A Review of "The Design of Everyday Things"

In Donald A. Norman's book, "The Design of Everyday Things", he presents many interesting viewpoint and considerations about how things are designed. Norman has several points he reiterates in a variety of ways, but much of the book is repeating the same thing in different ways and further derivations. One very important dichotomy presented in the book is difference between a user views a device and a designer views the device. Designers focus on functions, users focus on tasks. In order for users to correctly use something, they need to have a mental model of the device, which the designer can only communicate to them through the device itself. The designer can do this in a variety of ways, including visibility and feedback. Many of the specific points he makes about technological designs have been addressed, and some of the prominent technology is no longer used commonly (i.e. VCR's), so the book may feel dated, but the principles communicated and the message behind the book.

Overall, I would recommend it to anyone interested in design.