Book Reading #52 - Living With Complexity

Title:
Chapter 3: How Simple Things Can Complicate Our Mind
Chapter 4: Social Signifiers

Reference:

Summary:
Chapter 3: How Simple Things Can Complicate Our Mind

Chapter three talks about the complexity of simple things.  It seems that some things are so simple such as inserting a key into a whole and turning, but the differences between all the different types of keys and keyholes presents a problem.  The same thing goes with computer passwords.  The answer to this, says Norman, is to put the problem on the environment.  If we put constraints on things based upon the environment around them we make it easy (and less stressful for our minds to remember) to figure out the way in which to use something.  He calls things that make us use something a certain way forcing functions.

Chapter 4: Social Signifiers

Social Signifiers is about just that.  Norman talks about the way in which clues from either the outside world or clues or cues from other people influence our thought process.  If there are people waiting at a bus stop, that affords that the bus has not yet come, but if there aren't people at the bus stop we wonder if the bus is running at all.  Affordances are perceived uses of a tool.  All these are important in design in order for things to be used correctly and so that people are aided in their use of things.

Discussion:
This is exactly what he has talked about in previous books.  I agree with him that it is a valid point, yet still don't understand why we are reading every book that this guy has authored.  The password issue is a tough one, and there really seems to be no good solution to it.  It is interesting - things like OpenID and such - that only require one password for a host of different applications.  I am not sure on the security mechanisms that are backing that, but it is interesting to think about.