The Design of Everyday Things

THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY THINGS

by Don Norman

Why do people struggle with everyday products, like doors that are confusing to open, or remote controls with too many buttons? The problem lies with poor designs that ignore how people actually think and act. This book present 7 psychology-grounded design principles and the iterative process of human-centered design to create products that are intuitive, safe, and satisfying to use.

In this summary, you’ll learn:

• Why human-centered design matters and how product experience works through the 7-stage action cycle and 3 experience levels.
• How to identify and solve the right problem using design thinking, then discover and define great solutions using the 7 principles of good design.
• How good design reduces memory load through external cues, conventions, and visible information, and how to prevent human error by differentiating slips vs mistakes and using “forcing functions” to limit dangerous or wrong actions.

Who should read this:

• Product designers, UX professionals, and engineers who want timeless principles for building intuitive, error-resistant products.
• Managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who creates tools, systems, or processes.