Things That Make Us Smart: Defending Human Attributes in the Age of the Machine
by Donald A. Norman
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By the author of THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY THINGS. Insightful and whimsical, profoundly intelligent and easily accessible, Don Norman has been exploring the design of our world for decades, exploring this complex relationship between humans and machines. In this seminal work, fully revised and updated, Norman gives us the first steps towards demanding a person-centered redesign of the machines we use every day. Humans have always worked with objects to extend our cognitive powers, from counting show more on our fingers to designing massive supercomputers. But advanced technology does more than merely assist with memory-the machines we create begin to shape how we think and, at times, even what we value. In THINGS THAT MAKE US SMART, Donald Norman explores the complex interaction between human thought and the technology it creates, arguing for the development of machines that fit our minds, rather than minds that must conform to the machine. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A bit dated now, but still very interesting. Explores connection between human thought and technology. Stresses that technology should support human characteristics and thought patterns -- not demand that humans conform to technology. Explains how that can happen with specific examples.
Donald Norman’s work opens the mind to a vast space of science that is still nascent at the boundary of Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science and the intangibles of Design and Computer Human Interaction.
Most of all the refreshing perspective is how much room there is for different kinds of methodology in study, which could be as simple as qualitative research from reporting one’s sensation to quantitative studies worked around specific questions.
And most importantly the perspective is a humanist view of technological development and its challenges. When we make technology we transform culture and this should maintain the human at its center rather than be a bureaucratic system.
Most of all the refreshing perspective is how much room there is for different kinds of methodology in study, which could be as simple as qualitative research from reporting one’s sensation to quantitative studies worked around specific questions.
And most importantly the perspective is a humanist view of technological development and its challenges. When we make technology we transform culture and this should maintain the human at its center rather than be a bureaucratic system.
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Author Information
20 Works 7,953 Members
Donald A. Norman is professor of computer science and psychology at Northwestern University and co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, a consulting firm that promotes human-centered products and services.
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Original title
- Things That Make Us Smart: Defending Human Attributes in the Age of the Machine
- Epigraph*
- La scienza scopre/ L'industria applica/L'uomo si adegua
Motto della Fiera Mondiale di Chicago del 1933
L'uomo propone/La scienza studia/La tecnologia si adegua
Motto centrato sull'individuo, in vista del ventunesimo secolo - Dedication*
- A Julie, che mi fa intelligente
- Quotations*
- Nulla come la collocazione delle note relative a ciascun capitolo sembra creare maggiori discussioni a proposito del design di un libro.
- Original language
- English
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Technology, Art & Design, General Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Philosophy
- DDC/MDS
- 303.4834 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social processes Social change Causes of change Development of science and technology Computers, automation, microelectronics, robots
- LCC
- T14 .N67 — Technology Technology (General)
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 473
- Popularity
- 64,322
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.64)
- Languages
- English, Italian, Japanese
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 4
