistakes in product mechanisms and ergo dynamics. Thus, Norman points out that design is about psychology, human needs, and how humans interact with machines. Humans shouldn’t be expected to conform to machines and the design should reflect this aspect.

An important key phrase in the book marks the term discoverability, which consists of different sub-phrases: affordances, signifiers, constraints, mappings and feedback.

affordances — determine what actions are possible (e.g. a chair is for sitting)

signifiers — communicate where the action should take place (e.g. a lightswitch is always next to the door)

constraints — limitations in application or use (e.g. a wooden door cannot hold two people above water)

mappings — relationship between two things (e.g. an arrow on the website to slide further)

feedback — communicating the result of an action back to the user (e.g. light signal of a pushed button at traffic lights)

Human errors

Another major topic is Norman‘s view on the user. To minimize the amount of frustration in daily life, the author visualizes the thoughts of a user struggling with a defective product.

Norman points out that the human error of misunderstanding or misinterpreting a product or mechanism cannot be derived from the failure of the user. It is the failure of the product!

To investigate the roots of this „human error“ one must ask the struggling user the five (ore more) “Why‘s“. By constantly asking „Why“ like a curious child, the designer is able to explore the bottom of the failed user interface. Here is an example:

Why are you frustrated? Because I made myself a complete fool today!

Why? Because I couldn‘t open the door to the gym.

Why couldn‘t you open it? Because the door knob was weird.

Why was it weird? Because it didn‘t show the pushing direction…

Why didn‘t it show the direction? Because it seemed clear for the designer that it was logical.

Would you know what restroom to use?

Important quotes

Two of the most important characteristics of good design are discoverability and understanding.

Chapter 1

‘Why are people having problems?’ They wonder. ‘You are being too logical’, I say. ‘You are designing for people the way you would like them to be, not for the way they really are.‘

Chapter 1

Human centered design is a design philosophy. It means starting with a good understanding of people and the needs that the design is intended to meet. This understanding comes about primarily through observation, for people themselves are often unaware of their true needs, even unaware of the difficulties they are encountering.

Chapter 1

Human error usually is a result of poor design: it should be called system error. Humans error continually; it is an intrinsic part of our nature. System design should take this into account.

Chapter 2

In general, people tend to think of innovation as being radical, major changes, whereas the most common and powerful form of it is actually small and incremental.

Chapter 7

My concluding theses

thesis 1

Design can simplify and accelerate processes in daily life and therefore increase the life standard.

Why?

When design and psychology as well as technology are combined, the resulting methods such as the „5 Why‘s“ can prevent system or design errors.

thesis 2

Design can support and push social and technological changes.

Why?

Design works as a connection between scientific achievements and users (e.g. new interface for the iPhone with touch screen in 2007).