Accomplishment Quote by Donald A. Norman
“The argument is not between adding features and simplicity, between adding capability and usability. The real issue is about design: designing things that have the power required for the job while maintaining understandabili ty, the feeling of control, and the pleasure of accomplishment.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Design of Everyday Things, 2013
Design must balance functionality with usability, giving users control and satisfaction.
In simple terms: Design for power and ease.
Key Takeaway
Create usable, powerful designs.
Themes
design
usability
functionality
control
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
educational
professional
When to use this quote
- software interfaces
- consumer appliances
- websites
Key Concepts
human‑centered design
cognitive load
user experience
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you simplify without losing capability?
- What gives users a sense of control?
A Different Perspective
Complex features can overwhelm users.
![“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. It takes a lot of hard work to make something simple, to truly understand the underlying challenges and come up with elegant solutions. [...] It's not just minimalism or the absence of clutter. It involves digging through the depth of complexity. To be…” quote by Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0c/steve-jobs-307_able_simplicity-is-the-ultimate-sophisticatio_892908.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)
