Book Reading #5 - Design of Everyday Things



Book Author: Donald A. Norman

CHAPTER 2: The Psychology of Everyday Actions

Summary

In this chapter, the author starts by explaining how people react to errors while using mechanical devices.
Humans will necessarily make errors when using devices and so Norman explains that when designing objects, the goal should be to minimize possible errors and their consequences. He also highlights the absurdity of humans blaming themselves when making errors with devices.
Norman gives examples of Aristotle's naive physics, which is the untrained human perception of physical phenomenons. Humans need to give some type of explanation to phenomenons which Norman qualifies as an explanatory nature. However this nature may lead to misunderstandings which can then lead to seriours consequences as in the case of an industrial plant. Norman then describes his seven stages of action :
Forming the goal, Forming the intention, Specifying an action, Executing  the action, Perceiving the state of the world, Interpreting the state of the world, and also Evaluating the outcome.
Norman then distinguishes two gulfs that can hinder us from achieving a desired action: gulfs of execution and gulfs of Evaluation. If a system is not designed properly,, there may be difficulties in knowing how to use a device, or difficulty in assessing whether we have achieve the actions we desire.
He finally describes how the seven stages of action can be used as design aids.


Discussion

While reading this chapter, I instantly thought about my experience in one of the HECC classrooms yesterday. Usually, I would unfold the work tablet tucked next to the seat by pulling towards me or by doing a swivel movement. In this case, I assumed the same mechanism would be used which was false. After a few tries I figured out that in order to set the tablet, I need to pull towards me in a diagonal motion. This did not occur to me eventhough one could see that tablet's axis was diagonal.
I think the seven stages of actions described by Norman are essential, but that the average person would probably rely on their current knowledge, however reliable that knowledge is.