Book Reading #18: Design of Everyday Things

Chapter 6
Summary
Chapter 6 focused on the different challenges a designer faces when designing a new product. He discussed how certain negative forces like the demands of time and the pressure to be distinctive work against evolutionary design. Norman also outlined the history of the typewriter and the design difficulties of the faucet. He outlined the different reasons why designers go astray: they put aesthetics first, they are not typical users and they’re clients may not be users. He also discussed creeping featurism and the worshiping of complexity, two temptations designers face. Norman concluded by relating the design issues discussed to computers.

Discussion
My favorite part of the chapter was the discussion of the history of the typewriter and the discussion on the faucet designs. I think we’ve all encountered a few faucets in our day that were designed poorly and left us with soapy hands or burned our fingers.