9.24 The Design of Everyday Things

1. The author wanted to demonstrate ways we respond to design, either consciously or unconsciously. Many designs nowadays involve many advanced technologies. Theses advancements lead to more and more all in one and complex products. These complex products make it difficult for an understandable design to be created. The author’s key points included the use of natural designs. Natural designs are designs that we can figure out without have to consciously think about them. This allows for an easier awareness of how to use something. Also affordances of products constrain what we use products for. This also gives the consumer clues on how to use a product. The more complex and less logical the design is the less likely we are to remember it. Norman emphasizes the amount of psychology that can potentially enter into design. Due to human expectations and behavior certain designs are more suited or less suited for the brain to quickly figure out how to use it. Conceptual models are also discussed.

2. I had a very hard time using a microwave once. It had a plethora of buttons; however I couldn’t find one that simply let you heat something for a designated time. This shows a lack of adequate visibility of a basic button. Instead of the button being located somewhere which made sense or being clearly labeled it was hidden amongst many specialty buttons. This arises from mapping errors as discussed by Norman. If the most used button was mapped in an obvious or central location, it would be easier to identify.

3. The designers of iPod put a huge emphasis on using as few buttons as necessary to increase simplicity. Also they constructed a mental map through the scroll wheel, which aligns in the way it scrolls and the way the song lists scroll downward. Both the fast forward and rewind buttons are in locations that fit the conceptual model and mapping. It makes sense to us innately for fast forward to be to the right and rewind to be to the left. All the buttons on the iPod are clearly labeled, although most have more purposes than just the one labeled.However the iPod does not come with a manual. I am not sure if that is because they felt the product was so self explanatory or not, but I personally would have liked a manual with the iPod.