While reading the text, one thing I felt that Norman did not explicitly mention is the lack of instructions for devices and electronics, especially when their functionality is not immediately obvious. Many products assume that users will either figure things out through trial and error or consult a manual, but in reality, unclear controls often lead to confusion and frustration. For example, I own a digital camera, but I still have no idea how to zoom properly or what the different shooting modes actually do. There are no clear signifiers on the buttons, and the camera does not provide immediate feedback or guidance. Similarly, the projectors we have in the Baraha rooms can get difficult to use because the wall-docked interface offers multiple input options with no clear instructions on which mode is appropiate for what. Users are left guessing, which can lead to delays and unnecessary trial and error.
This lack of guidance can also be an issue in interactive media. Many systems expect users to learn how to navigate and use features on their own, but this often results in important functions being left undiscovered, reducing the overall usability of the system. This is where Norman’s principles of discoverability, feedback, and conceptual models become essential. If interfaces and products clearly communicated how to use them, users would not have to struggle with unnecessary complexity. By applying Norman’s ideas, interactive media could be improved by incorporating better signifiers, immediate feedback, and clearer mappings to ensure users understand what actions are possible. Whether in physical devices like cameras and projectors or in digital interfaces, design should guide users intuitively rather than forcing them to figure everything out on their own.