Reading Response: Norman, Epilogue - We Are All Designers

Our interactions with everyday things reflect the three levels of design described by Norman: Visceral, behavioral, and reflective - each of which may be sufficient on its own to instil feelings of 'love' or devotion to a product. I have certainly felt attachments to everyday things at each of the levels of design, yet before reading Norman's book had not necessarily considered my attachment as a function of design. When I look at the things that surround me in everyday life, I'm looking at them with a 'new eye', one that considers design. I wonder too about the intentionality of design features - what was considered, what was rejected, and why? How much does cost of production come into play and at what point do designers need to sacrifice creativity in order to satisfy budgetary constraints? Although the answers to these questions are product specific and may never be answered, I do find them interesting to consider.

Norman goes on to question how mass-produced objects can have personal meaning and explains that the "attributes that make something personal are precisely the sorts of things that cannot be designed ahead of time, especially in mass production" (p. 218). He poses an interesting question: "What if technology were used to allow customization of everything -- somewhat like the personal fit that one gets from tailors and seamstresses, but without the delay and cost?" (p. 219). I was relieved to read Norman's response to the question, "Are these customizations emotionally compelling?" ... "Not really" (p. 220) - which is similar to my reaction. There is something about actually entering a store, deciding on a purchase, and being able to walk out with it neatly tucked under your arm (not that I am much of a shopper, but I really can't see myself going much if I were denied that immediate reward of 'package in hand'). An important point that Norman makes is that "things do not become personal because we have selected some alternatives from a catalog of choices" (p. 220). Rather, "personalization means expressing some sense of ownership, of pride. It means to have some individualistic touch" (p. 220).

Norman closes the chapter with a section entitled "We are all designers" - in that we manipulate our environments to better serve our needs. We select the objects that will surround us, we "build, buy, arrange, and restructure ... Through these personal acts of design, we transform the otherwise anonymous, commonplace things and spaces of everyday life into our own things and places" (p. 224).

William Morris Self Portrait - 1856 

One of my favourite quotes from this chapter is "The best kind of design isn't necessarily an object, a space, or a structure: it's a process -- dynamic and adaptable" (p. 225). Much like the designing that we have worked on in this course - it really is about the process and being both dynamic and adaptable.

In closing, I too will use the words of William Morris, as did Norman:

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in our houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful" (p. 227).