Reading about Margaret Hamilton’s story was incredibly inspiring—especially the way she navigated a male-dominated field with intelligence and persistence. What stood out to me most was how seriously she took her code, and how she fought to ensure software was treated as a critical part of the Apollo mission. I admired her foresight and the way she challenged the idea that software was somehow secondary to hardware or engineering. As someone learning to code, I often feel like software is invisible or taken for granted, so seeing Hamilton’s impact reinforced how powerful and essential it really is. Her story makes me feel like being detail-oriented, stubborn, and thoughtful in code can actually change history.
Norman’s piece made me reflect on how often I prioritize function over form—especially as someone who tinkers with circuits and code. But his argument that emotional design improves usability resonated with me deeply. I’ve definitely had moments where a sleek interface or an intuitively designed device made me feel more confident and willing to explore, even if I didn’t fully understand the technical side yet. It’s fascinating to think that our emotional response can override frustration or confusion. The idea that beauty encourages persistence really stuck with me—I now realize that good design isn’t just about solving a problem, but about shaping how people feel while solving it.