One thing from Don Norman’s “The Psychopathology of Everyday Things” that made me think about my own experiences is his discussion of discoverability. I realized that I often get frustrated in malls because I cannot easily figure out where I am or where I need to go. Many malls have maps, but they are not always in places where I can easily find them, and sometimes I still have to spend time looking around to understand which direction I should walk. This made me question what makes something technically available but still difficult to use. If a map exists but I cannot find it or understand it quickly, is it really doing its job as a design or not. Norman’s idea of signifiers also changed how I think about this problem. A better mall map could use clear signs, icons, and arrows to show me where I am and where I should go. An interactive mall map could make this even easier by allowing me to search for a specific store and showing me a route from my current location. This would also have feedback within it.
What stood out to me most is that Norman argues that good design should make things understandable rather than forcing people to figure them out through trial and error. Before reading this, I usually thought that getting lost in a mall was just my own problem or lack of attention. It makes me think differently about interactive media because I realize that even simple things like buttons, maps, and directions need to communicate clearly with the user. Overall, these principles can make interactive media more intuitive, easier to use, and less frustrating