Donald A. Norman. “The Psychology of Everyday Things.” New York, NY: Basic Books, Inc., © 1988. ISBN: 0465067093
Availability: This book is in print (as of May 2002). Approximate cost: $30.00
This book explains the psychology of why things are done the way that they are, and also gives some view as to why we often act the way that we do. Each chapter explains a different portion of psychology, and its application to everyday situations. There are few case studies within the book, but each case study identifies an object and shows how it was developed from the original idea to its current use. Examples are often in the form of what not to do in design.
| A | The Typewriter: A Case History in the Evolution of Design |
| B | The Faucet: A Case History of Design Difficulties |