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  • The Design of Everyday Things

  • Revised and Expanded Edition
  • By: Don Norman
  • Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
  • Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (349 ratings)
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The Design of Everyday Things

By: Don Norman
Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
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Summary

Design doesn't have to be complicated, which is why this guide to human-centered design shows that usability is just as important as aesthetics.

Even the smartest among us can feel inept as we fail to figure out which light switch or oven burner to turn on, or whether to push, pull, or slide a door. The fault, argues this ingenious - even liberating - audiobook, lies not in ourselves, but in product design that ignores the needs of users and the principles of cognitive psychology. The problems range from ambiguous and hidden controls to arbitrary relationships between controls and functions, coupled with a lack of feedback or other assistance and unreasonable demands on memorization.

The Design of Everyday Things shows that good, usable design is possible. The rules are simple: make things visible, exploit natural relationships that couple function and control, and make intelligent use of constraints. The goal: guide the user effortlessly to the right action on the right control at the right time.

The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how - and why - some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2013 Don Norman (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Even classics can be updated and improved.... Highly recommended." (Choice)

"This book changed the field of design. As the pace of technological change accelerates, the principles in this book are increasingly important. The new examples and ideas about design and product development make it essential reading." (Patrick Whitney, dean, Institute of Design, and Steelcase/Robert C. Pew professor of design, Illinois Institute of Technology)

"Twenty-five years ago The Design of Everyday Things was instrumental in orienting my approach to design. With this latest revised and expanded edition, Don Norman has given me a host of new ideas to explore as well as reminding me of the fundamental principles of great and meaningful design. Part operating manual for designers and part manifesto on the power of designing for people, The Design of Everyday Things is even more relevant today than it was when first published." (Tim Brown, CEO, IDEO, and author of Change by Design)

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  • 02-05-19

Audio quality issue

Great narrator giving life to book and very easy to understand but poor audio quality, voice sounds distorted.

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very informative

found it very technical in parts but still understandable. book didn't have a natural flow so one should take it as reference guide than a story of design thinking.

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Useful thought provoking

I enjoyed the book, a great overview at the fundamentals of design thinking.
I have experienced many of the same things that he discusses in his anecdotes although I don’t agree with his conclusions I will leave it to others to make up their mind.

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Timely reboot

I first came across this book 20 years ago as an undergraduate in product design, I never got to read all of it... I'm thrilled to have finally gone through all of it, and even more about the extra bonus of new relevant parts Don included... Many will tell you this book will change your life and is the foundation for any designer... I think if everyone read this, the world could be a better place.

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Fantastic

I’ve recently embarked on a journey into the world of UX/UI design, and the lessons I have learnt from this book are something that will stick with me my entire life. The examples, the explanations, the breakdowns, the look back into history, the ease of digestibility. Really really enjoyable and I highly recommend for anybody wanting to know about the fundamentals of design. Ve

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Excellent overview of design

Very useful for non designers, but sometimes felt it could be a bit more concise.

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Design simply explained

Loved the end note on how to be more sustainable and less consumerist! We can all decide and vote with our purchases

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Great content, but a little boring

I'm glad to have read the design of everyday things, it's offered numerous ideas which I will try to implement in my work. I will admit however that I found it a bit of a struggle to finish. Many of the concepts discussed are similar. The repetition caused me to find this book a little boring.

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fantastic

fantastic! a wonderful way of looking at the world which I have already adopted

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It Is A Masterpiece

It's a masterpiece for the people who are interested in design (to be frank everyone must read/listen to it), from the very bottom to the top.

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