--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good design is also an act of…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/donald-a-norman-6862_appearance_good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communicat_416910.jpg" --- # Good design is also an act of communication between the… ![“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.” quote by Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/donald-a-norman-6862_appearance_good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communicat_416910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/donald-a-norman-6862_appearance_good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communicat_416910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f13/donald-a-norman-6862_appearance_good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communicat_416910.jpg) > “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.” [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Communication Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication-designer-3704772/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Design Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design-act-3348496/) [Designer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designer/) [Device Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/device-explain-3704773/) [Devices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devices/) [Good design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-design/) [Users](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/users/) ## Related quotes > [Design is as much an act of spacing as an act of marking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-lupton/design-is-as-much-an-act-of-spacing-as-an-act-of-marking/) [Ellen Lupton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-lupton/) > [Verbalizing design is another act of design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-hara/verbalizing-design-is-another-act-of-design/) [Kenya Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-hara/) > [In their work, designers often become expert with the device they are designing. Users are often expert at the task they are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/in-their-work-designers-often-become-expert-with-the-device-they-are/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [A good designer can create a design that accommodates all the constraints and still delivers an elegant, satisfying experience to the user. A great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-james-garrett/a-good-designer-can-create-a-design-that-accommodates-all-the/) [Jesse James Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-james-garrett/) > [Good design keeps the user happy, the manufacturer in the black and the aesthete unoffended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-loewy/good-design-keeps-the-user-happy-the-manufacturer-in-the-black-and/) [Raymond Loewy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-loewy/) > [Good design allows things to operate more efficiently, smoothly, and comfortably for the user. That's the real source of advantage. Businesses have started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-hackett/good-design-allows-things-to-operate-more-efficiently-smoothly-and/) [James P Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-hackett/) > [A good designer will actually design the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/a-good-designer-will-actually-design-the-company/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/good-design-is-actually-a-lot-harder-to-notice-than-poor-design-in/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [She is convinced that when language dies, out of carelessness, disuse, indifference and absence of esteem, or killed by fiat, not only she herself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-is-convinced-that-when-language-dies-out-of-carelessness-disuse/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [We make every effort to bring the newest and most innovative technology to our enthusiastic customers, drawing on the best in the industry. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lei-jun/we-make-every-effort-to-bring-the-newest-and-most-innovative/) [Lei Jun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lei-jun/) > [My videos are coming from the perspective of someone who bought the device, used it and is giving impressions on the actual usage. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marques-brownlee/my-videos-are-coming-from-the-perspective-of-someone-who-bought-the/) [Marques Brownlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marques-brownlee/) > [As devices multiply and usage changes (many users coming online today may never use a desktop machine), it becomes more and more important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/as-devices-multiply-and-usage-changes-many-users-coming-online-today/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [The average smartphone user checks his or her device every six and a half minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-average-smartphone-user-checks-his-or-her-device-every-six-and-a/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) ## More by Donald A. Norman > [“key to winning the race is not to compete against machines but to compete with machines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/key-to-winning-the-race-is-not-to-compete-against-machines-but-to/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [ Hypertext makes a virtue out of lack of organization, allowing ideas and thoughts to be juxtaposed at will. \[...\] The advent of hypertext is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/hypertext-makes-a-virtue-out-of-lack-of-organization-allowing-ideas/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [We delude ourselves if we believe that skilled behavior is easy, that it can come about without effort. We forget the years of tuning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-delude-ourselves-if-we-believe-that-skilled-behavior-is-easy-that/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Could we ever switch to this or any of the many other rational systems? Unlikely: tradition is difficult to overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/could-we-ever-switch-to-this-or-any-of-the-many-other-rational/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [People Propose, Science Studies, Technology Conforms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/people-propose-science-studies-technology-conforms/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-sometimes-fail-it-is-a-sign-that/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [What makes something simple or complex? It's not the number of dials or controls or how many features it has: It is whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/what-makes-something-simple-or-complex-it-s-not-the-number-of-dials/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Only the most sophisticated of beings can lie and cheat, and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/only-the-most-sophisticated-of-beings-can-lie-and-cheat-and-get-away/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Any time you see signs or labels added to a device, it is an indication of bad design: a simple lock should not require…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/any-time-you-see-signs-or-labels-added-to-a-device-it-is-an/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“We need to remove the word failure from our vocabulary, replacing it instead with learning experience. To fail is to learn: we learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-need-to-remove-the-word-failure-from-our-vocabulary-replacing-it/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [When I use a direct manipulation system whether for text editing, drawing pictures, or creating and playing games I do think of myself not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/when-i-use-a-direct-manipulation-system-whether-for-text-editing/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Radical innovation is what many people seek, for it is the big, spectacular form of change. But most radical ideas fail, and even those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/radical-innovation-is-what-many-people-seek-for-it-is-the-big/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Technology usually provides a series of tradeoffs. Each asset is offset by a deficit...A major problem occurs when those who suffer from technology's defecits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/technology-usually-provides-a-series-of-tradeoffs-each-asset-is/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Simplification is as much in the mind as it is in the device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/simplification-is-as-much-in-the-mind-as-it-is-in-the-device/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [I think a successful company is one where everybody owns the same mission. Out of necessity, we divide ourselves up into discipline groups. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/i-think-a-successful-company-is-one-where-everybody-owns-the-same/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) [Explore all 97 Donald A. Norman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## More Appearance quotes > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [The essence of worldliness is exclusion of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-jacobsen/the-essence-of-worldliness-is-exclusion-of-god/) [Henry Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-jacobsen/) > [We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years - most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-scott-latourette/we-must-however-note-that-what-are-usually-called-the-high-religions/) [Kenneth Scott Latourette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-scott-latourette/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [You can have a nice body, dress with the latest fashion. But if you don't have self-confidence sweetheart, forget about looking sexy, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/you-can-have-a-nice-body-dress-with-the-latest-fashion-but-if-you-don/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [I cannot be convinced that great artists are moralists. Art is first appearances, then meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-cannot-be-convinced-that-great-artists-are-moralists-art-is-first/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [So may the outward shows be least themselves; The world is still deceived with ornament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-may-the-outward-shows-be-least-themselves-the-world-is-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are one of many appearances of the thing called Life; we are not its perfect image, for it has no perfect image except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/we-are-one-of-many-appearances-of-the-thing-called-life-we-are-not/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [I'm OK with my appearance. I have made my peace with it after a long and frankly exhausting battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-m-ok-with-my-appearance-i-have-made-my-peace-with-it-after-a-long/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Appearance records are pretty special. Mine means a lot to me, not only because I love stats, but because it shows that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/appearance-records-are-pretty-special-mine-means-a-lot-to-me-not-only/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [Every man would fall in love with their voice, their lovely appearance, but no man would ever get past that. They'd never really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/every-man-would-fall-in-love-with-their-voice-their-lovely-appearance/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I already know what things look like - I don't want description. People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) [Browse all 2,446 Appearance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald A. 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