Chapter 1: Attractive Things Work Better
Summary
This is yet another book from Donald Norman. In the first chapter the author explains why are attractive things and things with aesthetic beauty more efficient. He explains that looking at attractive things causes change in emotions and emotions lead us to take decisions. The author states that looking at beautiful things causes happiness and happiness leads to creative things and helps us to look at the bigger picture. On the other hand, fear and anxiety curb creativity, however, we tend to pay attention to minute details rather than the big picture when we are anxious and nervous. Thus, when the details are important, it's important to generate anxiety in people, and that is what alarms and sirens do.
The author also talks about three levels of processing - visceral layer, behavioral and reflective level. The visceral layer is preprogrammed into us. It's the automatic layer that deals with reflex actions. Behavioral layer dictates everyday behavior and the reflective level is the contemplative layer. This involves some thought process. Our actions are a result of interaction between these three layers.
Discussion
This book has a very different tone from the earlier two Don Norman books that I read - The design of Everyday Things and The Design of Future Things. It was interesting to read how he emphasizes on the emotional aspect in this book rather than the design aspect, constraints and mappings.
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