Don Norman
Don Norman
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Donald Arthur "Don" Norman is a renowned American usability engineer, cognitive scientist, and architect. He is also known as Don Norman.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on December 25, 1935, in Whittier, California, USA
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American, User Experience (UX) Designer, Usability Engineer, Cognitive Scientist, Architect
Early Life and Background
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Don Norman grew up in a family that valued education. His parents encouraged his curiosity and love for learning from an early age. He developed an interest in design and architecture while studying architecture at the University of Southern California (USC). After completing his undergraduate degree, Norman pursued his Master's degree in Architecture at Harvard University.
During his time at Harvard, Norman became fascinated with human behavior and cognition. This led him to shift his focus towards psychology and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. His academic background provided a solid foundation for his future work in usability engineering and design.
Major Accomplishments
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Don Norman's career spans over five decades, during which he has made significant contributions to the fields of user experience (UX) design, usability engineering, and cognitive science.
Founding President of the Nielsen Norman Group: In 1993, Norman co-founded the Nielsen Norman Group, a leading research and consulting firm that specializes in UX design. He served as its Founding President until 2006.
Author of influential books: Norman has written several books on UX design, including "The Design of Everyday Things" (1988), which is widely considered a classic in the field. His other notable works include "Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things" (2003) and "Living with Complexity" (2010).
Advocate for User-Centered Design: Throughout his career, Norman has been an advocate for user-centered design principles. He has emphasized the importance of designing products that are intuitive, easy to use, and meet the needs of their users.Notable Works or Actions
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Some notable works and actions by Don Norman include:
The Apple Human Interface Group: In the 1980s, Norman joined Apple's Human Interface Group as a consultant. During his time at Apple, he helped design the Macintosh computer's user interface.
* Usability Engineering: Norman is credited with developing the field of usability engineering. He has worked extensively in this area, helping organizations improve their products and services.
Impact and Legacy
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Don Norman's impact on UX design is immeasurable. His work has influenced generations of designers, researchers, and engineers. He continues to be a prominent figure in the industry, offering insights and expertise through his writings, lectures, and consulting work.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Don Norman's quotes and thoughts are widely sought after due to his deep understanding of human behavior, cognition, and design principles. His influential books have helped shape the field of UX design, making him a household name among designers and researchers.
Norman's commitment to user-centered design has inspired countless individuals to prioritize the needs of their users. As a result, he is widely quoted and remembered for his insightful commentary on design, technology, and human behavior.
In conclusion, Don Norman is a true pioneer in the field of UX design. His contributions have had a lasting impact on the industry, and his legacy continues to inspire future generations of designers and researchers.
Quotes by Don Norman
We still suffer from the mind-set of the Chicago World’s Fair: “Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms.” We.
The vicious cycle starts: if you fail at something, you think it is your fault. Therefore you think you can’t do that task. As a result, next time you have to do the task, you believe you can’t, so you don’t even try. The result is that you can’t, just as you thought. You’re trapped in a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Don’t criticize unless you can do better. Try to understand how the faulty design might have occurred: try to determine how it could have been done otherwise.
The designer has an obligation to provide an appropriate conceptual model for the way that the device works. It doesn't have to completely accurate but it has to be sufficiently accurate that it will help in both the learning of the operation and also dealing with novel situations.
The continued stability of the composite index at a relatively high 74, along with the improvement in most individual indexes from what were already high levels, is excellent news.
The technical problem is trivial. The hard part is getting everyone to agree on the same protocol.
Two years ago, we decided to quit having reunions, ... But Rex said, Let's have one more.'
Legislators in each state must determine whether or not regulation is necessary to protect their constituents.
Often people will use their own conceptual models of the world to determine the perceived causal relationship between the thing being blamed and the result. The word perceived is critical: the causal relationship does not have to exist; the person simply has to think it is there.