El diseño no tiene por qué ser complicado, por eso esta guía de diseño centrado en el ser humano muestra
que la usabilidad es tan importante como la estética. Incluso los más inteligentes
pueden sentirse ineptos al no saber qué interruptor de la luz o del horno
hay que encender, o si hay que empujar, tirar o deslizar una puerta. La
culpa, argumenta este ingenioso —incluso liberador— libro, no la
tenemos nosotros, sino el diseño de productos que ignora las
necesidades de los usuarios y los principios de la psicología cognitiva.
Los problemas van desde los controles ambiguos y ocultos hasta las
relaciones arbitrarias entre controles y funciones, pasando por la falta
de retroalimentación u otro tipo de ayuda y las exigencias irrazonables de
memorización. El diseño de los objetos cotidianos muestra que un diseño
bueno y usable es posible. Las reglas son sencillas: hacer que las cosas
sean visibles, explotar las relaciones naturales que unen función y
control, y hacer un uso inteligente de las restricciones. El objetivo: guiar
al usuario sin esfuerzo hacia la acción correcta en el control correcto en
el momento adecuado. El diseño de los objetos cotidianos es un poderoso
manual sobre cómo —y por qué— algunos productos satisfacen a los
clientes y otros solo los frustran
Why attractive things work better and other crucial insights into human-centered design
Emotions are inseparable from how we humans think, choose, and act. In Emotional Design, cognitive scientist Don Norman shows how the principles of human psychology apply to the invention and design of new technologies and products. In The Design of Everyday Things, Norman made the definitive case for human-centered design, showing that good design demanded that the user's must take precedence over a designer's aesthetic if anything, from light switches to airplanes, was going to work as the user needed. In this book, he takes his thinking several steps farther, showing that successful design must incorporate not just what users need, but must address our minds by attending to our visceral reactions, to our behavioral choices, and to the stories we want the things in our lives to tell others about ourselves. Good human-centered design isn't just about making effective tools that are straightforward to use; it's about making affective tools that mesh well with our emotions and help us express our identities and support our social lives. From roller coasters to robots, sports cars to smart phones, attractive things work better. Whether designer or consumer, user or inventor, this book is the definitive guide to making Norman's insights work for you.
The ultimate guide to human-centered design
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-book, 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.