Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hpcvlx!bturner
From: bturner@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com (Bill Turner)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Psychology of Everyday Things (POET)
Message-ID: <104090004@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com>
Date: 27 Nov 89 18:34:51 GMT
References: <1989Nov20.231902.3349@apcipdx>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
Lines: 27

/ hpcvlx:comp.software-eng / rwl@apcipdx (Rob Lucke) /  3:19 pm  Nov 20, 1989 /

  I just finished reading "The Psychology of Everyday Things" by
Donald A. Norman (ISBN 0-465-06709-3) and am wondering what the net
thought about the information presented.  I think it should be
required reading for anyone designing user interfaces, software or
otherwise.  How about it, has anyone else read it?  Comments?

----------------------

I mostly enjoyed the work.  The tack that was taken (by showing how everyday
things work/don't work, rather than computer systems) was good, but caused me
some problems.  The principles of design should move into computer systems, and
I think I see how some can easily, but I think someone more design-minded than
I needs to push this...  (CHI?)

The assertion that design should be done by those who are trained in it I found
important.  After reading this, I've looked at some of the stuff I've done and
winced.  (I don't know how extensive this training should be, and whether or not
programmers can be trained in user-centered design.)

Overall very good, making me think about how things work in general, and what
could be done to make computers easier to use (and please, do NOT say "user
friendly.").

--Bill Turner (bturner@hp-pcd.hp.com)
HP Corvallis Information Systems


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