Book Reading #1: Chapter 4

The Design of Everyday Things

By: Donald A. Norman

Chapter 4
This chapter works to explain in more detail the properties that are needed for a natural interaction.  Dr. Norman categorizes constraints that can limit how intuitive a design is to a user.  I found the constraints to make a lot of sense, and I think it is helpful in understanding the troubles people may have with the design that I would not have thought of.  He states that there are always  problems with designs that the makers have no way of realizing without having user testing.  The rest of the chapter talks about problems with commonly occurring devices such as switches.  In my parents house there is a row of four light switches, and after 10+ years living in that house I still do not hit the switch I want on the first try.  Dr. Norman also talks about feedback at the end of the chapter which I found very interesting.  I strongly believe in having input.  I always get very annoyed when I am installing or running a program and it does not display a status bar or anything that would hint at progress.  Informative feedback is always needed for any type of process or action.