Why My Bus App Made Me Miss the Bus: Lessons from Don Norman’s ‘The Design of Everyday Things’
Understanding people is the first step to creating good product designs. Who is going to use it? Under what conditions? How will they use it? I think this chapter from Don Norman’s book helped me think about how people really do things.
When we first moved to Bloomington, I remember countless times when everyone was talking about how bad this one bus routing map app, called DoubleMap, was. It had colorful bus routes and 10 buses running at the same time, but for a first-time user, there was no legend showing what every color meant, what routes the buses would take, or when they would arrive. People were frustrated because they felt like they couldn’t figure out this simple task of understanding when their bus would arrive. At times, I blamed myself for not being able to figure out how to reach the grocery store, which meant I had to rely on someone who understood the bus app and could guide me. This felt frustrating at times.
My conceptual model was to understand how to get from point A to point B (this came from using countless map applications like Google Maps and Apple Maps). But this app just had a screen filled with different bus routes and no point A or point B. The options displayed different bus systems and their routes but had no option to select a specific bus route. Since the conceptual model was disturbed and there was no point A and point B, it was hard to figure out. I and many others ended up relying on the good old Google Maps app, which also had a live bus tracker and proper route displayed turn-by-turn.
Norman explains how we as designers should first learn how people do things and then design accordingly. There is a simple conceptual model of how people select things and then take action and how they interpret it.
The Gulf of Execution and Evaluation
The Gulf of Execution refers to the user’s effort to figure out how a system works. In contrast, the Gulf of Evaluation involves the user’s effort to determine if they achieved their goal and, if not, what steps are needed to reach it.
For this process to be smooth, designers must provide clear and appropriate feedback when the system fails to deliver the intended results. This helps users understand what went wrong and what they need to do next to achieve their goals. Without proper feedback, users often blame themselves, thinking they are incapable of using the system, when in fact, the system itself may be poorly designed and unable to perform even simple tasks.
Action and Evaluation
Action has two parts: Execution and Evaluation. Execution is basically doing, and Evaluation is interpreting. Norman talks about seven stages of action:
- Goal: Create a goal.
- Plan: What actions are we going to take?
- Specify: Specify an action sequence.
- Perform: Perform the action sequence.
- Perceive: Perceive the state of the world.
- Interpret: Interpret the perception.
- Compare: Compare the outcome with the goal.
This is the framework of how people do things and it acts like a guide for designers while designing things. Most of these stages in the human mind are done at a subconscious level and only when something goes wrong do we need to stop and conscious efforts come into the picture.
When using DoubleMap, my goal was to find the next bus to get to the grocery store (Goal). I planned to use the app to find the bus routes and schedules (Plan). However, the app’s interface did not specify a clear action sequence for me to follow (Specify). I tried to use the app by tapping on different routes, hoping to find the right one (Perform). I perceived a lot of confusion and frustration because the routes were unclear (Perceive). I interpreted that the app was not user-friendly and was not helping me achieve my goal (Interpret). Finally, I compared this outcome with my goal of getting to the grocery store and realized the app had failed me (Compare).
This personal experience reinforces Norman’s insights. Good design must understand the user’s needs and provide clear, actionable feedback. Reflecting on how DoubleMap failed to meet these standards has made me more conscious of designing user-friendly interfaces.
Design at All Levels
Norman also highlights the importance of addressing design at all three levels: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. The visceral level deals with our immediate, subconscious reactions. The behavioral level involves our learned actions and patterns. The reflective level is where we consciously think and make decisions.
For instance, when using DoubleMap, my immediate reaction (visceral) was confusion due to the cluttered interface. My learned actions (behavioral) from using other map apps didn’t apply well to DoubleMap, leading to frustration. Finally, my conscious decision (reflective) was to stop using DoubleMap and rely on Google Maps instead.
By understanding and designing for these levels, we can create products that not only meet users’ needs but also provide a satisfying and intuitive experience.
Conclusion
Understanding how people use everyday objects is key to creating designs that work well and are easy to use. The seven stages of action — goal, plan, specify, perform, perceive, interpret, and compare — help designers understand what users need and give clear feedback.
Thinking about personal experiences, like getting frustrated with the DoubleMap app, shows how important good design is. When users have trouble, it’s usually because of a design problem, not their fault. By focusing on how people feel and act, designers can make products that are both functional and enjoyable.
When we first moved to Bloomington, using the DoubleMap app was a big challenge in getting where we needed to go. This showed how important clear, easy-to-use design is for helping people reach their goals. Good design not only helps people get where they want to go but also makes the journey enjoyable.
In the end, good design isn’t just about fixing problems — it makes using technology smooth and pleasant. By learning from users and improving our designs, we can create products that meet their needs and make them happy. Don Norman’s book reminds us how much good design matters in everyday life. As designers, our aim should always be to help users reach their goals easily and happily, turning possible frustration into a positive experience.
References:
Norman, D. A. (2013). The psychology of everyday actions. In The design of everyday things (Revised and expanded ed., pp. 35–55). Basic Books.
