The Design of Everyday Things

By: Donald A. Norman

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

First, businesses discovered quality as a key competitive edge; next came science. Now, Donald A. Norman, former Director of the Institute for Cognitive Science at the University of California, reveals how smart design is the new frontier. The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how - and why - some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©1988 Donald A. Norman (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Provocative." ( Time)

Wrong format and old version

An audio book is not the ideal format for a book about design. The narrator makes several references to illustrations that are nowhere to be found.

Normally, I would be inclined to blame myself - I chose to purchase the audio format of a design book. However, one of the many things I learned from DOET is; it is not my fault. Selling this book in audio format is bad design...

Also, it seems there is an updated version of this book now in circulation. This audio book is significantly older and is the reading of the 2002 edition.

Great potential with disappointing follow through

Although many examples are dated the logic behind them can still be extrapolated and if you bear that in mind, this book will definitely provide some good perspectives that can be universally applied. Unfortunately this is a book that could have easily been condensed into a long essay and in fact would have probably been more effective if it had. That way it could easily be utilized as a reference guide when starting to develop or iterate designs. Having to pull this entire book out every time you need to design something new and refresh your memory is not practical and probably why Norman doors caught on but the application of this book did not. It displeases me to say that because ideally this book should have led to the development and practice of standards in design just as grammar and the dictionary exist as standards of language. The book is on the right track but unfortunately plateaus and by about half way through I felt like I was slogging through a little too much waxing poetic and not enough direct and compelling content. Alas such is the tendency of books written by those in higher ed (much like many lectures - full of opinions and rarely any empirical data - this book being no exception). As some others have put it, it can come across a little superficial but then again to put this in perspective this was written at a time when such concepts such as standardization in design hardly existed and establishing a general (and in many ways superficial) foundation was actually quite the task. I would expect much more from a book written on the same subject today. Which begs the question, why hasn’t a follow up book to this been written? It’s been 30 years since this came out. No one else has been able to apply and develop the concepts in this book to further improve design? Unfortunately the evidence speaks for itself. All in all, still a worthwhile read even if at times it lulls. Oh and don’t get the second edition. I made that mistake before quitting and moving to this version.

Somewhat outdated, but still relevant in basics.

The book sounds amusing now when topics of computers and innovative technology are touched. Especially where the author tried predicting the future advances in computer-related or Internet technology.

While the underlining concepts are still true in essentials, the material requires a thorough update. Even the doors and the faucets examples are now largely obsolete. Without such an update this is just an amusing trip into the history of usability as a study discipline.

I found the narration a tad too self-important at times but inoffensive enough.

Outdated but interesting

Was expecting the updated version (which is out there). Despite it being outdated it was interesting to hear Don Norman's many accurate predictions.

definitely not meant for audio book

lots of figures and examples which, I'm sure are laid out in the book, not well described in the audio version. still, it was an interesting read

A True Classic

A true classic, also published under the title The Psychology of Everyday Things, this book has been referred to as "inspirational" by so many thought leaders and inventors I just had to read it.

The primary concepts still hold, but...

But it was painful to listen to hours of 1980s postulating on how the future may turn out with crazy technology like the computer.
The book could be cut in half.

great book on usability and thinking things throug

must always keep in mind that the book is dated so the examples can have the reader thinking on tangents, but offers great thoughts on design. if there was a small bit of updating this would be awesome.

Fantastic

Fantastic concepts about design that are timeless. This book goes deep into design of even the most basic things in a profound and meaningful way.
I would like an update to the information presented in the book!

Good content, just a bit dry.

I thought the information was very interesting. a bit dated, perhaps, but certainly applicable to today. The material is just a but dry. I had to turn it off while on a long distance drive and switch to a novel so I didn't fall asleep.