rwl@apcipdx (Rob Lucke) (11/21/89)
I just finished reading "The Psychology of Everyday Things" by Donald A. Norman (ISBN 0-465-06709-3) and am wondering what the net thought about the information presented. I think it should be required reading for anyone designing user interfaces, software or otherwise. How about it, has anyone else read it? Comments? -- Rob Lucke (503)682-8288\ / hpupora!apcipdx!rwl \ / Hewlett-Packard (sales) \/tektronix!mntgfx!apcipdx!rwl\/ Memory fault. 9255 S.W. Pioneer Court /\ or /\ Core Dumped. Wilsonville, OR 97070 / \ apcipdx!rwl@apollo.com / \ You have new mail.
bturner@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com (Bill Turner) (11/28/89)
/ hpcvlx:comp.software-eng / rwl@apcipdx (Rob Lucke) / 3:19 pm Nov 20, 1989 / I just finished reading "The Psychology of Everyday Things" by Donald A. Norman (ISBN 0-465-06709-3) and am wondering what the net thought about the information presented. I think it should be required reading for anyone designing user interfaces, software or otherwise. How about it, has anyone else read it? Comments? ---------------------- I mostly enjoyed the work. The tack that was taken (by showing how everyday things work/don't work, rather than computer systems) was good, but caused me some problems. The principles of design should move into computer systems, and I think I see how some can easily, but I think someone more design-minded than I needs to push this... (CHI?) The assertion that design should be done by those who are trained in it I found important. After reading this, I've looked at some of the stuff I've done and winced. (I don't know how extensive this training should be, and whether or not programmers can be trained in user-centered design.) Overall very good, making me think about how things work in general, and what could be done to make computers easier to use (and please, do NOT say "user friendly."). --Bill Turner (bturner@hp-pcd.hp.com) HP Corvallis Information Systems
kan@dg-rtp.dg.com (Victor Kan) (11/28/89)
In article <1989Nov20.231902.3349@apcipdx> rwl@apcipdx (Rob Lucke) writes: > > I just finished reading "The Psychology of Everyday Things" by >Donald A. Norman (ISBN 0-465-06709-3) and am wondering what the net >thought about the information presented. I read the book for a class in HCI and loved it. As Arsenio Hall would say, this book makes you say "Hmmm..." about Everyday Things, including computers. Another book we used was Ben Schneiderman's Designing the User Interface. Schneiderman's book never made me think "Hmmm..."; instead, it made me go "Yawn." Rather than expressing simple yet brilliant ideas, as Norman does, Schneiderman gives endless lists of does and don'ts. >I think it should be >required reading for anyone designing user interfaces, software or >otherwise. How about it, has anyone else read it? Comments? POET is this and more. All civilized human beings must read Norman's book, or our world will come to a violent end caused by user/consumer frustrations. >Rob Lucke (503)682-8288\ / hpupora!apcipdx!rwl \ / >Hewlett-Packard (sales) \/tektronix!mntgfx!apcipdx!rwl\/ Memory fault. >9255 S.W. Pioneer Court /\ or /\ Core Dumped. >Wilsonville, OR 97070 / \ apcipdx!rwl@apollo.com / \ You have new mail. | Victor Kan | I speak only for myself. | *** | Data General Corporation | Edito cum Emacs, ergo sum. | **** | 62 T.W. Alexander Drive | Columbia Lions Win, 9 October 1988 for | **** %%%% | RTP, NC 27709 | a record of 1-44. Way to go, Lions! | *** %%%