The Design of Everyday Things - Revised and Expanded Edition: Preface Summary

Introduction

• Author: Don Norman
• Narrator: Neil Hill Agurs
• Purpose: To serve as a starter kit for good design; enjoyable and informative for everyone.

Goals and Audience

• Original Goal: To turn listeners into critical observers of design, both poor and good.
• Target Audience: Everyday people, technical people, designers, and non-designers.
• Outcome: Enable people to select, use, and understand products better.

Good vs. Bad Design

• Good Design: Invisible, fits needs so well it goes unnoticed.
• Bad Design: Noticeable, screams out its inadequacies.
• Objective: To lay out principles to eliminate problems and turn everyday products into enjoyable ones.

Reason for Revised Edition

• Technological Changes: Since the first edition, technology like cellphones and the Internet has become ubiquitous.
• Outdated Examples: Original examples (e.g., slide projectors) no longer relevant.
• New Topics: Introduction of Human-Centered Design (HCD), emotional design, understanding business.

Expanded Content

• Human-Centered Design (HCD): Now has a dedicated chapter.
• Emotion in Design: Included to reflect its importance in user experience.
• Industry Insights: Includes real-world complexities like cost, schedule, and competition.
• Retained Brevity: Effort made to keep the reading experience concise.

Chapter By Chapter Updates

Chapter 1: The Psychopathology of Everyday Things

• Key Addition: Concept of signifiers (signals of what can be done).
• HCD Introduction: Brief section added on HCD.

Chapter 2: The Psychology of Everyday Actions

• New Addition: Emotion added to the seven-stage model of action.
• Three-Level Model: Visceral, Behavioral, and Reflective stages of processing.

Chapter 3: Knowledge in the Head and in the World

• New Section: Culture and its influence on natural mappings.
• Examples: Updated and improved.

Chapter 4: Knowing What to Do - Constraints, Discoverability, and Feedback

• Changes: Better examples, elaboration of lock-in and lock-out as forcing functions.
• New Example: Destination control elevators.

Chapter 5: Human Error - No Bad Design

• Updates: Classification of errors (slips and mistakes) revised.
• Design Implications: More relevant examples and discussion of automation.

Chapter 6: Design Thinking

• Entirely New Chapter
  • Double Diamond Model: British Design Council's model for HCD.
  • Activity-Centered Design: Alternative to HCD.
  • Norman’s Law: Design reality in industrial settings.

Chapter 7: Design in the World of Business

• Entirely New Chapter
  • Feature-itis: Overloading products with features.
  • Incremental vs. Radical Innovation: Most innovations are incremental; radical ones are rare and often slow to be accepted.
  • Future Trends: Role of small, do-it-yourself makers.

Conclusion

• Timeless Principles: While technology and culture change, the psychological principles of human cognition, emotion, and action remain constant.
• Adaptation Necessary: Principles must be adapted to new activities, technologies, and methods.

Author Note: Don Norman, Silicon Valley, California.