1. Select a brief passage from Chapter One of The Design of Everyday Things (Donald Norman) and post it on your blog. Explain why you thought it was interesting.

"Whenever the number of possible actions exceeds the number of controls, there is apt to be difficult. The telephone system has twenty- four functions, yet only fifteen controls- none of them labeled for specific action. In contrast, the trip computer for the car performs seventeen functions with fourteen controls. With minor exceptions, there is one control for each function. In fact, the controls with more than one function are indeed harder to remember to remember and to use. When the number of controls equals the number of functions, each control can be specialized, each can be labeled. The possible functions are visible, for each corresponds with a control. If the user forgets the functions, the controls serve as reminders."

I chose this passage because it reflected an aspect of design that I originally didn't consider. The fact that Norman expresses the significance of having a designated control for a specific action, truly anticipates how the consumer will interact with the product. As mentioned earlier, if a product exceeds the number of controls, it is most likely that it will be very challenging for the consumer. In order for a product to be successful, it has to possess the quality of accesibility. The everyday day consumer essentially seeks a product that obtains an easy approach and evades strenous thinking. By having a specific button controlling an individual action, makes things much more simple and it is one less thing that the consumer has to worry about.

2. Norman's book was first published in 1988 and it still influences designers today. Why do you think this book continues to be influential 20 years later?

I believe this book continues to be influential now in modern times due to the general concepts that are expressed throughout the book. The concepts that are being presented are reasonable and explore multiple phases of the designing world. From evaluating every intricate angle of the design in its early stages, to anticipating any complications, the detailed explanations help demonstrate the essence of a design that is assembled and sought to be improved.

3. Based on this chapter, what factors would you include on a checklist for evaluating the design of a product?

From learning this past week of new components to consider, there are several new factors that I would include on a checklist when evaluating the design of a product. I would start off my check list with the key essentials such as visibility, mapping, conceptual model, and affordance. Something that I would incorporate to that checklist has to be designated controls for every possible action. This really helps the consumer in accessing the product without any difficulty of remembering controls with multiple actions.