Book Review: The Design of Everyday Things

Author: Don Norman

Originally published: 2013

It is fascinating to see how design makes itself felt in everything we do. Consider entering or exiting swinging doors or finding the right tube light switch in a hall with many switches. How many times did you get it wrong? The "Undo" button in Word may have saved you a lot of pain and sweat. The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman offers a captivating exploration of how design permeates our daily experiences. Good design, as Norman eloquently states, tends to be inconspicuous, while poor design can lead to frustration and confusion.

Initially, as one embarks on this 300+ page journey, it might appear that the book leans heavily towards psychology and anthropology. Many references and novel ideas within the book touch upon these "mind-boggling" fields. This is entirely fitting, as the way we think profoundly shapes the world through the objects we create. In fact, the book's original title, "The Psychology of Everyday Things" or "The POET," underscores this connection.

"The Design of Everyday Things" is a must-read for designers, particularly those with a passion for creation. The writing style strikes a balance between being friendly and academic. Through references, well-reasoned arguments, and an exploration of the human mind, the book lays the groundwork for best practices in designing not only physical objects like door knobs or buildings but also marketing materials, blogs, and software.

In "The Design of Everyday Things," Don Norman highlights the essence of design as creating delightful experiences rather than mere aesthetics. He underscores two pivotal aspects: discoverability and understanding, essential for crafting user-friendly products and interfaces. Norman's insights extend to the balance between immediate feedback and information overload. He emphasizes that good design is an intricate, multidisciplinary, and iterative process, exemplified through practical examples. Emotion's underestimated role in design and its impact on value judgments are explored, along with psychological aspects like "Learned helplessness" resulting from poor design. The book introduces practical tools such as the "Five Whys" technique for troubleshooting, challenging the notion of design errors and shedding light on everyday lapses, emphasizing the importance of rules-based mistakes in design evaluation.

In conclusion, "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman is an enlightening journey into the multifaceted world of design. Norman's work serves as a cornerstone for designers and creators, offering invaluable insights into the principles underpinning effective and user-friendly design. Whether you are crafting physical products or digital experiences, this book provides a comprehensive and enlightening guide to the art and science of design, emphasizing its profound influence on our daily lives.