When I read Norman’s idea that attractive things “work better,” I realized it actually matches how I react to design in my everyday life. I do feel more drawn to things that look nice, whether it is a cute device, a clean app layout, or even good packaging. When something looks appealing, I automatically feel more positive toward it, and I am more patient when it has small issues. At the same time, I do not think beauty should be more important than usability. I believe designers need to balance both, because something that looks good but does not function well is frustrating, and something that works well but looks boring is not enjoyable either. His point made sense to me, but I also think he focuses a lot on emotion, and not every situation works that way.
The reading about Margaret Hamilton made me think about how different the tech world is today compared to her time. I personally have not felt underestimated in technical classes, and I do not feel like there is discrimination toward women in the spaces I am in now. But I know that fifty years ago it would have been a very different experience, and her story shows how much pressure she worked under. It also connects to Norman’s idea about emotion. She had to work in a very stressful environment, and that pressure probably forced her to be extremely focused and careful, which is what Norman describes when he talks about how negative emotions narrow thinking. Her story made me think about how serious and impactful technical work can be, and how much responsibility goes into writing code that other people depend on.