Action Quote by Donald A. Norman
“Change the attitude toward errors. Think of an object's user as attempting to do a task, getting there by imperfect approximations. Don't think of the user as making errors; think of the actions as approximations of what is desired.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Design of Everyday Things, 1988
View user actions as imperfect attempts at a goal, not errors, to foster empathy and better design.
In simple terms: Treat user mistakes as approximations, not faults.
Key Takeaway
Design with empathy, focusing on user intent.
Themes
design
usability
empathy
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- software UI
- physical product design
- education
- customer service
Key Concepts
human-centered design
error tolerance
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this perspective change your design process?
- What supports can help users achieve their goals?
A Different Perspective
Users may still make harmful mistakes despite framing.
![“Hypertext makes a virtue out of lack of organization, allowing ideas and thoughts to be juxtaposed at will. [...] The advent of hypertext is apt to make writing much more difficult, not easier. Good writing, that is.” quote by Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/662/donald-a-norman-6862_advent_hypertext-makes-a-virtue-out-of-lack-of_51804.jpg)
