The Design of Future Things: The Highlights
Highlights by Emily Salerno
To begin this write up, no George Jetson did not fly down from his space ship to help me as I read this. Though I wish he had. His family is the poster family of the future.
The Facts
Donald A. Norman wrote this novel as sort of a sequel to his first book The Design of Everyday Things (Amazon: http://amzn.to/1wxb8UD). The book was about 192 pages if we do not include the index, references, etc. It was a fairly easy read, and it seemed like a lecture class just typed up in a book. He uses a conversational tone which, as a Communication Studies major, I love! He used very little pictures, and they were only in black and white. And just to make you even more jealous, he signed my book. That’s right. I have an autographed copy of The Design of Future Things (Amazon: http://amzn.to/10wkwgI. Disclaimer-yours will probably not be autographed). Thanks Amazon for that little surprise. Here’s some proof so you know I’m not lying:
The Main Premise (in my opinion)
Norman seemed to primarily focus on finding the proper balance between people vs machine control, and how we will communicate with such an object. As machines become more and more powerful, they need to be socialized and integrated into society by improving their communication strategies. This personification of a machine made me think twice about how much we rely on technology. Where is the balance in human vs machine control? Norman uses a horse + rider example to elaborate on this delicate balance. When riding a horse, there is either “tight reins” (the rider is the primary controller) or “loose reins” (the horse is the primary controller). Skilled riders are constantly switching back and forth in a seamless negotiation depending on the circumstance. This level of symbiosis (as J.C.R Licklider puts it) is the ultimate goal between human and machine interaction. This resulting collaboration results in outcomes and thinking processes that either could not have been capable of alone.
Rules…because even creativity needs boundaries
We’ve been given rules. These rules give the best overview of the whole book. Let’s do this, Donald Norman.
- Provide rich, complex, and natural signals.
Your dishwasher beeps when it is done. Your tea kettle whistles when it has boiled. With all of the new appliances and machinery that is about to inhabit our dwellings, the “done” beeping symbol with lose all meaning, clarity, and will quite frankly be incredibly annoying. A simple vibration, small light, or notification will do the trick.
2. Be predictable
If a machine and a human are trying to predict the actions of another, confusion will ensue. This obviously brings up the question of who should be the predictable element? The Playbook element gives users a repertoire of possible solutions that the machine would use. This will allow the user to know exactly what the machine is doing and why. It also gives the user a personalized experience. That’s symbiosis y’all.
3. Provide good, conceptual models
This is simple. People like concepts they can understand.
4. Make the output understandable
Your product should be one that people can understand easily and quickly. No one wants to go through a manual the size of the O-Chem textbook.
5. Provide continual awareness without annoyance
This goes back to the natural signals. Users should know the product is there but it should not become a burden.
6. Exploit natural mappings
Controls should be laid out in a manner that is spatially similar to that of the devices they control.
Will robots ever be a main part of our society? With their lack of human reasoning, Norman believes they will serve a functional purpose only. We will never be able to have a robot that expresses and conveys feelings, understands why we want what we want, and the potential exceptions to their programmable ways. Donald Norman does an excellent job of easing readers’ fears of a robot-run society one day. A society without reasoning is something I fear the most.
