Books › The Design of Future Things
The Design of Future Things
First published 2007 · 254 pages
A fascinating, consumer-oriented exploration of how we interact with the increasingly intelligent machines that populate our daily lives.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like taking a guided tour through the hidden psychology of the modern world, where everyday objects from smooth-talking GPS units to cantankerous refrigerators become subjects of deep fascination. The pace is steady and contemplative, allowing the reader to fully absorb the complex links between human behavior and industrial design. It cultivates an intellectually stimulating and curious mood, balancing the perils of poorly designed smart technology with the promise of a more natural, harmonious future. The prose is clear and revealing, translating engineering theories into accessible, consumer-oriented insights. It is a perfect fit for anyone who looks at the thinking machines of tomorrow and wonders how we will live alongside them.
- Mood
- curious
- intellectually stimulating
- contemplative
- Tone
- analytical
- insightful
- forward-looking
- accessible
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- human-machine interaction · psychology of design · the promise and peril of smart technology · social impact of engineering
- The writing
- Clear, revealing, and consumer-oriented, translating complex psychological and engineering concepts into accessible insights.
- The arc
- Moves from a curious observation of everyday technological frustrations to a hopeful, theoretical vision for harmonious human-machine interaction.
- Who it's for
- Anyone fascinated by the intersection of human psychology, industrial design, and the everyday reality of living with smart technology.
About the book
In The Design of Future Things, best-selling author Donald A. Norman presents a revealing examination of smart technology, from smooth-talking GPS units to cantankerous refrigerators. Exploring the links between design and human psychology, he offers a consumer-oriented theory of natural human-machine interaction that can be put into practice by the engineers and industrial designers of tomorrow's thinking machines. A fascinating look at the perils and promise of the intelligent objects of the future, The Design of Future Things is a must-read for anyone interested in the dawn of a new era in technology.
Description from Open Library.
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