The Design of Everyday Things

Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things redefined design philosophy for an entire generation. Blending cognitive psychology with real-world observation, Norman illustrates how people interact with technology and why thoughtful design prevents human error. His concept of “affordances” — the cues that tell users how to operate things — has become core UX vocabulary. The prose is clear, engaging, and filled with memorable examples, from doors that don’t open as expected to intuitive household appliances. Decades after its first publication, the book remains timeless, inspiring designers, engineers, and product teams to prioritize usability over aesthetics alone.

Don Norman is a cognitive scientist, usability engineer, and co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group. He has served as Vice President of Apple’s more advanced Technology Group and is widely regarded as one of the founding voices of user experience design.