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Who is Don Norman (Donald Arthur Norman)?
Today we call ourselves UX designers, creating websites, apps, and other digital products. UX is now a crucial part of what we do—we cannot think of design without considering the user experience.
But the interesting fact is that before 1993, there was no term called "UX" or "user experience." Don Norman(Donald Arthur Norman) was the first person to have this title when he worked at Apple as a designer for their products.
He completed his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his Ph.D. in Psychology and M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Having knowledge of these two different worlds gave him insights that ordinary people were not seeing.
He noticed that machines were designed very differently from how people actually used them - they weren't working together well. This insight led him to become an advocate for human-centered design, creating products with human cognitive abilities in mind.
While everyone else was focused on making humans adapt their work style to machines, Norman took the opposite approach. He advocated for changing machines to better suit the natural human way of doing things, ensuring people wouldn't struggle to use them.
His contribution to design based on the understanding of human cognitive ability was huge.
He basically helped shape the future of design through cognitive design principles. His work in cognitive science focused on how people process information and make decisions, and creating designs to assist them in that process.
What were his contributions to design?
Let me share with you some amazing ways Don Norman revolutionized design - his ideas are still shaping how we create things today!
1. Human-Centered Design Approach
Norman had this wonderful insight that design should put people first - focusing on what users need and how they think, rather than just what's technically possible. He really cared about understanding how real people interact with things!
2. Cognitive Design Principles
He came up with some super helpful principles that make design more intuitive:
- Visibility: Making sure you can easily spot important features (like finding your favorite button right away!)
- Feedback: Giving friendly responses when you do something (like a gentle "got it!" message)
- Mapping: Creating natural connections that just make sense (like turning a steering wheel)
- Constraints: Adding helpful guardrails to keep you on the right track
3. Affordances and Signifiers
Norman introduced these friendly design hints that help you figure out how to use things naturally - like a door handle that practically whispers "pull me!"
4. Error-Tolerant Design
He championed the idea that good design should be forgiving - because hey, we all make mistakes sometimes!
5. Emotional Design Theory
Norman showed us that great design should connect with people on three lovely levels:
- Visceral level (that instant "wow!" feeling)
- Behavioral level (how smoothly things work)
- Reflective level (creating lasting happy memories)
6. Standardization of UX Terminology
He helped create a shared language that brings designers together, making it easier for everyone to talk about creating amazing experiences!
His inspiring work continues to guide designers in creating experiences that truly understand and care about how people think and feel.
Books and resources created by him
Let me share with you the amazing books and resources that Don Norman has created to help shape our understanding of design and user experience!
Must-Read Books
- The Design of Everyday Things (1988) - His fantastic masterpiece that started it all, originally called "The Psychology of Everyday Things"
- Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things (2004) - A fascinating look at how our feelings shape our experience with design
- Living with Complexity (2010) - A friendly guide to making complex systems more manageable
- The Design of Future Things (2007) - An exciting peek into how we'll interact with machines tomorrow
- Things That Make Us Smart (1993) - A delightful exploration of how technology can boost our abilities
More Amazing Resources
- Nielsen Norman Group Articles - Wonderful insights shared regularly through his consulting firm
- Academic Papers - Fascinating research that bridges cognitive science and how we interact with computers
- Lectures and Talks - Inspiring presentations where Don shares his wisdom at conferences and schools
FAQs
Hey! Want to know what makes Don Norman so special?
Don Norman is the creative mind behind the term "User Experience" and wrote the game-changing book "The Design of Everyday Things." He's also the friendly genius who showed us how to design things with people in mind!
What cool things did he do at Apple?
Don Norman blazed the trail as Apple's very first User Experience Architect, and later became their VP of Advanced Technology from 1993 to 1998. Pretty impressive, right?
Tell me about the Nielsen Norman Group!
Think of it as a super-helpful design consultancy that Don Norman started with his friend Jakob Nielsen in 1998. They're like design superheroes, helping companies create better experiences for everyone!
What are his amazing design principles?
Don Norman came up with some really clever ideas like visibility (making things easy to find), feedback (letting you know what's happening), mapping (making things feel natural), and more. He also believes design should be forgiving and make you feel good!
What did he study in school?
Don Norman's got quite the brain! He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, plus an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
How does he explain User Experience?
Don Norman sees User Experience as this wonderful mix of everything that happens when people interact with a company, its services, and products. It's not just about making things work - it's about making people happy while using them!
