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Technologies have a life cycle, says Donald
Norman, and companies and their products must change as
they pass from youth to maturity. Alas, the computer industry
thinks it is still in its rebellious teenage years, exulting
in technical complexity. Customers want change. They are
ready for products that offer convenience, ease of use,
and pleasure. The technology should be invisible, hidden
from sight.
In this book, Norman shows why the computer
is so difficult to use and why this complexity is fundamental
to its nature. The only answer, says Norman, is to start
over again, to develop information appliances that fit people's
needs and lives. To do this companies must change the way
they develop products. They need to start with an understanding
of people: user needs first, technology last -- the opposite
of how things are done now. Companies need a human-centered
development process, even if it means reorganizing the entire
company. This book shows why and how.
Donald A. Norman is an executive at Hewlett-Packard.
Formerly, he was Vice President and Apple Fellow at Apple
Computer, where he headed the Apple Research Laboratories,
and Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of
California at San Diego. He is the author of many books,
including the classic The Design of Everyday Things
and, more recently, Things That Make Us Smart. His
web site is at http://www.jnd.org.
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