In the first chapter of The Design of Everyday Things, Don Norman delves into our interaction with commonplace items and how the fundamental principles of design shape this interaction. He also explores the concept of design and how everyday objects can create usability problems and frustrations for users. Reading about two of the most important characteristics of good design which are discoverability and understanding made me much more aware of the design of everyday objects that I encounter. Discoverability is about making it clear, often at first glance, what actions are possible with a product or interface. In my experience, a good example of easily discoverable designs that I deal with every day is well-designed mobile apps often have easily recognizable icons and intuitive gestures, enhancing discoverability. Don Norman also discussed a common problem that I faced personally in my first days in the university, which is the confusing doors. Dealing with doors is actually a common example that demonstrates the importance of user experience in the design process.
Another part of the reading that was really interesting is the paradox of technology, especially because it relates to the content of this course. Norman illustrates the trade-off between the convenience that technology brings and the increasing complexity it introduces. This resonates with my experience of using various applications where the initial excitement of features can sometimes be overshadowed by the challenges of mastering them.