1.What’s something (not mentioned in the reading) that drives you crazy and how could it be improved?
A great example of bad design in daily life is the automatic faucet in public restrooms. Designers like to hide the sensor inside the shiny metal tap to make it look clean and nice. However, this removes all visual signifiers. Users cannot see where the sensor is. They have to wave their hands around blindly to guess the right spot. This causes a lot of frustration.
To make things worse, the water often comes out with a short delay. In good design, feedback must be fast. Because of the delay, users think the faucet did not see them. They pull their hands away. At that exact moment, the water shoots out. This breaks the user’s simple conceptual model. They expect water to flow as soon as their hands are under the tap.
We can fix this problem very easily. First, designers can print a simple dot or hand icon on the tap. This gives a clear signifier for the sensor area. Second, a small light can turn on the instant the sensor detects a hand. This gives immediate feedback. Users will know the water is coming, so they will not pull their hands away.
2.How can you apply some of the author’s principles of design to interactive media?
To apply Norman’s principles to interactive media, we must change how we design user actions, system feedback, and layouts.
First, we apply signifiers by making active elements stand out from background elements. Since digital surfaces are flat, we must use visual contrast, lighting, or motion to guide the user’s eyes. This clearly shows users what can be changed and where to click.
Second, we apply natural mapping by matching system movements with real-world physics. For example, dragging an object up should increase power, and moving it right should move to the next step. When controls follow natural space, users do not need to memorize rules.
Third, we apply feedback by designing immediate visual or audio responses for every action. The system should never leave the user waiting in silence. Even a tiny color change or a brief sound confirms that the system received the input.
Finally, we build a clear system image by keeping the rules and layout consistent across the entire platform. When the design logic stays the same, users can quickly form a correct conceptual model and master the system without training.