The Design of Everyday Things

This article discusses the issue that designers face in that they must create documents and products that are accessible and comprehendible to all users. Designers also have to make sure that their work eliminates any potential for technical or creational flaws. This can be done through using the design technique of visibility, a method of illustrating or visualizing the correct method in which to use something from an observable object. There are both explicit and interpreted visibility signs that designers can keep in mind when coming up with their works. There are three aspects that go into the visible structure of how things work:

1. Affordance- the actual properties of the object in question that determine its use.

2. Constraints- created by the designer; the constraints are deliberate and purposeful so that the intent of the material is reflected in the design.

3. Mapping- Mapping provides the user with a “set of possible operations” of a certain object (p. 12). Also, natural mapping is when a visible connection between what you want to do and what is possible with the object is possible.

The author also uses this piece in order to analyze the idea of blame when it comes to the usability of designs. Sometimes, when a design task becomes difficult and causes a person to fail, he will have a tendency to blame the environment around him rather than himself. On the other hand, if the design aids to his success, he will not hesitate to give the credit to himself. Finally, there is the phenomenon of learned helplessness. This is when a task is so hard that the user will conclude that the task is simply impossible.

Designers are tasked with the job of making their instructions as simple as possible in order to compensate for the tendency of human error. Good design reduces competition between blaming one's self and one's environment. There are several questions that allow designers to create an easily operational product and that can determine the functionality of a device:

1. Tell what actions are possible?

2. Tell if system is in a desired state?

3. Determine mapping from intention to physical movement?

4. Determine mapping from system state to interpretation?

5. Perform the action?

6. Tell what state the system is in?

Going back to the idea of constraints listed above, the author provides certain types of constraints that affect how a task is perceived by the user:

1. Physical- limits the things that can physically be accomplished, but it is purposeful so it can prevent the wrong actions for happening

2. Sematic-depends on the situation at hand in order to conclude what actions should follow

3. Cultural- relies on the situation of a social environment and how to respond using social rules

4. Logical- come as a result from logical factors

The overall message that the author is trying to convey is that the designer must always keep the user in mind. The designer can do this by limiting the possibility of mistakes through only including required information in their designs.