Appearance Quote by Donald A. Norman
“Good design is also an act of communication between the designer and the user, except that all the communication has to come about by the appearance of the device itself. The device must explain itself.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Design of Everyday Things, 1988
Design must communicate its function through its appearance, making the device self‑explanatory.
In simple terms: Good design tells you how to use it just by looking.
Key Takeaway
Create intuitive, self‑explanatory designs.
Themes
design
communication
usability
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
design
educational
When to use this quote
- product development
- software UI
- hardware design
- instruction manuals
Key Concepts
human‑centered design
affordances
visual hierarchy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you test if a design explains itself?
- What visual cues aid user understanding?
A Different Perspective
Complex tasks may still need documentation.
![“In their work, designers often become expert with the device they are designing. Users are often expert at the task they are trying to perform with the device. [...] Professional designers are usually aware of the pitfalls. But most design is not done by professional designers, it is done by…” quote by Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c70/donald-a-norman-6862_design_in-their-work-designers-often-become-exp_1082795.jpg)
![“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)
