Thinking about Don Norman’s and Margaret Hamilton’s reading, I realize they both focused on designing with people’s real needs and future challenges in mind. Norman’s belief that attractive designs make things easier to use connects with how Hamilton built error-proof software for the Apollo mission, even when others didn’t see the need. It’s similar to how modern smartphones such as Apple aren’t just functional; they’re designed to be enjoyable and comfortable for people to use, which builds trust and loyalty to this certain company.
Furthermore, Hamilton’s focus on catching potential errors reminds me of safety checks in airplanes today, where every possible issue is planned ahead because lives are on the line. Her extra coding to avoid mistakes saved missions—just like self-driving cars are programmed now to avoid crashes. Both she and Norman understood that good design means planning for things that might go wrong, not just what we expect to happen.
Their stories also show why having different perspectives matters. Hamilton was one of the few women in tech at the time, breaking stereotypes, and now we know that having diverse teams helps products connect with more people. Whether we’re building an app, writing software, or designing a gadget, Norman and Hamilton’s work reminds me to think ahead and consider how our choices might affect people in ways we can’t yet imagine.