Don Norman: Father of Modern Product Design Philosophy

Originally posted at Business on Medium by Entreprogrammer / May 12, 2023

Design for people, A simple term that says it all…

Credit: UXLx on flicker ( This photo is under creative common license)

In the late 1980s, Apple was struggling with its computers. They resealed countless models in these ten years, but it was light years behind its competitors like IBM. Apple couldn’t find a way to design products that were functional and appealing to users at the same time. Even though on the outside, the company had been maintaining its stardom, on the inside, they were just leading the company up/down a blind alley.

Apple was largely disoriented in the 80s. There were communication issues, nobody seemed to be in charge, and there wasn’t a single design center. One of the most crucial things about an operating system is how it looks and how people will perceive it, and Apple back then completely missed it.

A 55-year-old man in the early 90s joined Apple and was also an Apple fellow. Right after his joining, he coined the term “user experience.” He accumulated a team and worked day and night on the upcoming Macintosh computer, a groundbreaking product focused on the user experience. His name is Don Norman, the father of UX design.

An unbridled mind against all the odds

Dyslexia- a nightmare for kids. Sometimes they don’t realize they have it and continue to struggle. Their struggle to read and write makes them completely isolated until their parents or teachers find it out. As a dyslexic kid, Norman had to go through all this.

It was very difficult for kids back in the 1940s. Interestingly, people with dyslexia have a much stronger right-hand side of the brain than the left, equipping them with such aptitude to be excellent artists. Who could’ve thought this dyslexic kid would revolutionize the IT and Software industry with designs?

As a child, he was fascinated by science and technology. He loved constructing things and dabbling with electronics. Norman had an artistic mind, as well. He loved music, participating in the school band on the clarinet and saxophone.

Changing gears

After graduating high school, he studied electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Quickly his mind became bored with all the circuit analysis and electronics, and he became interested in psychology. He switched his major from electrical engineering to psychology, which was a bold move, and graduated in 1957.

His interest in psychology didn’t end there. It led him to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He researched memory, problem-solving, and human cognition and perception under George A. Miller, a renowned psychologist.

After completing his Ph.D. in 1962, Norman accepted a postdoctoral appointment at Harvard University’s Center for Cognitive Studies and was promoted to lecturer within a year. After being with the center for four years, Norman became a professor at the University of California, San Diego (USCD). He was a great teacher that nobody ever denied. His unique teaching method, curriculum, and dynamic teaching style inspired countless students to rethink what designs can do to human psychology. Up until then, he wasn’t very close to computers.

The rise of Don Norman-the mind behind the user-centric design

In his life, he made several transitions, all of which were very bold, I must say. His transition from cognitive science to cognitive engineering was the turning point of his career. His article “The Truth about Unix: the user interface is Horrid (1981)” caught the eye of the computer world.

In this article, he heavily criticized the poor user interface design of the Unix operating system. Before that, nobody paid any heed to user experience; instead, every operating system strives to become as technically efficient as possible. This article single-handedly changed people’s views on user experience.

Soon after, he left academia even though he was in touch with multiple universities until 1993. In 1985 Norman’s first book, “User Centered System Design,” presented his ideas, such as building technology with the wants and abilities of the people who will use it in mind rather than stressing technical specifications. He also offers practical approaches for performing user research and testing, as well as frameworks for comprehending the user experience. It had a significant impact on the field of HCI and continues to influence technology design today.

His first book moved Steve Jobs so much that he couldn’t resist bringing Norman to Apple. As I mentioned, Norman saved Apple from crappy designs and frustrating user experience. Another book, “The Design of Everyday Things,” was another big success. Norman wrote about how design affects our daily life. The book digs into the psychological elements that influence our perception of items and the fundamental design concepts. It also provides practical suggestions for designers who want to follow in his footsteps.

His voice was his 18 books, where he tried to establish one fact- design matters. It can’t be ignored, and it dictates everything.

Compromising design isn’t an option

Steve Jobs was known for his short-temperedness, stubbornness, and cold behavior. Be that as it may, if there were one guy who could stand up against Jobs and speak his mind, it would be Don Norman. He was as stubborn and straightforward as Steve Jobs that he famously clashed with Steve Jobs during working on the original iMac.

Jobs wanted it to be released with a handle on the top for portability, but Norman straight up disagreed and argued it would ruin the sleek, minimalistic look. Norman eventually lost the fight, and the iMac was released with a handle. However, on numerous occasions, he criticized Jobs’ decision.

Throughout his career, Norman tried to establish that design and functionality should go hand in hand — more than you could possibly think. When you buy a shirt, you first look at the aesthetic of it, of course, but right after, you squeeze the material with your finger. Sometimes poorly designed products frustrate us, and some sneaky marketing tactics deliberately design products in such a way. Don Norman has been vocal about this throughout his life.

When we think of it this way, design just isn’t limited to aesthetics and functionality. It goes further from sustainability to ethics. Every single thing’s design has a significant impact on you one way or another. And Don Norman was the first person who realized it. He has always been an unwavering advocate of the end user, from his early days at Apple through his time as a lecturer and an author. Norman has never compromised from his views.

We owe a debt to this 87-year-old man for his tireless efforts in the field of design, and we can only hope that his legacy will inspire future generations to carry on his work in his footsteps.