Daunting doors

So, I am reading The Design of Everyday Things and the book uses doors as an example of an often poorly designed object that people battle with when the knob/handle does not intuitively indicate the necessary movement, which is quite often. Push, pull, twist, grasp, slide? What side is hinged? Is it automatic?

I have begun experiencing the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon on the topic. For the last two days I witnessed a multitude of frazzled and innocent victims of poorly designed doors.

Interesting book, a lot of the content seems like it should be common sense but all of the silly doors, faucets, stovetops and light switches that we deal with everyday suggest otherwise.
As Mr. Norman writes “if a door handle needs a sign, then it’s design is probably faulty.”


Design Manifestos

Began reading manifestos as a part of the History and Philosophy of Design course, taught by Barry Katz at Stanford University. It was humbling to see so much of what I thought already described quite thoroughly by so many designers before me.

Goal: Write my own manifesto.

100+ Years of Design Manifestos


Some that spoke to me:

LeNS: http://www.icsid.org/news/year/2010_news/articles1260.htm

Design Education Manifesto: http://designcrit.com/mfa/design-education-manifesto/

Awesomeness Manifesto: blogs.hbr.org/haque/2009/09/is_your_business_innovative_or.html

Manifesto for Sustainability in Design: http://www.core77.com/reactor/04.07_chochinov.asp

The Designer’s Dilemma: http://designmind.frogdesign.com/articles/green/the-designers-dilemma.html?page=0