Something that I have discovered recently which drives me crazy is installing EditShare on a machine running MacOS. Installing it is a confusing process as it isn’t a straightforward download like any other application. The installer is usually inconsistant and doesn’t display weither you have completed a certain step or if it needs to restart. The lack of feedback is confusing and directly proves Norman’s point. Norman describes feedback as a way for a system to communicate the result of an action to a user. EditShare can improve on this by clearly showing the status of each step and giving specific error messages when something goes wrong. It could also make the installation steps more visible so the user knows what they are expected to do next.
I can apply these principles to interactive media and my projects by making it clear what the user needs to do to get interactivity. One of the main ways I could achieve that is by using signifiers such as changes in color, movement, text, or symbols to indicate interaction. Norman explains that signifiers communicate where an action should take place. I can also give immediate feedback by having an object change appearance to signify that the action has been successfully completed.