Norman Doors are Not Your Fault

“Wrong” doors are… everywhere.  I don’t have any in my home, but I definitely have them within a block of home.  Dozens within a mile.  All over at work.  I even see them at doctors’ offices and hospitals.

It’s surprising to me how blind some designers seem to these issues, and how little of this kind of thing is in building codes.

Now, let’s not even talk about the same problems on digital screens.  TiVo puts right information… in the wrong places.  I get radio buttons for “pick as many as apply” but I get check-boxes for “choose exactly one.”  In the same app.

Today is your lucky (?) day.  You get an intro to Don Norman.  If you go on to read his book, then you will become sensitive to how very seemingly obvious design principles are not so obvious.  You will see the formerly invisible errors that just about everyone has put just about everywhere.

You’re welcome.

but I think I am glad you don’t know where I live

via Kottke