One thing that drives me crazy is poorly designed shower faucets, especially the ones with a single handle where it’s difficult to tell how to adjust temperature or water pressure. Many of these designs lack clear signifiers, making it frustrating to figure out whether turning the handle left increases temperature or pressure, or if pulling or pushing it has any effect at all. Sometimes, the hot and cold indicators are either missing, faded, or counterintuitive, leading to a trial-and-error process that often results in an unexpected blast of freezing or scalding water.
In interactive media, Norman’s principles can be applied similarly to enhance usability. Just as a well-designed shower faucet should make its function immediately clear, interactive elements in digital experiences should signal their purpose intuitively. For example, buttons and interactive objects should provide visual and/or tactile feedback, such as glowing when hovered over or vibrating when clicked (the type of feedback varying depending on the intended users). Proper mapping in digital interfaces—like ensuring a swipe-down gesture naturally leads to scrolling down—mirrors the idea of making physical controls feel intuitive. Without such authorial intent and thought in the design, interactive media can be confusing and can often lose its original intended meaning as a result. By focusing on basic HCD principles, interactive media can create smoother, more engaging experiences that minimize user frustration.