"The Design of Everyday Things" (“DOET”) by Don Norman is a classic book on design that has had a significant impact on the field of design and beyond. The book's central message is that good design should be user-centred, making products and systems intuitive and easy to use. While the book is primarily focused on design, its principles and insights are relevant to everyday living in a variety of contexts.
One of the more obvious takeaways from the book is the importance of understanding human psychology and behaviour in designing products and systems. Norman argues that many products are poorly designed because they fail to take into account how users think, feel, and behave. By taking a human-centred approach to design, he argues, designers can create products that are more intuitive, efficient, and satisfying to use.
This message has resonated not just with designers, but with anyone who has ever struggled with a poorly designed product or system. From kitchen appliances to computer software, we interact with countless products and systems every day, and the principles of good design outlined in the book can help us make sense of our interactions and improve our experiences. By understanding how products and systems are designed, we can better navigate them and use them more effectively
Another key theme of the book is the idea of affordances, which refers to the perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it should be used. Understanding affordances is important not just for designers, but for anyone who wants to use products and systems effectively. By recognising the affordances of objects in our environment, we can interact with them more intuitively and efficiently.
Can the content of “DOET” be a tool for personal development?
The simple answer is Yes, "The Design of Everyday Things" (“DOET”) can be a helpful book beyond the realm of product design. On one hand it encourages us to be more critical and thoughtful about the products and systems we use, and to demand better design that is more user-centred and intuitive. On the other it provides practical remedies which are not only relevant to the field of design, but applicable in our everyday lives as well. The book's core principles can be applied to a wide range of situations and challenges in daily life, from improving communication to enhancing personal productivity.
For instance, the book emphasises the importance of understanding the needs and abilities of the users when designing products. Similarly, in our personal lives, it is essential to understand ourselves and our limitations to improve our own experiences. By knowing our strengths and weaknesses, we can tailor our actions and decisions to our individual abilities and goals, leading to more successful outcomes.
The book also highlights the importance of feedback and iteration in design, which can be translated to personal development. By seeking feedback from others and reflecting on our own actions and experiences, we can learn and improve ourselves continuously. This can be applied to personal growth and development, such as setting personal goals and tracking progress, seeking feedback from peers, and reflecting on our own behaviours.
In addition, the concept of affordances (the perceived or actual properties of an object that suggest how it should be used) can be applied to personal productivity. By creating an environment that affords productive behaviours and discourages distractions, we can better focus on our work and accomplish more in less time.
Overall, "The Design of Everyday Things" (“DOET”) is a highly accessible and thought-provoking book that has had a lasting impact on the field of design and beyond. Its insights and principles can help us navigate the often-confusing world of products and systems and make our interactions with them more satisfying and efficient. It also provides valuable insights and principles that can be applied beyond product design and into personal development and self-improvement. By understanding how these principles impact our daily lives, we can become more thoughtful, intentional, and successful in achieving our goals.