Design Psychology User Experience

The Design of Everyday Things (Summary)

by Don Norman

Have you ever felt stupid trying to open a door? You push when you should pull, or pull when you should push. Don Norman argues it's not your fault—it's the door's. When an object's design fails to communicate how it should be used, the object is to blame, not the user. This simple, frustrating experience with a 'Norman Door' is the key to understanding why so many products around us fail.

Blame the Design, Not Yourself

Good design is intuitive. If you can't figure out how to use something, it's a failure of design, not a failure of your intelligence. The best designs use visual cues called 'signifiers' to make the correct action obvious without needing instructions.

A flat metal plate on a door screams 'push', while a vertical bar handle invites you to 'pull'. When a designer puts a pull-handle on a door that needs to be pushed, they have created a 'Norman Door' and guaranteed user frustration.

Objects Tell You How to Use Them

Objects have 'affordances' (what they can do) and 'constraints' (limitations that guide action). A well-designed object uses these properties to naturally guide the user toward the correct action and prevent errors.

A pair of scissors has two holes that clearly afford putting your fingers through them. The small hole constrains you to using just a thumb, while the larger one allows for multiple fingers, guiding you to hold them correctly without a single word of instruction.

Feedback Is a Conversation with Your Device

For every action, there should be immediate and clear feedback. Feedback confirms that the system has received your command and shows you the result of your action, making you feel in control.

When you press a button on an elevator, it lights up. This simple feedback is crucial: it tells you 'The button worked, and I have registered your request to go to that floor.' Without it, you'd be left wondering if you need to press it again.

Design Must Bridge Two Gulfs

Users face two major challenges: the 'Gulf of Execution' (How do I make it do what I want?) and the 'Gulf of Evaluation' (Did it do what I wanted?). Great design provides a clear path to bridge both gaps.

An old, confusing thermostat creates a wide gulf. You don't know which dial does what (Execution) and the cryptic display doesn't tell you if you've successfully set the temperature (Evaluation). In contrast, a modern Nest thermostat lets you turn a dial and immediately shows the temperature changing on screen, bridging both gulfs instantly.

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