Readers always seem to think that the author has some control over the design of their books.

Beauty and brains, pleasure and usability - they should go hand in hand.

Products were once designed for the functions they performed. But when all companies can make products that perform their functions equally well, the distinctive advantage goes to those who provide pleasure and enjoyment while maintaining the power. If functions are equated with cognition, pleasure is equated with emotion; today we want products that appeal to both cognition and emotion.

Complexity is acceptable as long as it is intelligible and necessary. We want to avoid needless complications.

In the university, professors make up artificial problems. In the real world, the problems do not come in nice, neat packages. They have to be discovered.

Everyday people are not very good designers.

A challenge to the designers of the world: Make signs unnecessary.