The Design of Everyday Things

by Donald A. Norman

Some authors, especially of fiction, might still prefer the linear telling of tales, for authors are storytellers, and in stories, the order in which characters and events are introduced is important to build the suspense, keep the reader enthralled, and manage the emotional highs and lows that characterize great storytelling. But for nonfiction, for books like this one, order is not as important.

same time as the others. Making things fail is not the only way to sustain sales. The women’s clothing industry is an example: what is fashionable this year is not next year, so women are encouraged to replace their wardrobe every season, every year. The same philosophy was soon extended to the automobile industry, where dramatic style changes on a regular basis made it obvious which people were up to date; which people were laggards, driving old-fashioned vehicles.

Instead of using handed-down technology, their results add value for all of us—call it handed-up technology.