This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

Anomaly ~ G. Wade Johnson Anomaly Home G. Wade Home

February 15, 2004

Review of The Design of Everyday Things

The Design of Everyday Things
Donald A. Norman
Doubleday, 1988

I know this isn't a book on programming, but it is a very good book on design. Norman shows design mistakes in everyday items like door handles and stoves, as well as nuclear power plants and trains. He also introduces design principles that you can use when creating software. Some examples include

  • Controls that do different things should look different.
  • Make relevant parts visible.
  • Give an action obvious and immediate feedback.

He also discusses affordances and uses the concept to explain why we push on doors marked pull.

This is a must-read book anyone who does any kind of design. If you are writing or designing software, this means you.

Posted by GWade at February 15, 2004 09:24 AM. Email comments
Copyright 2004, G. Wade Johnson. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License 2.5.