54 pages • 1 hour read
Donald NormanThe Design of Everyday Things
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1988A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman, an American expert in design and usability, explores the intricate relationship between design and user experience, advocating for human-centered and multidisciplinary approaches. Through psychological insights, case studies, and anecdotes, Norman emphasizes principles like affordances, signifiers, constraints, mappings, and feedback to guide user interaction.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Donald Norman's The Design of Everyday Things is lauded for its insightful analysis on user-centered design, emphasizing intuitive usability. Readers appreciate its practical examples and accessible language. However, some find it overly repetitive and dated in parts. Overall, it's a must-read for those interested in improving product design and usability.
Who Should Read The Design of Everyday Things?
Readers who appreciate The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman enjoy thoughtful insights into design principles and human interaction with objects. Fans of books like Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman and Hooked by Nir Eyal will find Norman's analysis engaging and valuable. They seek to understand usability from both a psychological and practical standpoint.