The Design of Everyday Things
by Don Norman
Published 1988
★★★★★
The essential guide to human-centered design principles
My review
Don Norman's classic on design psychology explores why some objects are intuitive to use while others frustrate us endlessly.
Core Concepts
- Affordances: Visual clues about how something works
- Feedback: Confirming that an action had an effect
- Constraints: Limiting possible actions to prevent errors
- Mapping: Spatial relationship between controls and effects
Why It Matters
This book changed how we think about design. Norman shows that when people struggle with everyday objects, it's usually the designer's fault, not the user's.
The principles apply to everything from door handles to complex software systems.
Essential reading for designers, engineers, and anyone who creates things people use.