1. "something that happens right after an action appears to be caused by that action. Touch a computer terminal just when it fails, and you apt to believe that you caused the failure, even though the failure and your action were related only by coincidence. Such false causality is the basis for much superstitution. Many of the peculiar behaviors of people using computer system or complex household appliances result from such false coincidences. When an action has no apparent result, you may conclude that the action was ineffective. So you repeat it. In earlier days, when computer word processors did not always show the results of their operations, people would sometimes attempt to change their manuscript, but the lack of visible effect from each action would make them think that their commands had not been executed, so they would repeat the commands, sometimes over and over, to their later astonishment and regret..."
-Donald Norman
This passage was most interesting to me because I have experienced this situation many times. For instance, I often find myself clicking on the same computer key for the hundredth time after failing each time I did it. From reading this brief passage I had a quick light bulb moment that "wow, maybe all this time the problem was not me but the stupid design". The passage related and connected to me the most out of the whole chapter. It was like a sudden enlightment to understanding the reasoning of how a failed action may not be caused by oneself but maybe by the design of the computer.
2. The book influence designers today because bad designs are still an issue. For example, there are still phones with many useless features that people do not understand how to use. Since people spend money buying poorly designed products, companies will continue to mass produce them. Another reason can be that designers may overlook their "fantastic" product when looking for reviews and responses.
3. A good product should have certain factors to be evaluated. Visibility is a factor we should use to evaluate a good product. There should be international signs and natural clues that assist us when operating a product. Poor instructions should not be tolerated. Every product must have clear and easy instructions that we can all understand. The right things should be seen with no problems; that way we can understand the device.
Good feedback of the product should not be forgotten. The best way to evaluate a product is by recieving response from the consumers. Materials are a factor too. If there are too many affordance for the material, it can be confusing for us to determine the right way to use it. The constraints on a product will limit the possible ways to use it; therefore it can be a good factor for evaluation.
The conceptual model of the design should be obvious. There should not be too many controls and functions where there are no obvious relationship. The product's design should form mental models or models people are accustomed to and familiar with. Mapping is as necessary as conceptual models when evaluating a product because that way, there is no relationship between the user's intention and the result. The product would be confusing and controls would be useless. Setting factors to evaluate products can set guildlines for better designs.
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